Hawaiian Airlines will host The Arc’s inaugural Wings for Autism event today at Honolulu Airport. More than 30 families are expected to participate.
The event, which will be held 3-5 p.m., is an airport rehearsal specially designed for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families and aviation professionals. It will enable individuals and families to prepare for, practice and gain confidence with air travel in a controlled, real-life environment. Families will have the opportunity to walk through the airport experience, from obtaining a boarding pass, getting through the security checkpoint and boarding a Boeing 717 aircraft to stowing luggage, getting seated and being introduced to the safety briefing prior to takeoff. A small reception, which ends at 6:30 p.m., will be held at Hawaiian Airlines’ Plumeria Lounge to celebrate the event.
The event is presented in partnership with the Hawaii Autism Foundation, The Arc in Hawaii, the Transportation Security Administration and Honolulu Airport. The program originally was developed by the Charles River Center, a local chapter of The Arc in Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Port Authority.
The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrome, autism, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses.
Uber settles for $25M in advertising suit
LOS ANGELES >> Uber agreed to a $25 million settlement in a lawsuit alleging the ride-hailing company misled and overcharged customers in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon filed the consumer protection lawsuit against Uber in 2014, accusing the company of overstating its customer-safety policy in marketing materials and adding unnecessary fees for tolls and airport drop-offs.
Uber will split the payment evenly between the counties. So long as Uber hands over $10 million within 60 days and adheres to other parts of the settlement for two years, the company will be spared the remaining $15 million.
Uber already has addressed many of the claims in other lawsuit settlements, such as agreeing to no longer use phrases like “safest ride on the road” and describing its background checks as “the gold standard.”
The relatively small settlement announced Thursday is something of a coup for the transportation giant, which has made a habit of sweeping into cities, ignoring existing regulation and forcing lawmakers to play catch-up.
SunEdison partner says China plant on pace
Jinneng Group, the Chinese state-owned company that teamed with SunEdison Inc. earlier this year to research and develop solar cells and panels, said cooperation continues even as the U.S. company teeters on the brink of bankruptcy.
With SunEdison as an investor, Jinneng is building a manufacturing plant in Jinzhong in China’s northern province of Shanxi to produce 500 megawatts of solar panels a year, said Yang Liyou, general manager of the group’s clean-energy unit.
The plant hasn’t been affected by SunEdison’s woes and is expected to begin operating in two years, Yang said in a phone interview Thursday. The stakes held in the venture by SunEdison and Jinneng haven’t been disclosed.
(SunEdison was involved in four Hawaii projects. One project was rejected by state regulators. Hawaiian Electric Co. backed out of contracts with SunEdison for the three other solar projects in February because of SunEdison’s financial situation and failure to meet project milestones.)
Maryland Heights, Mo.-based SunEdison amassed $11.7 billion in debt by Sept. 30 following an aggressive buying binge. TerraForm Global Inc., a holding company controlled by SunEdison, said last month that there’s a substantial risk SunEdison will seek bankruptcy protection.
On the Move
Communications Pacific has hired Sherri Rigg as an account director as of Monday. She has extensive experience in marketing, event management and public relations, including serving as president and owner of Rigg Communications, which was her own marketing consulting company. Rigg directed and oversaw all activities for clients such as Kapolei Commons Shopping Center and P.F. Chang’s Waikiki.
Bryan Luke, a president and chief operating officer of Hawaii National Bank, has been named chairman of Western Independent Bankers. He has more than 15 years of finance experience, including joining Hawaii National Bank in 2006, where he started by leading the relationship management and services division. Luke also worked for Standard & Poor’s and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
