BY SAM SLOM – SBH ALL STARS THIS FRIDAY Final opportunity to attend this Friday’s 4th annual Small Business Hawaii Enterpreneurial Education Foundation Awards Banquet, (September 16, 5:30-8:30 pm) at Waialae Country Club. Show your support for fellow business awardees. SBH will honor Joe Nicolai, founder of JN Automotive Group, with its highest award , the SBH Lex Brodie Business Person of the Year award. Other prominent members of the community also will be presented with awards during the SBH dinner, including: Win Schoneman, owner of Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream & Desserts ,Tyler Roukema, owner of the Outback Steakhouse in Hawaii Kai, Hawaii Reporter’s chief investigative reporter Jim Dooley, who will receive the SBH George Mason Outstanding Reporting award and Glenn Muranaka of Meadow Gold Dairies.
Other business leaders recognized for their accomplishments as “SBH Success All Stars,” include Marissa Capelouto of Oahu Express, Inc., Phyllis Shimabukuro-Geiser of Mikilua Poultry Farm and Joe Teipel of Auction Action.
WIN A HARLEY! An SBH fundraising auction at Friday’s awards event will include some amazing items, but none as special as a brand new Harley-Davidson motorcycle! You must be there to bid and drive the hog home. Contact Darlyn Evangelista at 396-1724 or sbh@lava.net for reservations and information.
JOBS BILL. What Jobs Bill? “Stimulus” II from President Obama is a half a trillion $ spending bill, not a jobs bill. DON’T Pass This Tax Increase Bill!
YIKES. Have you heard those commercials by the State (Human Services Department) begging students to sign up for FREE health care, “even if your parents make $64.000 a year.” And you wonder why we have a state and federal spending and deficit problem?
POVERTY DEFINED. Just as bad are the national reports released this week that reveal a striking increase (1 in 6) in poverty in the U.S., 46 million Americans. Not included in the reports are the new definitions of “poverty,” $25,000 income or less, but homes with multiple cars, dvds, tvs, cell phones, cable, etc. as well as the part that taxes and government costs play. It seems the government wants to continue to demonize the “rich,” and business, while celebrating the “poor” who those in government have increased.
KONA COFFEE. Kona coffee farmers and Safeway have reached a settlement over what the farmers decried as “deceptive labeling.”
SWEET. How sweet it is: A battle brews naturally between sugar planters and the high fructose corn syrup producers and the definition of “sugar.”
GOT SPACE! SBH member Ray Tougas of Pacific Diving Industries (PDI ) has commercial space for rent: Office Space in Kaimuki Business Plaza – AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY. Large spacious office (661 sq. ft.) on second floor of professional building. Whole wall picture window gives view and natural light. Elevator, A/C, Clean Rest Rooms. Includes One reserved parking space. Lots of public parking directly across the street. Access to many restaurants, banking and retail establishments. On Harding Avenue between 11th and Koko Head Avenues. Easy egress & ingress access to H-1 on Koko Head Ave. & 11th Ave.
Rent ($1,195) + CAM fees (approx. $260 per month) Call: 833-1831 Days, 396-6099 Evenings and Weekends.
ALOHA BETHEL STREET GALLERY. After nearly 10 years in business, Marc Turner, owner of the popular Bethel Street Gallery has announced he will close the Gallery on November 9 to “dedicate more time to my own work and continue to represent both Yvonne Cheng and Chris Campbell.” Marc will maintain his website. Phone Marc at 348-3035.
MAHALO (OH-OH) WATER. The Hawai’i State Department of Health’s (DOH) Food and Drug Branch has issued a Notice of Violation and Order against Koyo USA Corp. for adulterating its bottled water product and for manufacture, sale and distribution of bottled water for human consumption from an unapproved source. A penalty of $5,044,193 has been issued for violations of Hawai’i Revised Statutes sections 328-6 and 328D-2 that occurred from July 7, 2006 to May 19, 2011. Koyo’s product is branded as Mahalo Hawai’i Deep Sea and has been marketed to consumers in Japan, Hawai’i and elsewhere. Koyo USA Corp. was permitted to filter ocean water at its Kona facility and produce a bottled drinking water product. Koyo USA Corp. is required to adhere to a specific process in making bottled water from the ocean source.
BOA SLASHES JOBS. Bank of America announced it will slash 30,000 jobs during the next few years to save $5 billion. Many local residents have a bad taste in their mouth from BA’s actions during the past several years regarding foreclosures and lack of communication.
STILL COUNTING. After statewide public hearings (the next one is Friday, 6 pm at Kalani High School), the State Reapportionment Commission meets back at the Capitol, Monday, September 19, 2 pm in Conference Room 329. Their final report and new maps are due September 26.
STRIKE. Hotel workers at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki walked off the job early Thursday morning September 8 and announced a week-long strike, according to a United Here! Local 5 Hawaii press release. Those workers don’t appreciate how lucky they are to have a job and benefits in these tough times.
CONTRACTS AND HSTA. The HSTA teachers union won a victory with the State Labor Relations Board. The union is not required to live up to the terms of their contract with the Lingle Administration that required drug testing of teachers. They received a salary hike for accepting those contract terms then never abided by them.
HAWAIIAN WATER. HAWAIIAN SPRINGS. Hawaiian Springs, LLC, a Hawaii-based premium natural water bottler, announced that two new sales leaders have joined the company. Area Sales Managers Robert Bucky and Heather Pence have joined the Costa Mesa office and Honolulu office, respectively. In these roles, Bucky and Pence will be responsible for forging new partnerships for the brand in the Western region and throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiian Springs began bottling its young, natural, artesian water in February 1995. Drawn from a highly sustainable artesian aquifer at the base of Mauna Loa on the Big Island of Hawaii, Hawaiian Springs bottles its water directly from the source within 30 days of falling as Arctic rain. For additional information, visit www.HawaiianSpringsWater.com, like the company at www.facebook.com/HawaiianSprings, or follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HawaiianSprings.
GOOD HEALTH. There is a lot of interest in the newly announced SBH/HMAA comprehensive medical plan. Especially tailored for sole proprietors and independent contractors. Want details to see of this plan is good for you? Contact Darlyn at SBH, 396-1724 or click here.
NEXT SBH SUNRISE! Michael Palcic, a member of the State Reapportionment Commission Advisory Council, will be the speaker at the next SBH Sunrise Networking Breakfast, Thursday, September 29, from 7 – 8:30 am in the Pineapple Room, Macy’s Ala Moana Center. Mike will discuss, “Reapportionment’s Impact on Your Business.” The public is welcome to the SBH Sunrise. Advance reservations are required.
Call Darlyn at SBH 396-1724 for reservations. You may also register on line, click here to register.
Award winning Hawaii Reporter.com, Hawaii’s first electronic daily newspaper begun 9 years ago, still is free. Hawaii Reporter and Malia Zimmerman report daily (M-F) on the Rick Hamada Show, KHVH radio on 830 AM at, 7:45 am. Malia also reports on Kauai’s KKCR with Sandy Brodie on Tuesday mornings, on the station’s “Morning Paper.” She will report the news behind the news for you.