BUSINESS BRIEFS
Isles' papaya production up 16%
Advertiser Staff
Fresh papaya production in Hawai'i is up 16 percent this year through May to 13.5 million pounds, according to an estimate by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
In May alone, the production estimate was 2.8 million pounds, up 18 percent from the same month last year.
Papaya growers reported being paid an average of 53 cents a pound for fresh fruit in May, 2 cents a pound more than April and 6 cents a pound more than May 2007.
Orchards experienced mostly sunny weather in May, though some orchards in drier areas would have benefitted from more rain, the NASS report said. The report also said some planting schedules have been delayed because of reduced seed availability.
PEARL CITY/WAIMALU IHOP NOW 24/7
The IHOP restaurant in the Pearl City/Waimalu area said it has expanded to 24-hour-a-day operations to meet customer requests for longer hours.
The 250-seat restaurant was previously open 16 hours daily Sundays to Thursdays and 18 hours on Fridays and Saturdays. Restaurant owner Sarah Espino said she doesn't have plans at her other locations in Windward Mall, Waikiki and the Prince Kuhio Plaza in Hilo.
WAHIAWA SATELLITE ANTENNAS READY
General Dynamics C4 Systems said it recently completed the mounting of three satellite antennas on 53-foot-tall pedestals in Wahiawa, as part of the upcoming deployment of the U.S. military's next-generation narrowband global mobile statellite communications.
The Wahiawa facility is the first of four ground stations that will be equipped with the satellite antenna systems. Others will be located in Virginia, Australia and Italy.
The system will provide cell phone-like services to ground-based military personnel around the globe, General Dynamics said. Users will be able to communicate directly with each other and their commanders from almost anywhere in the world.
General Dynamics has responsibility for the ground-based segment of the system under contract to Lockheed Martin, which has been contracted to provide the satellites.
BONUS MILES OFFERED FOR ISLE VISITS
Hawai'i vacations could earn Mainland travelers extra frequent flier miles on American Airlines.
American Airlines Vacations is offering bonus frequent flier miles to travelers booking vacations to Hawai'i through the middle of next month.
The tour company said customers can earn up to 5,000 American Airlines AAdvantage miles by booking select vacations to Hawai'i, Mexico, the Caribbean and other destinations.
Customers who book a selected vacation package of four nights or longer by Aug. 15 will earn 4,000 bonus miles. If they book through American Airlines Vacations' Web site they will earn another 1,000 bonus miles.
PILLOWS SOLD AT COSTCO RECALLED
A set of pillows sold at certain Costco Wholesale Corp. stores are being recalled because they contain small metal fragments.
The Consumer Products Safety Commission said about 120,000 Cuddly Comfort Pillows were being recalled.
The pillows were sold in packs of two. Only the pillows with the registration number PA-27156(CA) are involved in the recall. The number and the words "Sleep Innovations" are on the pillows' tag. People with the pillows should return them to a Costco store for a full refund.
