Kamiya pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud in July 2011. He was ordered to surrender on Feb. 14. Orbitz announces Hawaiian partnership ADVERTISING HONOLULU (AP) — Global online travel company Orbitz is powering hotel and vacation package bookings
Orbitz announces Hawaiian partnership
HONOLULU (AP) — Global online travel company Orbitz is powering hotel and vacation package bookings on the Hawaiian Airlines website.
Orbitz Worldwide, Inc. announced on Wednesday its multiyear private label partnership with Hawaii’s largest airline.
Under the partnership, Hawaiian can provide hotel suggestions for customers who use the airline website to only book air travel. It also allows the airline to award HawaiianMiles for booking hotels and packages.
Hawaiian Chief Commercial Officer Peter Ingram says the airline is excited to leverage the merchandising capabilities offered by Orbitz.
Orbitz Worldwide Distribution President Ronnie Gurion says Hawaiian is a strategic partner for Orbitz because of the market it serves and the airline’s loyal online customer base.
Orbitz says it has similar partnerships with six other top North American airlines.
Changes to Hawaii foreclosure law eyed
HONOLULU (AP) — A task force is recommending changes to Hawaii law that would make it a bit easier for lenders to pursue foreclosures.
The Mortgage Foreclosure Task Force wants changes to the Act 48, which overhauls rules for out-of-court foreclosures. The new law involves a mediation option that was supposed to curb lender abuses.
Since the new law was enacted in May, foreclosures have dropped to around 400 per month, down from nearly 1,000. Most Hawaii foreclosures have been filed in court since May.
The task force recommends changes to the law by clarifying penalties for improper filings.
A provision could render a foreclosure sale under the mediation process void if lenders violated any part of the law.
Utilities seek solar water heating plan
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii electricity utilities are asking state regulators to approve a solar water heating program.
Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light Company want the state Public Utilities Commission to approve the Simply Solar program, which would allow for installing solar water heating without the upfront costs.
Under the proposed program, each utility would provide funding to install solar water heating on qualifying properties. The electricity savings would go toward repaying the cost of installation.
Hawaiian Electric says renters haven’t been able to take advantage of solar water heating because landlords, who don’t normally pay electricity bills for rental properties, have little incentive to install money-saving systems.
The savings and repayment would be attached to the property, for when the homeowner sells or if the renter moves.
Man sentenced in embezzling case
HONOLULU (AP) — A man who served on the Honolulu Board of Realtors’ board of directors will serve 33 months in prison for embezzling $284,000 from a family trust.
U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi sentenced 34-year-old Scott Kamiya on Tuesday and ordered him to pay the money back.
Federal prosecutors said Kamiya used his position as a bookkeeper for a family trust to alter checks and make them payable to himself, deposit checks to the trust into his own accounts, forge endorsements of the trustee and initiate online transfers to pay his own expenses.
An FBI analysis determined that he misappropriated money at least 107 times between 2005 and 2010.
Kamiya pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud in July 2011. He was ordered to surrender on Feb. 14.
