BUSINESS BRIEFS
Fewer poinsettia for sale this year
Advertiser Staff
Hawai'i's stock of poinsettia is down 12 percent from last year's level heading into the peak holiday season.
October's inventory was 305,000 pots, which was down about 40,000 pots from a year ago, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. The survey does not account for culling, disease and other factors that could reduce the number of poinsettias reaching the market.
Red is still the most popular color, followed by white and pink.
IBM AWARDS HONOR 2 FROM HAWAI'I
Convergence CT Inc., a Honolulu-based company, and the Hawai'i Department of Taxation are recipients of 2007 IBM Information on Demand Innovation Awards that cite developers of innovative applications solutions built on IBM software.
Convergence CT, a Honolulu-based healthcare informatics company, won two awards. It was cited in the data servers category for best overall data servers solution, and in the dynamic warehousing category for best IBM dynamic warehousing solution.
The tax department won in the enterprise content category for best customer service solution.
The awards honor the best applications and solutions among information-management customers and were handed out last month in Las Vegas.
TAX WORKSHOPS COMING UP
The State Department of Taxation is holding a series of workshops around the state to help tax preparers get ready for the upcoming tax season.
Topics will include changes to forms, general excise tax exemptions and deductions, and State Tax Court cases.
Workshops are scheduled for Nov. 27, Lihu'e, Kaua'i Community College OCET Multipurpose Room; Dec. 3, Kahului, Maui Beach Hotel, Elleair Rainbow Room; Dec. 10, Honolulu, Ala Moana Hotel, Hibiscus Ballroom; Dec. 13, Kailua, Kona, Royal Kona Resort, Discovery Room; Dec. 14, Hilo, Hawaii Community College, Building 388.
All workshops run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost is $60 for those who register at least two weeks in advance, and $65 after that. Forms are available at www.hawaii.gov/tax. For more information, call 587-1786.
28,000 CAN RENEW LICENSES ONLINE
The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs said more than 28,000 Hawai'i professionals in various industries may now renew their licenses online at www.pvl.ehawaii.gov/renewals.
The department is offering a 25 percent customer appreciation credit on the renewal fee and a 10 percent discount on the compliance resolution fund fee. The discounts are for online renewals only.
During the last renewal cycle in 2005, more than 13,000 professional license holders (about 58 percent) renewed their licenses online.
HILO MARKET GETS NEW GAS STATION
Aloha Petroleum will open a new Gas N Go filling station Friday at the Sack N Save grocery store on Kino'ole Street in Hilo.
A blessing is scheduled to mark the occasion.
Sack N Save, as well as Foodland, are operated by The Sullivan Family of Companies.
As part of the Grand Opening Celebration, from Nov. 16 through Dec. 5, there will be daily drawings for $50 in free gasoline from Gas N Go and another $50 in free groceries from Sack N Save.
