By local and wire sources
George joins staff at America’s Mattress
America’s Mattress has added a new member to its Kona store sales team — sales manager Vanessa George. George has more than 12 years of sales experience.
Most recently, George was the office manager for Infinity Marketing in Ogden, Utah. She is an alumni of Weber State University, graduating with bachelor of science degrees in theater arts and in sales and marketing.
Chamber announces annual fundraiser
The public can time-travel back to the fun and frivolous Roaring ’20s — the decade of feisty flappers and the zany Charleston — when the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce presents its annual fundraiser, “Evening of Elegance, Mauna Lani After Dark.” The event is from 6 to 9:30 p.m. April 26 in the Hale Hoaloha pavilion at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows.
The annual event features some of the Big Isle’s most talented chefs at a host of culinary stations, along with island purveyors of fine wines and brews.
A silent and live auction offering travel packages, golf rounds, arts and specialty services is planned. Attendees are invited to “dress for the decade” in Roaring ’20s-style clothing.
Tickets can be purchased from the chamber office or via phone at 329-1758. Admission is $90 for chamber members and $110 for nonmembers; tables of 10 are also available.
NEW YORK
Grain futures advance on supply concerns
Agriculture futures rose broadly Thursday, with corn prices surpassing $6 a bushel for the first time as supply concerns spurred buying of the grain used to feed livestock and make biofuel.
Corn’s record-setting rally comes amid soaring global demand for the grain but also an expected drop in production from the United States, the world’s largest corn producer. In its annual planting report released this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture projected farmers will plant 86 million acres of corn — an 8 percent drop from last year. The bigger-than-expected shortly will likely add to already tight supplies, leading to higher meat prices and soaring costs for producers of alternative fuel like ethanol.
Corn for May delivery added 4.25 cents to settle at $6 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade, after earlier rising to $6.025 a bushel — the highest ever.
Corn has surged nearly 30 percent this year and could go even higher if cold, wet weather in the U.S. corn belt forces farmers to delay spring planting.
Other agriculture futures also traded higher Thursday. May soybeans added 14 cents to settle at $12.57 a bushel on the CBOT, while May wheat inched 0.5 cent higher to settle at $9.37 a bushel.
By local and wire sources