Marriott's Spirit of Aloha Tour heads back on the road with another Hawai'i bus promotion beginning Jan. 19 in Phoenix.

This trip follows two successful tours on the Mainland and Japan last year, with a trek that this time will travel across Texas to Atlanta, then back through Charlotte, N.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; St. Louis; Omaha, Neb.; Denver; and Salt Lake City, with a final stop in Los Angeles.

Marriott Resorts Hawaii leaders will visit with travel partners, groups and media during the 12-city, four-week tour. Performers from the Polynesian Cultural Center will once again be joining the tour to provide Hawaiian entertainment at each stop.

Marriott is partnering on the promotion with the Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau and Hawaiian Airlines.

HAWAI'I BANKRUPTCIES 6TH HIGHEST IN U.S.

Hawai'i's 49.3 percent increase in bankruptcies last year compared to 2008 was the sixth highest in the nation, according to research done by The Associated Press.

Hawai'i's increase compared to a 32 percent rise nationally.

Arizona had the biggest gain in bankruptcies, with 77 percent more being filed. Alaska had the slowest rise at 12 percent.

FUNDRAISER ORDERED TO CEASE-AND-DESIST

A fundraiser who is accused of selling more than $300,000 of unregistered securities to Hawai'i investors has been issued a preliminary cease-and-desist order by state Commissioner of Securities Tung Chan.

The order said Maria P. Abello, who did business as Teancum Inc., was hired by the National Korean War Museum to help with its development and to raise funds for the museum, and alleges Abello misrepresented that the project was backed by the federal government while promising investment returns of 5 percent to 30 percent.

The state accuses Abello of using investor funds for her personal expenses and that she violated Hawai'i's securities registration and antifraud provisions. The state is seeking a $350,000 penalty and injunction against future violations along with paying restitution to investors.

TESORO SHARES JUMP ON TAKEOVER RUMOR

Tesoro Corp.'s shares rose 9.3 percent in trading yesterday after a Deutsche Bank AG report identified the company as a potential takeover target and said it expected U.S. oil demand to rise, Bloomberg News reported.

Tesoro, which operates seven oil refineries including the biggest in Hawai'i, rose $1.26 to $14.81 and was the second-biggest gainer in the S&P 500 Index, behind Wynn Resorts Ltd.