Apple Store to reopen at Ala Moana
The original Apple Store at Ala Moana Center on the mall level will reopen at 9 a.m. Saturday after renovations.
The first 1,000 customers will receive a no-purchase-necessary commemorative T-shirt at the grand reopening event.
Apple’s retail operations at Ala Moana have been conducted a few doors away from the original space, as it was closed for the redesign project.
Kailua firm marketing travel drinks
A new line of beverages aimed at prevention and relief of jet lag has been designed by Kailua-based Jetway Inc. to appeal to three of Hawaii’s tourism markets — Japan, the U.S. West Coast and China, while one was created for visitors and kamaaina who like to try Hawaii-related products.
Called Jet Lag Beverages, two of the products are enhanced water drinks, while the other two are teas, and all contain vitamins and minerals the company says will benefit travelers.
Honolulu Jet Lag Water is flavored with pineapple, orange and guava; San Francisco Jet Lag Water is flavored with Meyer lemon and pear; Beijing Jet Lag Iced Tea is a black tea flavored with apples and peaches; and Tokyo Jet Lag Iced Tea is green tea flavored with yuzu and mangosteen.
The 16.9-ounce beverages are available at several retail stores on Oahu and aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines, with additional locations to be added.
Wal-Mart to settle Netflix case for $27.5M
More than 25 million current and former Netflix subscribers are being offered a sliver of a $27.5 million payment to settle allegations that the video subscription service and Wal-Mart illegally conspired to inflate prices to rent and buy DVDs.
Most people covered by the agreement were notified when the details were sent in mass emails late Tuesday. A federal court judge gave tentative approval of the settlement in early September. A final hearing on the settlement’s merits is scheduled March 14 before U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton in Oakland, Calif.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, is paying for the settlement without acknowledging any wrongdoing. The proceeds will be offered in cash or Wal-Mart gift cards. The settlement covers anyone who subscribed to Netflix — at any time — between May 19, 2005, and Sept. 2 of this year.
Anyone who doesn’t want to be covered by the Wal-Mart settlement or represented in the case against Netflix has until Feb. 14 to notify the court.
The individual amounts paid to Netflix’s current and former subscribers will depend on how many people decide not to accept the settlement and how much money is left over after attorney fees.
The lawyers representing Netflix subscribers are asking for 25 percent, or nearly $6.9 million, of the total settlement, plus as much as $1.7 million to cover their costs. That means less than $19 million could be left to pay the people covered by that settlement. Assuming everyone eligible participates, it would amount to less than $1 per person.
Airline trade group sues over loan guarantees
The trade group for U.S. airlines sued on Wednesday over loan guarantees for a jet order by Air India, saying the U.S.-backed loans are hurting more American workers than they help. The Air Transport Association sued the Export-Import Bank of the United States. The bank’s job is to guarantee loans that help American companies doing business overseas, including Boeing Co.
The lawsuit seeks to force the Ex-Im bank to reverse plans to guarantee up to $3.4 billion in loans for Air India to buy 30 Boeing planes, including 27 of its new 787s. The lawsuit claims that the bank guarantees allow foreign airlines to save money on new planes, resulting in unfair competition. The lawsuit claims a foreign airline buying a Boeing 777 would save about $5 million a year in interest payments with an Ex-Im backed loan compared with what a U.S. carrier would pay.
The idea behind the loans is to support U.S. workers at companies with overseas customers. Boeing employs about 171,000 people, most of them in the U.S., including more than 78,000 in its commercial airplanes division. Its airplanes also use components made by contractors in the U.S. and overseas.
Financially ailing Detroit facing takeover
DETROIT » Detroit Mayor Dave Bing on Wednesday urged municipal unions to accept wage cuts and Michigan leaders to pay the city millions stemming from a decade-old tax agreement, saying Detroit needs the money to avoid an emergency financial takeover.
The city faces a $45 million cash shortfall by the end of its fiscal year in June, Bing said in a TV and radio address. If Detroit doesn’t fix its fiscal problems, the state could appoint a financial manager to make sweeping changes.
Bing’s administration has said Detroit has an accumulated deficit of about $150 million in its $3.1 billion annual budget.
ON THE MOVE
Eric Tessem has been hired as the senior vice president and general manager for the Honolulu office of dck pacific construction, a dck worldwide company. He has more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry, including president of Construction Associates, which he founded in 1981.
Hawaii Medical Institute has named Kaeley Glasco its career services director. Her responsibilities include working with doctors, clinics and local hospitals to showcase the school’s certified students for employment in medical assisting, pharmacy technology and coding and billing.
Certified Hawaii, an Associa company, has promoted Kathy Cooley to senior vice president from branch manager of Hawaii operations. She works in Certified’s Kona office and is responsible for day-to-day operations of more than 70 properties as well as managing 11 employees and her portfolio of clients.
