Hawaii police seeking Coachella scam victims
Hawaii police seeking Coachella scam victims
HILO — Hawaii County police are looking for people who may have been victimized in an alleged internet scam involving tickets for a sold-out California music festival.
Anthony Derick Berson of the Big Island is charged with theft and other crimes. Police say the 19-year-old allegedly posted on Craigslist that he had tickets to sell for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Victims wired money but never received the promised festival passes and wrist bands.
Detectives and state officials conducted a sting operation posing as a buyer. Police say when Berson went to a Hilo Western Union office this week to pick up $900 using the control number from the sting operation, he was arrested.
Berson was released without bail and could not be reached for comment Friday.
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Labor ruling against Hilo newspaper upheld
HONOLULU — A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a National Labor Relations Board’s decision that two reporters fired from a Hilo newspaper should be reinstated with back pay.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied the Hawaii Tribune-Herald’s appeal of a NLRB decision that reporters Dave Smith and Hunter Bishop were illegally fired. Bishop was fired after a confrontation with Editor David Bock over a union matter where Bishop was accused of insubordination. Smith was fired for secretly recording a meeting with Bock where the editor gave him a warning about productivity.
The NLRB’s 2011 ruling reaffirmed a 2008 decision by an administrative law judge.
In 2005, Bishop was given a termination letter from Bock that said he was “disrespectful of supervisory authority, insubordinate and disruptive of my efforts to have a conversation with one of our employees.” Bishop had been trying to determine if an employee needed a union witness for a meeting with Bock.
In 2006, Smith and another employee expected to receive a warning from Bock about productivity. They were both denied an opportunity to bring a union witness to their meetings. Other bargaining unit employees advised Smith to surreptitiously record the meeting by hiding a recorder in his shirt. After Bock learned of the recording, Smith was fired.
The decision noted no policy or law was violated by secretly recording the meeting.
Bock and Publisher Ted Dixon did not immediately return calls for comment Friday. The newspaper is owned by Stephens Media LLC of Las Vegas.
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Oahu bus route changes proposed to avoid fare hike
HONOLULU — Changes to some Oahu bus routes are being proposed to save on operating expenses while avoiding fare hikes.
Riders have until May to comment on the plan.
Some proposed changes to take effect this summer will decrease the frequency of service while most will move routes to different streets, while eliminating two routes.
Route 231 in Hawaii Kai is slated to be eliminated, which is a circulator between Koko Marina and Hahaione Valley. Route B from Kalihi to Waikiki will also be eliminated, but a similar route will compensate with increased service.
Officials are looking at increasing frequency for the Waianae Coast, where ridership is particularly high.
Ridership is on the rise and Hawaii’s gas prices are the highest in the nation.
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West Oahu farm ordered to stop selling basil
WAIPAHU, Oahu — A West Oahu farm has been ordered to stop selling basil after an unapproved pesticide was found during routine sampling.
The state Department of Health said Friday it is placing an embargo on approximately 28 acres of fresh basil grown by FAT Law’s Farm.
The department says samples collected at the Ewa farm last week tested positive for a pesticide not approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use on basil. More samples from the Kunia farm this week also tested positive.
The department does not consider the situation to be a significant public health threat.
Co-owner Frank Law says when he realized the pesticide was inadvertently used, he tried to destroy the basil, but inspectors insisted on testing the crops. He says customers have been calling demanding basil.
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Commerce and Consumer Affairs deputy nominated
HONOLULU — Gov. Neil Abercrombie has appointed a longtime Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs official to the deputy director post.
Jo Ann Uchida Takeuchi, who has led DCCA’s Regulated Industries Complaints Office and Office of Consumer Protection, fills the vacancy left by Everett Kaneshige.
Abercrombie says Takeuchi is dedicated to serving the state of Hawaii and he’s very happy to have her as a member of his team.
Takeuchi has been with DCCA for nearly 22 years. In addition to being the executive director of the Office of Consumer Protection, she also served as that office’s senior attorney.
In a press release announcing the appointment, Takeuchi said she believes strongly in honoring the trust that comes with doing the people’s work.