Missing Spearfisher Owner of Popular San Francisco Restaurant

Posted on April 13, 2009 by Damon

Paolo Dominici of San Francisco was reported missing on Saturday in the waters off a condominium cluster in Kailua-Kona, where he was vacationing with his wife and daughter…

Paolo Dominici

Paolo Dominici

…The Sunset District resident is the owner of Bacco Ristorante on Diamond Street in Noe Valley, a neighborhood fixture since it opened in 1993. Bacco made the Chronicle’s list of Top 100 Restaurants in 2004; last year, on KQED’s “Check, Please!,” Dominici spoke proudly of making all Bacco’s pasta and bread in-house.

The trip to Hawaii has been an annual ritual for Dominici and his family: “He loves the sea, the ocean, spear fishing,” said Luca Zanet, a waiter at the restaurant since 1995. Zanet described his longtime employer and friend as “soft-mannered, a very nice person … Everybody likes him.“

More Here

The Police Report:

The Hawai’i Police Department is asking for the public’s help in providing information about a California man who disappeared while spearfishing in Kona on Saturday (April 11).

Paulo Dominici of San Francisco went spearfishing with a friend off shore fronting the Kona Makai condominiums at 6:45 a.m. The friend returned to shore at 9:30 a.m. At 10:47 a.m., he reported Dominici missing.

Fire Department personnel located items belonging to the fisherman and turned them over to the Police Department. The case is classified as a missing person investigation.

Police ask anyone who may have seen the fisherman to call Detective Sharlotte Bird at 326-4646, extension 228, or the Police Department’s non-emergency line at 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona. All Crime Stoppers information is kept confidential.

Filed under: Food & Drink, Kona | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

I am a REAL Census Worker

Posted on April 13, 2009 by Damon

Great… Just what I need to make this job get a little tougher.

From KGMB9 Honolulu News:

Only a week into the work and already scammers are out impersonating US Census employees. They’re trying to collect your personal information.

The real US Census workers are out updating maps and gathering address information in neighborhoods all over the state. They are not asking for your social security number but the scammers are.

The US Census isn’t just about counting people, it’s about power and money. Power because it determines the number of seats in Congress and money because it lets the feds know how much the state should get. But scammers are trying to take personal information for their own power and money.

“Scam artists get out there fast,” said Marilyn Yoza, Bureau of the Census, Hawaii Office Manager. “The census does not ask for social security numbers.”

The field census workers started last Monday. They’re updating maps and addresses.

“We’re just saying, ‘hi I’m so and so I’m in the neighborhood I’m working with the census bureau I’m updating our maps.’ They may ask you if you know any additional housing in this area but that’s it,” said Yoza.

In the past week imposters are trying to walk in their shoes. The local census office received half a dozen complaints from Oahu and Maui.

“We’re just finding this out now. We’re telling them no it’s not us but I advise if anyone has given out this information they check their credit reports they check their credit cards check all of this just to be sure,” said Yoza.

If a census workers stops at your door they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag and a confidentiality notice.

“And they won’t be wearing a baseball cap and they certainly won’t be asking for your social security number,” said Yoza, who says the people that reported the imposter was wearing a hat that read US Census.

Just in case you’re still unclear, here’s the message one more time.

“Again we don’t ask for social security numbers so if someone starts asking for a social security number they’re not working for the US Census Bureau,” said Yoza.

Next year you can expect to get questionnaire with 10 questions. You fill it out and send it back and no they will not ask for your social security number.

Also the census is not asking for any information via email so if you get one it’s a scam.

Filed under: Announcements, Idiots, Legal, National Affairs, Rumors, Security | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Merrie Monarch Videos

Posted on April 13, 2009 by Damon

Tyler over at Hilo Living Blog has been gracious enough to share his videos that he has been taking of the 2009 Merrie Monarch performances and practices that he has been attending.

I’ll just post this one… but click the link above to see the others:

Hula dancers from Johnny Lum Ho’s Haelau Ka Ua Kani Lehua at the 2009 Merrie Monarch Ho’olaulea in Hilo Hawaii.

Filed under: Hawaiian, Hilo | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Augie T in Hilo… The Video

Posted on April 13, 2009 by Damon

Just saw this youtube clip uploaded by Big Island resident “Shanonano” of comedian Augie T at the Crown Room this past weekend:

Filed under: Comedy, Hilo | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park… Climate Friendly Plan?

Posted on April 13, 2009 by Damon

I haven’t heard much about this plan that was created in 2007 to make Hawaii Volcanoes National Park a “Climate Friendly Park”.

I mean for real… How do you create “Climate Friendly” out of a Natural Phenomenon?

The only way I can say to  create a “Climate Friendly”  environment for tourists there, would be to simply keep them out of the park.

Here is a 2007 pamphlet on the action plan:

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Becomes a Climate Friendly Park

Filed under: Big Island, Environment, Uncategorized | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Honolulu Advertiser on Census Work

Posted on April 13, 2009 by Damon

…In Hawai’i, about 1,000 workers will be deployed statewide to verify every street, road building and address where people could be living. About half of them are already on the streets. You’ll recognize them by their ID badges, a canvas bag with a “U.S. Census” label, and a hand-held GPS-equipped computer. The computer, a new tool, will help the Census reach more people, making the count more accurate.

These are encouraging signs. After eight years of shameful mismanagement and underfunding, the Census Bureau is working on a comeback, and none too soon.

On Friday, the Bureau unveiled its plans to spend $1 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. A good chunk of that money will be used, rightfully, in renewed efforts to reach those traditionally undercounted — the poor, minorities, those in rural communities and group quarters…

More Here

Filed under: National Affairs, Newspapers, State Affairs, Uncategorized | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

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