Two Hawai‘i Island high schoolers, Waiākea High School senior Alexander Bitter and Hawai‘i Preparatory Academy junior Zoe Sims, were among five statewide winners of an essay contest held by the APEC Hawai‘i Host Committee.

Sopogy, the Honolulu-based developer of solar power technologies, signed a deal with China’s Sichuan Dongjia Investment Company during APEC that will grow Sopogy into the Chinese market.

The APEC Hawai‘i Business Innovation Showcase recognizes leading edge innovation and achievement in Hawai‘i’s business community, reinforcing Hawai‘i as a place of strong economic opportunities and engaging the Hawai‘i business community.

A cutting-edge pilot project in East Hawai‘i is developing a system to allow first responders and other County agencies to access County networks and applications wirelessly at broadband speeds.

A recent recycling audit of the West Hawai‘i Civic Center, home to offices for 11 County agencies, found it to be almost a Zero Waste facility.

Representatives from De Luz Chevrolet in October took Mayor Billy Kenoi on a test drive of the Chevrolet Volt, a new electric vehicle that is being considered for addition to the County’s fleet beginning in the first quarter of 2012.