Hawaiian Telcom, Raycom extend TV talks

Hawaiian Telcom and Raycom Media, owner of Hawaii News Now, have agreed to extend their current contract a second time, eliminating a potential blackout until midnight Monday.

The pay-TV provider recently notified its roughly 34,000 TV subscribers on Oahu that if a new agreement or extension is not reached, it will be forced to pull channels KGMB (CBS) and KHNL (NBC) off the air beginning Tuesday. Raycom has alerted its viewers of this possibility as well.

The initial agreement was due to expire at midnight Dec. 31, and then talks were extended until midnight Thursday.

TV providers pay retransmission consent fees to broadcasters to carry their signals.

Hilo vies for magazine’s top ranking

Hilo has made the annual top-10 list of America’s Happiest Seaside Towns.

The 2016 list by Coastal Living magazine is unranked, and seeks online voters to determine which of the 10 towns tops the nation.

Hilo is in the running alongside Capitola and Hermosa Beach, Calif.; Fairhope, Ala.; Portland, Maine; Rehoboth Beach, Del.; Seaside, Ore.; Stuart, Fla.; Sturgeon Bay, Wis.; and Sullivan’s Island, S.C.

Readers can vote online (coastalliving.com/travel/happiest-seaside-town) through 9:59 p.m. Jan. 25 to determine the winner of this year’s tally, which will be featured in the May issue of Coastal Living.

The list of candidates is covered in the February issue, which is now online and will be available on newsstands Friday.

Solar water heater rebates offered

Hawaii Energy, the ratepayer-funded energy conservation and efficiency program for Hawaii, said it is offering a rebate to help residents pay for solar water heater maintenance.

The $150 Solar Water Heating Tune-Up Rebate is available until May 31, or while funding lasts.

Residential electric ratepayers on Hawaii island, Lanai, Maui, Molokai and Oahu are eligible. Those who received the rebate in the last two years are not. To find a participating contractor and schedule a tuneup, visit hawaiienergy.com/tune-up or call Hawaii Energy at 537-5577 or toll-free 877-231-8222.

To qualify, systems must be at least 3 years old, and the tuneup must be performed by a Hawaii Energy participating contractor. The cost of a tuneup typically ranges between $300 and $500. Participating contractors instantly deduct the rebate from the invoice so that residents do not have to mail in any applications or wait for rebate checks.

For those without solar water heating, Hawaii Energy offers a $750 instant rebate when a system is installed by a participating contractor. Learn more at hawaiienergy.com/solarwater.

Lumosity to pay $2M in ad settlement

WASHINGTON >> The developer of Lumosity “brain training” games will pay $2 million to settle federal allegations that it misled customers about the cognitive benefits of its online apps and programs.

The Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday the company’s advertisements deceptively suggested that playing the games a few times a week could boost performance at work and in the classroom, and even delay serious conditions like dementia. Under the settlement, Lumos Labs must contact its customers and offer them an easy way to cancel their subscriptions.

On the Move

Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel has announced Claire Goldberg as the new partner for the law firm. She joined the firm in 2007 and practices real estate transactions by assisting clients with real estate acquisitions, financing, leasing and sales. Prior to joining Goodsill, Goldberg was a student at New York University and University of Michigan Law School.

The Queen’s Health Systems has announced Jim Yates as a new member to its board of trustees. Yates is the president, marketing and logistics of Hawaii Independent Energy.

Deal will keep Maria in radio

SummitMedia Corp. LLC has agreed to a long-term deal with Wayne Maria to over-see programming for SummitMedia’s Honolulu cluster. Maria will continue to oversee programming for KRTR (Krater 96.3), KPHW (Power 104.3), Traditional Hawaiian KINE (Hawaiian 105), Contemporary Hawaiian KCCN (FM 100), KKNE-AM and KRPR-AM. This will be Maria’s 22nd year at KRTR. In addition to his oversight of pro- gramming for the cluster, Maria also handles a midday shift on KRTR.