Aloha Air Cargo plans L.A.-Honolulu flight

Aloha Air Cargo is expanding service with the addition of a nonstop flight between Los Angeles and Honolulu.

The five-times-a-week, round-trip flight is scheduled to begin service Oct. 23 and will be geared toward freight forwarders, consolidators, passenger carrier partners, and businesses looking to sync up with Aloha’s existing interisland network.

Aloha Air Cargo will operate a Boeing 767-300F aircraft, which has a maximum payload of 125,000 pounds, from L.A. on a Tuesday through Saturday rotation, departing at 2 a.m. PST, and arriving in Honolulu at approximately 5 a.m. HST. Return flights will operate Monday through Friday, departing Honolulu at 2:30 p.m. HST and arriving in L.A. at approximately 10:45 p.m. PST.

The flight will significantly increase Aloha’s domestic capacity between North America and the Pacific region, and improve service reliability and frequency for onward shipments into Kona, Kahului and across the state. The wide-body capability of the aircraft also will further strengthen the platform and service performance that the Aloha Air Cargo network offers customers and carriers shipping from Asia to the Americas.

Chaminade to offer BS degrees to RNs

Chaminade University is offering a new program for registered nurses to complete a bachelor of science in nursing while continuing to work.

Most of the program will be offered online through Chaminade’s Office of Professional and Continuing Education.

The school is currently accepting applications. Nursing courses begin next summer.

The program, which can be completed in 18 months, is pending approval from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. A total of 24 students (full-time or part-time cohorts available) will be admitted in the inaugural class.

For more information, call 735-4755.

Two isle hotels make Fodor’s Top 100

Tiny Holualoa Inn on the Kona side of Hawaii island, and the sprawling Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa on Oahu, are the only Hawaii hotels to be named among 2014 Fodor’s 100 Hotel Award winners.

The Holualoa Inn, comprising six rooms and suites and a one-bedroom cottage, is located within a 30-acre coffee estate mauka of Kailua Bay. It is among Fodor’s 12 winners in the Small Hotels category.

Aulani, which has 360 hotel rooms, 481 two-bedroom time-share units, a wedding lawn, restaurants, an 18,000-square-foot family spa and a 14,545-square-foot conference center, is among the dozen Beach Getaways from around the world chosen by Fodor’s editors and readers.

Travelers were invited to nominate properties for Fodor’s new Readers’ Choice category, which includes 25 hotels, but none in Hawaii.

Nominations of real estate agents sought

The trade association representing residential real estate agents on Oahu is seeking nominations for their members who provided customers with exceptional service buying or selling a home during the last 12 months.

The Honolulu Board of Realtors, which has about 5,300 members, will accept nominations through 5 p.m. Friday for its Aloha ‘Aina Realtor Awards, an annual event in its 17th year.

Real estate agents may be nominated by clients if they assisted with a purchase or sale that closed between Sept. 1, 2013, and Aug. 31, 2014. Nominees also must be a Realtor in good standing with the trade group.

First Hawaiian Bank and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser are helping sponsor the event. Ten winners will be announced in December. To download nomination forms, visit Hicentral.com/alohaaina online.

Founder Ma, execs to retain Alibaba reins

BEIJING » Control over Alibaba Group will stay in the hands of founder Jack Ma and other company veterans after the Chinese e-commerce giant goes public on the New York Stock Exchange in a record-busting share sale.

A group of 27 managers dubbed the "Alibaba Partnership" will have the power to nominate a majority of board members, a structure that was unpalatable to Hong Kong’s stock market and resulted in Alibaba deciding to list in New York.

Alibaba says the arrangement will preserve its innovative culture in a fast-developing industry and reduce distractions from financial market fluctuations. The plan echoes tech founders in China and abroad who say they need to retain control to keep alive the creative energy of their startup days and launch new initiatives, even if that lowers short-term profits.

Oktoberfest event opens signups to enthusiasts

Organizers of Okakopa Hoolaulea, an Oktoberfest celebration on Oahu for automobile enthusiasts, have opened registrations for car clubs and individual car and motorcycle owners.

Competitions will include the Modified Concours, to be judged by experts, and the People’s Show and Shine, which is open for public voting.

Proceeds collected from competition participants will benefit a refurbishment and maintenance project for the auto shop at Moanalua High School, as well as a rain and garden catchment project at Aina Haina Elementary School.

The event, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 25 at the Pali Golf Course, is free and open to the public. Additional details and information are posted on the event website, okakopafest.org; or contact Eugene Villaluz, director of the Mercedes-Benz Club Hawaii Section, at evillaluz@tapa.com or 550-8554.

Self-driving cars require permit and registration

LOS ANGELES » Computer-driven cars have been testing their skills on California roads for more than four years — but until now, the Department of Motor Vehicles wasn’t sure just how many were rolling around.

That changed Tuesday, when the agency required self-driving cars to be registered and issued testing permits that let three companies dispatch 29 vehicles onto freeways and into neighborhoods — with a human behind the wheel in case the onboard equipment makes a bad decision.

These may be the cars of the future, but for now they represent a tiny fraction of California’s approximately 32 million registered vehicles.

Google’s souped-up Lexus SUVs are the biggest fleet, with 25 vehicles. Mercedes and the Volkswagen Group of America have two vehicles each, said Bernard Soriano, the DMV official overseeing the state’s "autonomous vehicle" regulation-writing process. A "handful" of other companies are applying for permits, he said.

GM to add 750 workers amid demand for trucks

DETROIT » Early demand is so high for General Motors’ new small pickup trucks that the company is hiring more workers to build them even before one is sold to the public.

Nearly 100,000 prospective buyers have gone online to customize a Chevrolet Colorado or a GMC Canyon pickup and get a price. That, and 30,000 advance orders from dealers, is a sign of strong demand, GM said Tuesday.

GM plans to add 750 workers around March to staff a third shift at its plant in Wentzville, Mo., west of St. Louis. The factory already employs 2,600 people who build the Colorado and Canyon as well as the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans.

Hawaiian Electric to host energy fair at Kahala Mall

The Hawaiian Electric Clean Energy Fair will be held on Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kahala Mall near the Macy’s wing.

The event is free for the public and will provide the latest information about renewable energy, electric vehicles, solar and photovoltaic installations, and energy rebates, according to Hawaiian Electric Co.

Co-sponsored by Hawaiian Electric, Kanu Hawai’i and the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, the event will host organizations and businesses involved in resource conservation, energy efficiency and clean energy initiatives.

Waipuna and Electric Ed of Mad Science Hawai’i are scheduled to perform at the event.
 

ON THE MOVE

Atlas Insurance Agency has appointed:

» Bonnie-Lee Pang to senior vice president. She has more than 20 years of benefit consulting experience and will continue to manage Atlas Insurance Agency’s Benefits Consulting Division.

» Melanie Nordgran to assistant vice president in its benefits consulting division. She has more than 10 years of benefits consulting experience and will continue to service the company’s large accounts.

The Parents and Children Together (PACT) board of directors has announced Ryan Kusumoto as president and chief executive officer. He was previously vice president of business operations at Goodwill Industries of Hawaii.

SHIP AHOY!

Today’s ship arrivals and departures:

HONOLULU HARBOR