Alaska Airlines has donated $100,000 to two Hawaii organizations in support of youth, education and environmental stewardship.
The Seattle-based carrier contributed $50,000 each to Kupu, which provides training in “green” jobs for teens and young adults, and the University of Hawaii Foundation. The announcement was made Monday night at the Moana Surfrider in Waikiki at an event that honored Alaska Airlines’ community partners throughout the state.
Over the past five years, the airline has donated $1.5 million in cash and in-kind services to more than 130 Hawaii nonprofits, including Aloha United Way, Make-A-Wish Hawaii and the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii. Last year, the Alaska Airlines Foundation awarded its first grants to public charities in Hawaii: $30,000 shared by three nonprofits to benefit Hawaii’s youth and educational programs and services.
U.S. home rent increases slowed in August
WASHINGTON >> U.S. home rents rose at a slower pace in August, a downshift that may reflect the rise of apartment construction in many major cities.
Median rents rose a seasonally adjusted 3.8 percent from a year ago, off from the annual pace of 4.2 percent in July, real estate firm Zillow said Tuesday. Rental prices are still climbing at a faster pace than average earnings, increasing the financial burden of housing and potentially delaying the accumulation of savings to buy a home.
Rental increases tailed off in several metro areas in August. In Los Angeles, the pace slipped to 4.2 percent from 4.8 percent. Similar slowdowns were seen in Dallas, Philadelphia, Miami, Boston, San Francisco, Phoenix and Denver last month.
Goldman Sachs CEO has lymphoma
NEW YORK >> Goldman Sachs CEO and Chairman Lloyd Blankfein has a form of lymphoma, but says that it is “highly curable.”
Blankfein wrote on the firm’s website Tuesday that he underwent a series of tests after not feeling well for several weeks. The executive said he’ll receive chemotherapy in New York over the next several months as part of his cancer treatment plan.
Coca-Cola spent $118.6M on health efforts
NEW YORK >> Coca-Cola disclosed Tuesday that it spent $118.6 million on health research and partnerships in the U.S. over the past five years, including funding for a group that was criticized for downplaying the role of sugary drinks in fueling obesity.
The world’s biggest beverage maker had vowed last month to be more transparent about the various health programs and messaging it funds. The pledge came after a New York Times story detailed the company’s financial support for the Global Energy Balance Network. The story said the group promotes the idea that people are overly fixated on how much they’re eating and drinking, rather than how much they’re exercising.
Groupon to eliminate 1,100 positions
NEW YORK >> Groupon is cutting 1,100 jobs in the coming year, roughly 10 percent of its workforce.
The e-commerce and online deals company said in a blog post Tuesday that the cuts are mainly in its international business. Having already closed its operations in Greece and Turkey, Groupon said it is also leaving Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Thailand and Uruguay.
The Chicago company said it wants to focus its money and energy on fewer countries.
ON THE MOVE
Kaiser Permanente has announced the addition of new physicians:
>> Dr. Michael Black is a pathologist at the Moanalua Medical Center. Black completed fellowships in liver and gastrointestinal pathology at the University of Florida College of Medicine as well in surgical oncologic pathology at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla.
>> Dr. Christine Braun has joined the obstetrics and gynecology department at the Waipio Medical Office. Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, she practiced at Mayo Clinic’s Northfield Hospital in Northfield, Minn.
>> Dr. Michelle Okabe practices optometry at the Honolulu Medical Office and the Waipio Medical Office. She previously served as a lead optometrist at SoCal Eye Physicians and Associates in Long Beach, Calif.
