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Hawaii, Korea partner on smart grid research
Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Friday signed a letter of intent with officials from South Korea to develop a smart grid demonstration project in Hawaii. The Korean government and the state of Hawaii will collaborate on smart grid research, development and demonstration projects with public and private partners, the governor's office said in a statement. ?We are delighted that the Republic of Korea has seen the value of partnering with Hawaii on a mutually beneficial smart grid development project,? Abercrombie said in a statement...

Abercrombie to sign organ transplant funding bill into law
Hawaii lawmakers on Friday passed legislation for about $1.8 million in emergency funds for kidney and liver transplants in the state. Gov. Neil Abercrombie plans to sign House Bill 608 into law on Saturday at The Queen's Medical Center. The law will appropriate emergency funds, subject to private matching funds, for the transplants, as well as to support a chronic kidney disease management program. Hawaii was left without an organ transplant center after the closure last month of Hawaii Medical Center East, which ran the state's only organ transplant program before it stopped taking patients in December...

Commercial kitchen incubator on Kauai receives OK to open
A commercial kitchen incubator on Kauai has received its certification from the Hawaii Department of Health to open and serve the public. The Anahola Marketplace Kitchen was developed by the nonprofit Homestead Community Development Corp. and is the first of its kind on Kauai. ?This is a major milestone for the Anahola Marketplace and for the people of Kauai,? board member Lorraine Rapozo said in a statement. ?Whether a vendor makes and sells food product at the marketplace, or is a mobile vendor accessing the kitchen for fresh water, this commercial kitchen is very important to Kauai...

Top general in Pacific says Hawaii soldiers to stay put
U.S. Army soldiers stationed in Hawaii and elsewhere in the Pacific probably aren't going anywhere ? except perhaps overseas on deployments ? is the word from the man who leads them, Lt. Gen. Francis Wiercinski. The commanding general of U.S. Army Pacific told the military's newspaper, Stars and Stripes, in a recent interview that the number of soldiers in the Pacific is unlikely to drop. That's good news for businesses in Hawaii because the 20,000 soldiers here make up a significant chunk of the military population that shops at stores, goes out to restaurants and boosts tourism by inviting friends and families to visit...

"World's best coffee" in downtown Honolulu
Who knew that the "world?s best coffee" is located in downtown Honolulu? You?d think it?d be where some of the top-rated beans come from, like for instance, the Kona Coast, Costa Rica or Colombia. But instead it?s the Coffee Factory on Bishop Street that holds the title, according to the slogan that sits right below its name. Its Remington College Building storefront says: ?Coffee Factory, worlds best coffee sold here.? And I happened to try it yesterday for the first time. So is it as good as its being advertised? And are the prices piping hot? The answers to both of those questions can be summed up with one phrase: ?It?s all in the beans...

Territorial Bancorp leads Hawaii stocks as Dow closes at highest point since ...
Territorial Bancorp Inc.'s stock gained 3.4 percent to lead Hawaii stocks Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, saw its highest close since before the start of the financial crisis in 2008. The DJIA gained 156.82 points, or 1.23 percent, to close at 12,862.23, while the Nasdaq gained 45.98 points, or 1.61 percent, to close at 2,905.66. Gainers: Alexander & Baldwin Inc. (NYSE: ALEX) closed at $48.15, up 62 cents, or 1.3 percent; Bank of Hawaii Corp. (NYSE: BOH) closed at $46.99, up 61 cents, or 1...

Kauai United Way takes 2012 grant applications online
Kauai United Way is going paperless for its 2012 grant applications. The nonprofit organization is using a cloud-based application by WizeHive that will allow other nonprofit agencies to apply for funding online. "We ask our agencies for a ton of information so we can properly evaluate how efficiently and effectively they are able to deliver meaningful services to the people of our island," Kauai United Way Executive Director Scott Giarman said in a statement. " In the past, this required a stack of paper about a foot thick per applicant...

A&B reaches deal to allow purchase of former CompUSA site
A&B Properties Inc. has reached an agreement to purchase the former CompUsa property in Honolulu from Kamehameha Schools and has plans to develop a residential high-rise condominium tower on the site. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The property, which is bordered by Ala Moana Boulevard, South and Keawe streets, is part of Kamehameha Schools' master plan to redevelop its 29-acre Kakaako mauka properties and is adjacent to a planned 60,000-square-foot retail and restaurant redevelopment. A&B Properties, a subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin Inc...

Hawaii hotel rates rise on higher occupancy
Occupancy rose at Hawaii hotels last week, while room rates increased by more than 8 percent, according to a report by Hospitality Advisors LLC and Smith Travel Research. Hotels statewide were 82.3 percent occupied during the week ending Jan. 28, which was six percentage points higher than the same week in 2011. The average daily room rate was $200.55, which was 8.4 percent higher than a year ago. All islands saw increases in occupancy, but only two enjoyed increases in room rates. Maui's average daily room rate of $254...

Sotomayor talks work ethic with Hawaii legal community
U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor's four-day stop in Hawaii this week has included a packed schedule with activities aligned with the causes she holds most dear: health and education. During an intimate Q&A session with members of the Honolulu legal community at the Hawaii Supreme Court late Thursday, Sotomayor showcased a side of herself that was equal parts down-to-earth, charming and self aware. Sotomayor is in Honolulu participating in the University of Hawaii's William S...