| Maui hotels see building boom
(02-25) 04:00 PST Kaanapali, Maui -- Waikiki isn't the only Hawaiian resort area experiencing a boom in construction and renovation. The high-rise hotels, timeshare villas and condos of Kaanapali are getting some new neighbors and, in some cases, new looks. North of Kaanapali's famed Black Rock, the first phase of the Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas North, 258 two-bedroom timeshare units, is expected to open mid-year. Like its neighbor -- same name, minus "North" -- it's part of the Starwood Vacation Ownership program, which also rents its units hotel-style as one or two bedrooms. (Guests benefit by not having to pay a resort fee -- or hear a timeshare presentation.) Right on the other side of the rock, called Pu'u Keka'a in Hawaiian, the Sheraton Maui Resort has created Ohana Suites for families with mini kitchens, Murphy beds, living areas and large closets for extra luggage storage; some of the units open on to the expansive lawn near the children's pool.
Rooms to grow
Indoor gardening can include much more than old standbys such as pots of herbs on the windowsill. Many people are finding they can raise exotic produce in their homes by using hydroponics. By Anne Wallace Allen
For The Associated Press
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Myers investors are not impressed
Myers Industries saw a 48 percent increase in profit and a 6 percent increase in sales in its 2006 fiscal year. The Akron company, which makes plastic and rubber parts and distributes tools and other equipment, on Friday reported a 2006 profit from continuing operations of $28.7 million, or 82 cents a share. That compares with $19.4 million, or 56 cents a share, a year earlier. The company said it finished the year with a net loss of $2.07 a share because of a previously reported charge of $3.14 a share for discontinued operations. The company finished its sale of its European material handling business in the fourth quarter. Sales in 2006 totaled $780 million, up from $736.9 million in 2005. Shares of Myers Industries fell 47 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $17.75 on Friday.
Making Gardening Good Again
(Family Features) - It's more than a little frustrating. You envisioned a relaxing evening watering your garden, checking on plants and enjoying the warm weather. Instead, you've been wrestling with the hose for 10 minutes and finally have it in place only to discover that you have dirt from the hose on your hands and clothes and now a kink is prohibiting the water flow, resulting in a slow drip. Once you resolve the issue, instead of relaxing, you find yourself dreading winding the hose back up when you finish watering. Sound familiar?"Rewinding the hose is one of those things that people just hate to do," says Ken Bevillard, vice president of North American Business for Hydro-Industries.They hate it so much, in fact, that many homeowners develop counter-productive coping strategies to avoid dealing with the hose.
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