New Asian channels debut on Oceanic
Two Asian networks are being added to the Oceanic Time Warner Cable.
TVK2 is designed for the growing audience seeking Korean-American entertainment options and includes music, lifestyle, dramas, news and current-event programs in both Korean and English.
TVK2, a sister-channel to TVK, is available on Channel 74 at no additional cost to subscribers.
Saigon Broadcasting Television Network, or SBTN, is the first 24-hour Vietnamese channel on cable in the U.S.
Programming focused on the Vietnamese-American community includes news, talk shows, dramas, children’s shows, variety shows, movies and other shows focused on culture and history.
SBTN will launch on Channel 62 for $14.99 a month.
Walmart to expand jobs for 70,000
NEW YORK >> Wal-Mart Stores is hiring 55,000 seasonal workers and is elevating 70,000 more to part- or full-time positions as the holiday season ramps up.
The world’s largest retailer said Monday that 35,000 temporary workers will become part time and 35,000 part-time workers will gain full-time jobs.
The shift means that Walmart will be offering more of its workers benefits. That’s significant because Walmart has been a target of attacks by labor groups for what they say are skimpy wages and benefits.
American, US Air extend merger deadline
FORT WORTH, Texas >> US Airways and American Airlines are extending their merger deadline by at least a month to wait for the outcome of an antitrust lawsuit filed by the federal government.
That trial is scheduled to begin Nov. 25. The airlines’ original agreement allowed either side to call off the merger after Dec. 17, but there might not be a verdict in the trial by then. The new agreement extends the merger deadline to Jan. 18 or later, depending on when the court rules.
The airlines were within weeks of closing their deal when the U.S. Justice Department sued in August to stop the merger, saying it would hurt competition and boost prices.
Wonder bread returning to shelves
NEW YORK >> Wonder bread is back almost a year after it vanished from shelves.
Flowers Foods Inc., which bought Wonder from the now-defunct Hostess Brands, said the bread started returning to supermarket shelves Monday.
The company, which also makes Tastykake and Nature’s Own bread, snapped up five bread brands after Hostess went out of business late last year. The $355 million deal included Butternut, Home Pride and Merita, which are all returning to shelves along with Wonder. Flowers Foods said it is still deciding the fate of the Nature’s Pride bread brand, which was also acquired from Hostess.
Abercrombie settles suits over head scarves
SAN FRANCISCO >> Trendy clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch has agreed to make religious accommodations and allow workers to wear head scarves as part of a settlement of discrimination lawsuits filed in California, lawyers said Monday. The retailer will now allow “hijabs,” the traditional head scarves worn by many Muslim women when in public.
One judge determined the Ohio-based company fired a Muslim worker from a California store, while another judge said it refused to hire another woman in the state because of their refusal to remove their hijabs during work.
The rulings came after the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed lawsuits on behalf of both women. In court papers filed Friday, Abercrombie agreed to pay the women a combined $71,000 and attorney fees.
Chrysler preps for IPO
DETROIT >> Chrysler is preparing for an initial public offering of some of its shares. The automaker is proceeding with the IPO after it failed to reach an agreement on the value of the stock with the retiree trust that owns 41.5 percent of it. Chrysler shares haven’t been publicly traded since 1998, when it merged with Daimler AG. Chrysler is now majority-owned by Fiat.
ON THE MOVE
The Hawaii Restaurant Association inducted a new group of individuals into the HRA Hall of Fame on Monday. These individuals have showed commitment and dedication to the growth of the food service industry as well as restaurants in Hawaii. The inductees are Emme Tomimbang, EMME Inc.; Victor Lim, McDonald’s; Josephine, Dennis and Dulcie Honda, Honda Tofu; Colin Nishida, Side Street Inn; Randy Schoch, Desert Island Restaurants; Tsutao and Harriet Morioka, Dani’s Restaurant, Kauai; Buddy Nobriga, Maui Soda & Ice Works; and William Kimi Jr., Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel.
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Clinical Laboratories of Hawaii and Dr. Moon S. and Marilyn Park presented $500,000 to Kapiolani Health Foundation earlier this month. The money will support its Campaign for Hawaii’s Children, which aims to raise funds to rebuild Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children. It is the largest community gift ever made by the medical laboratory testing company.
