BUSINESS BRIEFS
Total Traffic coming to Honolulu
Advertiser Staff
Honolulu is one of 14 markets where Clear Channel Radio is expanding its Total Traffic Network that delivers real-time traffic data to navigation-equipped vehicles.
Besides Honolulu, the additional markets include Binghamton, N.Y.; Charleston, S.C.; El Paso, Texas; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Melbourne, Fla.; Mobile, Ala.; Modesto, Calif.; Oklahoma City, Okla.; Panama City, Fla.; Spokane, Wash.; Stockton, Calif.; Tallahassee, Fla.; and Tuscaloosa, Ala.
With the new cities, Total Traffic Network will serve more than 125 metropolitan markets in four countries.
COFFEE PRODUCTION UP 1% IN ISLES
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated Hawai'i coffee production at 7.50 million pounds on a parchment basis for the 2007-08 season, up 1 percent from the previous season's crop of 7.40 million pounds.
The USDA's crop production report said harvested area was estimated at 6,400 acres, up 2 percent from the 2006-07 season and said coffee production from Maui, Honolulu, and Kaua'i counties is up from the previous season,
The USDA said Kona coffee harvest for the 2007-08 season is down. Although bean quality was reported as good, erratic weather conditions, heavy pruning, insect infestation, and labor problems led to the expected smaller crop.
MESA REPORTS COMING TOMORROW
Mesa Air Group, the parent company of interisland carrier go!, said it will release tomorrow its financial and operating results for the quarter ended June 30.
Earlier this month the Phoenix-based company said it needed to delay its report because it couldn't get some information without incurring unreasonable effort or expense. At that time it said it expected to report a loss.
The reporting delay is the third in the last year for the airline holding company.
FAIRMONT KEA LANI BEST FOR FAMILIES
Maui's Fairmont Kea Lani has been named the top family-friendly resort in Hawai'i by Travel & Leisure magazine, based on reader evaluations.
Readers rated resorts in a survey on how well they cater to families, with another Maui property, the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea coming in second in the ranking.
It was followed by the Grant Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa, the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa and the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa.
The results of the survey, including those for the U.S. and Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, are included in a report in the September issue of the magazine.
SONY PICKS UP SPROUT'S FANKITS
Sprout, a Manoa-based startup attracting attention for its Web software, said Sony Pictures Entertainment will use its new FanKits service.
The service was launched last week and helps entertainment and media companies to connect and promote their content to consumers by allowing fans to create and share branded widgets within social media sites.
Sprout said Sony will use the service to encourage user interaction around its entertainment content and will launch with an upcoming comedy, Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.
Sprout has been generating a buzz in the world of widgets, which are portable bits of content such as video and audio that can be distributed across multiple Web sites.
