biz briefs 7-10

Medeiros completes McDonald’s training

Alfred Medeiros completed the basic shift manager class from McDonald’s Hawaii Restaurant in March.

Medeiros started as an assistant manager trainee in October at the McDonald’s Waimea Center. However, his McDonald’s experience started when he was 14 years old and worked as a crew member at McDonald’s Kailua-Kona as a summer job.

Medeiros’ next management development step is the advanced shift management class held at McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii in Honolulu. His goal is to one day become a restaurant owner/operator.

Summer Blast coming to Kealakekua center

Kealakekua Ranch Center’s Summer Blast will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 19. Free pony rides, rock climbing wall, inflatable bouncer keiki IDs by the Hawaii County Police Department, ice cream and games and prizes are planned.

Everyone is encouraged to bring lawn chairs and umbrellas as there will be live entertainment by Moopuna and friends.

A special school supply giveaway will be distributed to all keiki while supplies lasts. The donation of school supply giveaways is sponsored by the Ekalesia Foundation of Jesus Christ.

Peterson is Huggo’s general manager

Huggo’s restaurant has announced the addition of Gregory Peterson to its staff as general manager. Peterson brings 37 years of industry experience to the Kona restaurant. He will be responsible for successfully managing the staff of both Huggo’s and Huggo’s on the Rocks.

Previously, Peterson worked with Tommy Bahama at the Shops at Mauna Lani where he held the position of cafe manager.

Peterson was first introduced to the industry working at his family’s restaurant located on the Strand in California. Peterson opened the Kona Inn Restaurant in the 1970s and made a vow to return to the Big Island. Now, 24 years later he has made his dream reality.

Nurserymen plan annual plant sale

The Big Island Association of Nurserymen is hosting its annual summer horticultural show and scholarship plant sale from 5 to 9 p.m. Aug. 1 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Edith Kanakaole Tennis Stadium. More than 20 of the Big Island’s plant growers will be selling a variety of quality plants. Participants can learn more about plant care at the educational booths.

Admission is free.

For more information or special assistance, call Sean at 966-7169.

Dance club hosting salsa dance evening

Salsa club members of the Dance Hawaii Ballroom Dance Club will host a salsa dance from at 7 to 9 p.m. July 19. The public is invited to attend this free evening of dancing just to watch, learn and have some fun. Lessons will be given during the course of the evening so everyone may experience the fun of salsa dancing.

The club is located at 74-5617 Pawai Place Bay G in the Old Industrial Area. For more information, call Gil or Carolan at 334-0224.

NEW YORK

Corn slumps for 4th day on demand concerns

Corn futures fell for a fourth day Wednesday on expectations that record-high prices for the grain will cut into demand for animal feed and ethanol. Soybeans rose sharply.

Corn prices rose to a record near $8 a bushel last month as severe flooding swallowed huge swaths of farmland in the Midwest. A dose of warm, dry weather has helped dry out waterlogged crops in recent days, sending prices sharply lower.

Still, traders are betting corn’s rally will lead to a drop in demand from livestock owners, who rely on the grain as the chief ingredient in animal feed. Ethanol producers are also planning to scale back production because of the high price of corn, the main feedstock for the alternative fuel produce in the U.S.

Corn for December delivery fell 9.75 cents to settle at $7.1275 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade, before earlier falling as low as $7.0475 a bushel.

Soybeans, meanwhile, shot up nearly 30 cents, suggesting investors are worried that flood damage to Midwest crops will hurt yields later this year. Soybeans for November delivery jumped 27.5 cents to settle at $15.57 a bushel on the CBOT,

By local and wire sources