Foundation announces $450,000 in Innovation Fund awards

The Hawaii Community Foundation announced the second round of grant recipients from its Island Innovation Fund, which was created to serve as a catalyst for innovation within the nonprofit sector. From a group of eight finalists, a total of $480,591 was awarded to five recipients for projects that will: increase energy awareness through real-time energy monitoring web and mobile application tools; allow residents statewide to actively follow and monitor the Hawaii legislative process; distribute a replicable exercise and fall prevention program to Hawaii’s seniors; deploy a new access control mechanism to maintain public access to trails and pathways on Hawaii Island; and encourage schools to eliminate its waste to create green schools.

For the first time, a “People’s Choice Award” was also selected by the more than 200 nonprofits that submitted proposals over the first and second grant rounds.

Hawaii, Korea partner for smart grid development

Government officials and private sector leaders today joined Governor Neil Abercrombie and Choi Kyu-Chong, Director of the Electricity Market and Smart Grid Division at the Republic of Korea Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE), at the Hawai’i State Capitol as the two leaders signed a letter of intent to pursue mutual interests in smart grid development in the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaiian Air partners with JetBlue for East Coast links

Hawaiian Airlines and New York-based JetBlue Airways today announced a partnership agreement that will make it easy for travelers up and down the East Coast to enjoy the incomparable Hawaii travel experience. And beginning June 5, it will include the only nonstop service between New York City and Hawaii. Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, and Dave Barger, president and CEO of JetBlue, signed the agreement at JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport amid a [...]

Governor: Invest now for Hawaii’s future

There was no way for us to have balanced our budget and achieved today’s fiscally favorable outlook without the commitment of everyone. To all of you who came to work each day bearing the burden of cuts and slashes to your programs for the past three years; and to those of you who gave up furloughs because of your commitment to serving Hawaii’s people, I thank you. Mahalo plenty to each and every one of you.

Together, we are moving forward. And moving forward means leaving behind the drama of the recent past.

Algae demonstration commissioned at West Oahu refinery

Kuehnle AgroSystems, a producer of specialized algae strains and bulk concentrated algae designed to meet the diverse needs of the animal nutrition, specialty chemical and biofuels markets, has announced the commissioning of an algae demonstration project at the Chevron Hawaii refinery.

The demonstration project, funded by the Hawaii Renewable Energy Development Venture and the Office of Naval Research, produces algae using recycled CO2 waste streams and wastewater by-product from Chevron’s refinery to cultivate algae in specially designed closed growing systems.

Chevron’s role in this project is to serve as a host site and a source of recycled CO2 and wastewater for KAS to conduct its research.

City’s first ‘Hackathon’ to build new tools

Next Friday and Saturday, a mix of programmers and entrepreneurs—partnered with City officials and armed with an ever-broadening array of government data—will come together to develop computer applications designed to improve the day-to-day lives of Honolulu residents.

‘MANA Magazine’ to launch in April

MANA Magazine, which will be devoted exclusively to Hawaiian culture and current affairs, will launch in April 2012. The bi-monthly magazine will explore hard-hitting issues facing native Hawaiians and offer disparate opinions, as well as highlight Hawaiian heritage, language, art, music and people. Published by a jointly owned subsidiary of The Kālaimoku Group and PacificBasin Communications, MANA will adhere to professional journalism as it delves into topics such as governance, education, health, income and more. “MANA provides a valued independent [...]

Isle Realtors help Habitat for Humanity

“Realtor Raise: Project Playhouse” was held recently on the Big Island, a fun event to boost home ownership in Hawaii. Hawaii Life was one of four playhouse contributors, raising thousands of dollars to support the Habitat for Humanity mission.

The playhouses were generously donated, including the “Life Boat” from Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers. Wildly imaginative and solidly constructed, the playhouses were then given away to the lucky key holders. Leading up to and on the day of the event, key-chains were sold to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. The key-chains qualified the contributors to try their keys in the playhouse doors, and if they opened, they won the playhouse.

The Hawaii Island Board of Realtors (HIBR) also donated a playhouse to the fundraiser. Mealoha Kraus, who works in public relations with HIBR, “was overwhelmed by the number of people who came and waited for their turn to see if they had the right key.”