Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare plan in Hawaii has earned five stars, the highest overall rating for quality and service for 2013 plans, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This makes the plan the only five-star plan in the state for the second year in a row.
Kaiser Medicare
plan earns five stars
Kaiser Permanente’s Medicare plan in Hawaii has earned five stars, the highest overall rating for quality and service for 2013 plans, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This makes the plan the only five-star plan in the state for the second year in a row.
Hawaii is one of only 11 plans nationwide to receive the five-star rating from CMMS for its 2013 Medicare plan. Each year, through the Medicare Star Quality Ratings system, CMMS rates Medicare health plans (both parts C and D) on a scale of one to five stars.
Business startup workshop planned
The Hawaii Small Business Development Center will present a How to Start a Business in Hawaii workshop Oct. 30 at Kanu O Ka Aina Charter School in the Hoolako Building at 64-1043 Hiiaka St., Waimea. Registration is at 9 a.m. and workshop is from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
Participants will learn about entrepreneurship, forms of business organization, key ingredients for business success, steps involved in starting a business, sources of capital and services offered by the Hawaii SBDC, as well as other resources for start-up businesses.
This is a free workshop offered to the community. Preregistration is required by Oct. 29. For more information or to register, call 327-3680 or visit hisbdc.org.
Von Rumohr, Robinson join management staff
Pyramid Hotel Group has appointed Schack von Rumohr as director of operations at Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keauhou Bay. Vincent Robinson has been selected as director of food and beverage at the 22-acre oceanfront resort.
As director of operations, Von Rumohr’s responsibilities include supervision of numerous departments, including food and beverage, security, engineering, front desk, concierge, guest services, housekeeping and the new Flying Fish retail and activity outfitters. He will also assist the general manager in administering and maintaining established budgets and quality standards.
Robinson will oversee all staff at Ainakai restaurant, Rays on the Bay, Holua poolside bar and lounge, plus in-room dining, banquets and catering.
New radio station begins broadcasting
Resonate Hawaii’s newest radio station, The Wave @ 92FM began broadcasting Oct. 15. Featuring “Today’s Fresh Mix” of top hits, the station will combine the power of its on-air position with myriad online applications creating a full 360-degree audio and visual experience for adults 18 to 44.
Available on-air at 92.1 Kona and 92.7 Hilo and online at hawaiiswave.com, the station debuted with the broadcast of 9,200 songs in a row from artists such as Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Rihanna, Daughtry, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Train, Beyonce, Matchbox 20, Usher, Bruno Mars, Adele and many others.
Complementing the station will be an array of events and concerts, an extensive online destination with local events, blogs, music videos, photo galleries, celebrity gossip reports and an embeddable and multifunctional streaming player. Fans of the station can also stay connected through instant messaging, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites, as well as wirelessly via text.
Real estate licenses can be renewed online
The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs encourages Hawaii’s more than 18,860 real estate professionals to renew their licenses online at pvl.ehawaii.gov/renewals.
Real estate professionals are required by state law to renew their licenses every two years. During the last renewal cycle in 2010, more than 16,400 licensees renewed online.
A postcard notice with instructions for completing the online renewal has been mailed to each current license holder. The renewal application is also available online at hawaii.gov/dcca/pvl/boards/real. Hawaii island residents may call 974-4000 followed by 6-3000 and the # sign.
Online renewals will be accepted until midnight Dec. 31.
Estate planning seminar is Oct. 27
Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union will host a free educational seminar, Protecting Assets From Estate and Gift Taxes, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 27 at the John Y. Iwane Credit Union Center training room at its Kaloko vacility.
The seminar will be presented by estate planning attorneys Sanford K. Okura and Ethan Okura of Okura & Associates. The seminar will provide easy-to-understand explanations of the federal estate (death) tax and gift tax laws; the tax-free window of opportunity that expires next year; the Hawaii estate tax, effective April 30, 2010; simple and advanced techniques to reduce estate taxes; and answers to estate planning questions.
To register for the seminar or for more information, contact the HCFCU Call Center at 930-7700 or marketing@hicommfcu.com. Seating is limited.