Kauai poised for state’s largest solar project

The Kauai Island Utility Cooperative and the Homestead Community Development Corp. announced the selection of a California company to build what would be the state’s largest photovoltaic project.

REC Solar will build the 12-megawatt project on a Hawaiian Home Lands parcel in Anahola on the island’s northeast side. The project is expected to generate enough power to supply 3,600 homes. Solar generating capacity either planned or installed on Kauai totals 20 megawatts.

"When the project is successfully developed, KIUC will have more PV concentration than any utility in the U.S.," said David Bissell, KIUC president and CEO.

Most of KIUC’s generation still comes from fossil fuels, but the consumer-owned company has worked to expand its portfolio of renewable technologies. The utility has a combined 17 megawatts of photovoltaic and biomass-fired generation projects under power purchase agreements. About 35 megawatts of hydropower projects are being considered, according to KIUC.

Mobi boosts service with Kaneohe cell site

Hawaii-based Mobi PCS has activated a new cell site near Windward City Shopping Center in Kaneohe, where it also has a retail location. The site provides enhanced street and in-building coverage throughout the area, including Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden, Kaluapuhi Neighborhood Park and Castle High School, as well as along William Henry Road, the company said. Mobi’s voice network handles an average of 1.5 million calls each day, and the company boasts a dropped-call rate of less than 0.8 on Oahu.

Hawaiian Air reservations now 24 hours

Hawaiian Airlines has expanded its reservations call center to 24 hours a day in response to its growing network of service. Customers can call 1-800-367-5320 to book flight reservations and seek information.

Jobless claims at 352,000, fewest since 2008

WASHINGTON » The number of people seeking unemployment benefits plummeted last week to 352,000, the fewest since April 2008. The decline added to evidence that the job market is strengthening.

Applications fell 50,000, the biggest drop in the seasonally adjusted figure in more than six years, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week average, which smoothes out fluctuations, dropped to 379,000. That’s the second-lowest such figure in more than three years.

Google profit disappoints as ad prices sink

SAN FRANCISCO » Google’s money-making machine misfired badly in the fourth quarter as its advertising prices fell during the holiday marketing season.

The results announced Thursday fell way below the lofty expectations of stock analysts, and Google’s shares plunged more than 9 percent after the numbers were released.

Google Inc. earned $2.7 billion, or $8.22 a share, just 6 percent more than the $2.5 billion, or $7.81 per share, it earned a year earlier. If not for certain one-time items, Google says it would have earned $9.50 per share. Analysts surveyed by FactSet had expected $10.51 per share.

With 9M vehicles sold, GM again on top

DETROIT » General Motors Co. has retaken the title of world’s top-selling automaker, selling just more than 9 million cars and trucks around the world.

The company said Thursday that it sold 9.03 million vehicles last year, up 7.6 percent from 2010. That’s more than 1 million better than Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp., which took the title away from GM in 2008.

GM also beat Germany’s fast-growing Volkswagen AG, which last week reported record global sales of 8.16 million in 2011, up 14 percent from the year before. Toyota said it sold 7.9 million vehicles worldwide last year. GM had held the global sales crown for more than seven decades before losing it to Toyota. GM’s sales tanked as it headed toward financial ruin, and in 2009 the company filed for bankruptcy protection, surviving thanks to a U.S. government bailout.

Apple debuts interactive iPad textbooks

NEW YORK » Apple Inc. on Thursday launched its attempt to make the iPad a replacement for a satchel full of textbooks by starting to sell electronic versions of a handful of standard high-school books. The electronic textbooks, which include "Biology" and "Environmental Science" from Pearson and "Algebra 1" and "Chemistry" from McGraw-Hill, contain videos and other interactive elements.

But it’s far from clear that even a company with Apple’s clout will be able to reform the primary and high-school textbook market. The printed books are bought by schools, not students, and are reused year after year, which isn’t possible with the electronic versions. Also, each new round of textbooks is subject to a lengthy state approval process, making the speed and ease with which e-books can be published less of an advantage.

ON THE MOVE

The Queen’s Health Systems has named Hawaiian Telcom President and Chief Executive Officer Eric K. Yeaman chairman of its board of trustees. Elected to the board were Maenette Benham, Diane Cecchettini, Lyle Y. Harada and Stanley M. Kuriyama.

Yeaman succeeds Dr. Naleen N. Andrade, who is retiring from the system’s boards and its affiliates, the Queen’s Medical Center and Molokai General Hospital.

The Battleship Missouri Memorial has chosen Bonnie B. Hilory as the memorial’s vice president of development. She will be responsible for seeking community and financial support for the memorial. Hilory has more than 30 years of executive experience. She was executive director of Hawaii Pacific University.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has awarded a $100,000 Kaiaulu grant to the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center pharmacy department. The grant will be used to hire a clinical pharmacist to its team in the treatment of Native Hawaiians with diabetes.

Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has announced that Michael Sasano has joined the firm’s King Street office. His experience includes being a Realtor associate at Kamaaina Realty, home equity specialist for Bank of Hawaii as well as work at Mortgage Masters and Wells Fargo Home Loans.