Lanai groups fight wind energy plans
Two community groups from Lanai that oppose plans to build a commercial-scale wind energy project on the island have scheduled meetings with state legislators today to express their objections to the proposal.
Members of Kupaa No Lanai and Friends of Lanai have appointments with as many as 17 representatives and senators, according to a spokesman for the groups. The groups also sought a meeting with Gov. Neil Abercrombie but were unsuccessful, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said the groups will present legislators with a petition signed by more than 1,000 Lanai residents and visitors opposing a 200-megawatt wind project on the island proposed by Castle & Cooke. The petition also opposes a proposed undersea electrical transmission cable that would connect Oahu and other islands including Lanai and Molokai.
Workers to protest at Modern Honolulu
Members of Unite Here Local 5, the hotel workers union, are slated to protest working conditions at a rally today alongside hotel workers from the Modern Honolulu, which was formerly known as the Marriott-branded Waikiki Edition.
The rally, which is planned for 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., will be the first protest at the luxury Waikiki hotel. Owners M Waikiki LLC fired Marriott during a hostile takeover in August and replaced it with Modern Management Services LLC, an affiliate of Aqua Hotels & Resorts.
The union was organizing Waikiki Edition workers prior to the management change and since then has met with Aqua four times to discuss conditions at the Modern Honolulu, said Local 5 spokesman Cade Watanabe.
Hawaiian lauded for sticking to schedule
Hawaiian Airlines has been rated the No. 1 on-time airline for the eighth consecutive year, according to a new national report.
For 2011 Hawaiian averaged 92.8 percent in on-time performance for 11 of the 12 months. In December the airline ranked 91.0 percent, trailing behind AirTran Airways.
Today’s Air Travel Consumer Report by the U.S. Department of Transportation also found Hawaiian to have the fewest flight cancellations in 2011, ranking first in eight of the 12 months of the year. Hawaiian had 122 cancellations out of 66,740 total flights during the year.
On the Move
Veteran broadcaster Mike Kelly has taken the reins as general manager of sports radio stations KKEA-AM 1420 and KHKA-AM 1500, which are branded as ESPN 1420/1500. He succeeds Randal Ikeda. Kelly retired from Cox Radio Hawaii at the end of last year.
Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing has announced that Julie M. Mandanas has joined the firm as an attorney of counsel. She was previously a director with Starn O’Toole Marcus & Fisher in Honolulu as well as Jenner & Block in Chicago.
Clear Channel Radio Hawaii has promoted Rob Welsh to general sales manager from senior account executive. He will lead and manage sales for KSSK AM and FM, KHVH-AM and KIKI 990 AM.
