BUSINESS BRIEFS
Isles' banana sales value drops 18%
Advertiser Staff
Declining production and falling prices cut the value of Hawai'i's banana sales by 18 percent to $8.1 million in 2007 from 2006, according to the local office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Last year's banana sales were the lowest since 1998, when sales totaled $7.4 million.
Banana production fell 1.5 percent to 19.7 million pounds in 2007, a 1.5 percent decline from the previous year. Farmers received 41 cents a pound for their bananas, down from 49 cents a pound in 2006.
Statewide banana acreage was estimated at 1,200 acres, unchanged from 2006. Harvested acreage also was unchanged at 1,000 acres.
ECONOMY NOT CRIMPING TRAVEL PLANS
The slowdown in Hawai'i's economy isn't stopping most people from taking a summer vacation, according to a survey of American Automobile Association Hawaii members.
AAA Hawaii said 59 percent of people responding to its survey said they would travel this summer, or about the same as last year. The poll also found that 28 percent expect to take fewer trips, while 13 percent plan on traveling more.
Las Vegas topped the destinations listed by members, followed by Maui, Honolulu, Kona, San Francisco, Seattle, Japan, Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego and Kaua'i.
The survey was conducted by e-mail sent to more than 400 AAA Hawaii members between May 13 and June 2.
WAIKIKI CENTER FOOD COURT OPENS
Waikiki's Royal Hawaiian Center has opened its Paina Lanai food court, featuring casual restaurants.
Officials said the first round of restaurants has opened — Grove Bar, Maui Tacos, Paradise Café, Ezogiku, Yummy Korean BBQ — with several more planned to start up this summer.
"Our Paina Lanai casual dining concept is a great opportunity for customers to try the various flavors of Hawai'i," said Marleen Akau, general manager of Royal Hawaiian Center. She said it also caters to resident employees who want quick, convenient options during their lunch breaks or after work.
The center, which just completed a $115 million renovation, features 110 businesses on four levels.
WIMBERLY ALLISON RATED IN TOP 100
Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo, the architectural firm founded in Honolulu in 1945, has been named one of the top 100 Green Design Firms in the U.S. by McGraw-Hill Construction's Engineering News-Record.
Wimberly Allison ranked 80th in the listing, which ranked firms based on revenue from projects registered with or certified by third-party ratings groups for environmental or sustainable design standards.
HONOLULU DRIVERS 27TH 'GREENEST'
Honolulu ranks 27th in the nation in a magazine's ranking of "greenest" commuters.
Men's Health looked at which cities were best when it came to gas consumption, miles driven, air quality, vehicle efficiency, and mass-transit use.
Seattle ranked first on the list and received an A+ from the magazine. Arlington, Texas was worst on the 100-city list and received an "F" grade.
Honolulu's ranking garnered it a "B."
Florida Community College of Jacksonville won USA Funds Award of Excellence, while Orange Coast College in California also received a merit award.
