Hyatt and Orbitz create vacation package website

CHICAGO » Orbitz Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels, which has properties throughout Hawaii, have jointly created a new website to sell vacation packages at Hyatt resorts around the world, the companies said Wednesday.

The website, HyattTravel.com, uses Orbitz technology and allows consumers to search for and book combinations of flights, car rentals and hotel rooms at more than 500 Hyatt properties.

HyattTravel will join several other travel booking sites powered by Orbitz, including Cheaptickets, ebookers, HotelClub.com and RatesToGo.

Financial details of the partnership between the two Chicago-based companies were not immediately available.

Isle restaurants make ‘most romantic’ list

Two restaurants on Oahu and one each on Maui and Hawaii island are among the OpenTable.com 2015 Diners’ Choice Award winners for the Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America.

This year’s list, presented alphabetically, includes Gerard’s Restaurant Maui, in Lahaina; La Mer at Halekulani and Michel’s at the Colony Surf on Oahu; and ‘Ulu Ocean Grill and Sushi Lounge at Kaupulehu, on Hawaii island.

The online dining reservations site issues its list before Valentine’s Day each year. Its lists are generated from among more than 5 million restaurant reviews collected from verified OpenTable users during the prior calendar year.

Contest could boost local small businesses

Membership store Sam’s Club and the nonprofit Service Corps of Retired Executives, or SCORE, are accepting entries for a $700,000 grant program for small businesses.

Winners of the American Small Business Championship will receive expert training, resources and networking opportunities, as well as a $1,000 Sam’s Club gift card.

Two winners from each state and the District of Columbia also will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to a training event, one year of SCORE mentoring, and promotion throughout the year. Applicants must have been in business for a minimum of one year and be generating revenue.

The online application process requires entrants to answer the question "What sacrifice have you made to help your business succeed?" Answers may be in the form of a 60-second video or a written statement of up to 250 words.

Application forms are available at www.score.org/championship and must be submitted by Feb. 6.

Ferraris to star at new Lunch Bunch venue

The Auto Lunch Bunch gathering’s move to the Hawaii Yacht Club on the first Wednesday of each month will be permanent, at least through 2015, organizers have announced.

Ferraris will headline the Kars at the Kurb display and will feature a 2015 Ferrari California T and a limited-production 2004 Ferrari Challenge Stradale 360, both presented by JN Exotics, as well as a 1972 Ferrari Dino.

Darryl Turner, president and general manager of NAPA Hawaii, will discuss the auto parts business in Hawaii and his own automotive experiences.

Lunch for the noon gathering costs $13, payable upon entry to the second-floor dining room, and includes tax, tip and unlimited self-serve iced tea. Orders will be taken until 12:30 p.m., after which regular menu prices will be charged.

Parking costs $1 per hour and is allowed between the 400- and 500-numbered rows of boats.

Reservations are needed and can be made via Ed Kemper at 225-2965 or via email at edracers@aol.com.

Car show returns to TV Saturday

The 2015 season of "PunishUM Motorsports" will debut at 4:30 p.m. Saturday on KFVE-TV.

Features will highlight street bike drag racer Jack Cambra Jr., Ron Capps and the Okuhara brothers of Las Vegas, and a flight with the Hawaii Air National Guard.

A new episode will air on the last Saturday of each month, according to executive producer Tracy Arakaki. The show is co-hosted by Olena Heu.

"PunishUM Motorsports" will air immediately following 4 p.m. telecasts of "Shooting Sports Hawaii," also produced by Arakaki.

Short circuits spark recall of Nissan SUVs

DETROIT » Nissan is recalling nearly 768,000 SUVs worldwide to fix faulty hood latches and electrical shorts that could cause fires.

The recall announced Wednesday covers more than 552,000 Rogue small SUVs from 2008 through 2013 and Rogue Select SUVs from 2014. Snow and salty water can seep through the driver’s side carpet to a wiring harness, causing electrical shorts. Nissan says there were reports of shorts but no fires or injuries. Most of the Rogues were sold in North America, but some were outside the region.

A second recall covers nearly 216,000 Nissan Pathfinders from 2013 and 2014, and Infiniti JX35s from 2013 and QX60s from 2014. The secondary hood latch could stay open when the hood is closed. If the main hood latch is released and the secondary latch fails, the hood could open while the SUVs are being driven.

Nissan to install 1,000 charging stations

WASHINGTON » Nissan said it would help open about 1,000 high-speed charging stations for electric vehicles between now and April 2016.

Days earlier, BMW and Volkswagen announced a joint effort to build 100 high-speed public charging stations along heavily trafficked corridors on the East and West coasts.

Nissan did not disclose where the chargers would be built, but the company will probably focus its efforts on the nation’s largest metro areas, said Brendan Jones, Nissan’s director of electric vehicle sales and infrastructure deployment. High-speed chargers can fill up a vehicle’s battery in roughly 20 to 30 minutes.

Nissan has chargers in 13 metro areas, including San Francisco, Dallas and Washington, D.C., and plans to expand to 25 cities by year-end. The Nissan-sponsored locations will be built and run by third-party networks like NRG eVgo.

On The Move

» Hawaiian Airlines has appointed Beau Tatsumura as director of line maintenance. He has more than 20 years of airline maintenance experience and previously served as senior director of maintenance and engineering for Aeko Kula, where he oversaw day-to-day operations and overall safety for Aloha Air Cargo.

» AHR Hospitality Partners has announced the appointment of Matt Bailey to president of Aqua Hospitality and Aston Hotels & Resorts. He will retain his position as chief operating officer for both companies. Bailey has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, holding key leadership positions at resorts and hotels in Nevada, Utah, Texas, California and Hawaii.

» The Queen’s Health Systems has named two new trustees to the board of trustees: 

— Joseph Keawe‘aimoku Kaholokula: Professor and chairman of the Department of Native Hawaiian Health at the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.

– Allen B. Uyeda: Retired president and chief executive officer of First Insurance Co. of Hawaii.

Ship Ahoy!

Today’s ship arrivals and departures: