Hawaiian Air cancels flight to Tahiti

Hawaiian Airlines canceled yesterday its once-a-week Friday flight to Tahiti due to an airport strike.

The strike at Papeete Airport in Tahiti involves the firefighters stationed there. The flight, which was scheduled to depart Honolulu at 5:05 p.m., can’t enter into an airport unmanned by firefighter personnel, due to federal safety regulations.

Hawaiian expects to resume the flight Friday, pending the resolution of the strike and the return of firefighter services to the Tahiti airport.

Electric car charging grants offered

The state is seeking grant applications from businesses and nonprofits that want to install electric car charging equipment.

The Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism said yesterday its grant program has $3 million available to prepare the state for electric vehicles.

The money comes from federal stimulus funds specifically dedicated for use with Hawaii’s energy program.

Energy Program Administrator Ted Peck says the grant program is intended to help Hawaii establish the infrastructure needed to support electric vehicles that are expected to begin arriving later this year.

The deadline for applications is July 26.

Volkswagen recalls 16,000 minivans

WASHINGTON » Volkswagen AG is recalling nearly 16,000 Routan minivans to address fire concerns involving latches on the sliding doors.

The German automaker says the recall affects 2009 minivans, which are jointly developed with Chrysler LLC and built at Chrysler’s Windsor, Ontario, plant.

Chrysler recently announced a recall of nearly 285,000 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans because of fire concerns inside the sliding doors.

Volkswagen spokesman Kerry Christopher said the automaker was aware of "a couple of incidents" indicating overheating in the minivans, and the company contacted Chrysler when it received the reports. No injuries or crashes have been reported.

Icahn steps up fight with Lions Gate

NEW YORK » Billionaire investor Carl Icahn stepped up his effort yesterday to take control of the boutique movie studio Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., saying he will put up his own slate of candidates to replace the company’s board.

Icahn, who has a roughly 19 percent stake in Lions Gate, has been tussling with management since last year.

In a lengthy open letter to the company’s board yesterday, Icahn jabbed at Lions Gate’s directors for allowing its stock price to sink and for trying to block his efforts to buy up the company’s shares.

He said he hopes a new board will move quickly to replace management.

"Since the board is clearly unwilling to tell the emperor he wears no clothes, it is left up to the shareholders to take action," Icahn said in his letter.

On the move

Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has appointed Aaron Tangonan as REO coordinator. He was previously a Realtor associate for CBP and served as marketing, sales and public relations manager for Tiki’s Grill and Bar, as well as sales gallery associate at Hilton Grand Vacations Club.

Hawaii Angels has honored Robert J. Robinson, Chenoa Farnsworth and Mark Bogart. Hawaii Angels was founded as UH Angels by Robinson, professor at the University of Hawaii Shidler College of Business.

RevoluSun has hired Alan Ichiyama as project developer. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

The American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters has selected Romella Feliciano and John Foster to receive the president’s CPCU scholarship. Feliciano and Foster are underwriters at the First Insurance Co. of Hawaii.

The American Resort Development Association of Hawaii has donated $1,000 to Maui Economic Opportunity. The donation will be used for construction of a transportation facility in Puunene.