BUSINESS BRIEFS
Kauai farm's shrimp quarantined
Advertiser Staff
The Hawai'i Department of Agriculture yesterday placed an emergency quarantine prohibiting the movement of shrimp from Limaloa Farm on Kaua'i.
The quarantine order was issued after tests came back positive for White Spot Syndrome Virus. While WSSV is a highly contagious and fatal disease for shrimp and other crustaceans, it does not pose any threat to human health, even if the affected shrimp are eaten, the Department of Agriculture said
Limaloa Farms employees noticed a problem in one of four ponds on June 12. Shrimp tissue samples were sent on June 13 to the Aquaculture Pathology Laboratory at the University of Arizona, Tucson. The test results arrived yesterday.
AUTOMATIC TAX FORM MAILINGS HALTED
The state is ending its practice of mailing tax booklets automatically to taxpayers' homes and businesses in an effort to pare down the more than $1 million it spends on printing and sending out the forms annually.
The Hawai'i state Department of Taxation said it will end the practice of mailing booklets for the income and general excise tax along with estimated payment vouchers unless taxpayers submit requests to the department no later than Aug. 18. Requests can be submitted by going to the department's Web site or calling it 587-4242 or 800 222-3229 and pressing 5.
The department said it will still make forms and booklets available at state libraries as well as continuing to encourage taxpayers to go online to download forms or file their returns electronically. The state said taxpayers are obligated to pay taxes even if they do not receive the booklets in the mail.
LINGLE SIGNS ANTI-FRAUD BILL INTO LAW
Gov. Linda Lingle signed into law a bill designed to protect people from fraud relating to the selling and buying of life insurance policies.
The law deals with life insurance settlement contracts, often called viatical settlements.
In such contracts, the owner of a life insurance policy — often a senior citizen or someone who needs money because of a terminal or chronic medical condition — sells the policy to a broker for a portion of the death benefit. The broker then sells shares of the policy to investors who collect on the life insurance when the person who sold it dies.
The new law gives the state authority to license brokers and salespeople who negotiate such contracts, and investigate brokers and life insurance policy writers who engage in the transactions.
FATHERHOOD CONFERENCE IS JUNE 28
Registration has begun for the "Balancing Work & Family" Fatherhood Conference set for June 28.
The conference, scheduled from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Pacific Club, is being presented by the State Commission on Fatherhood, Hawai'i Coalition for Dads, and Children's Rights Council of Hawai'i.
The event is open to the public and entry is $25 per person. Lunch is provided.
Sessions include "Work-Family Balance for Dads" and "The Father-Friendly Company" presented by Scot Cunningham, a specialist from the National Fatherhood Initiative. John Bauserman, president of the Children's Rights Council, will discuss shared parenting and local fathers of various ethnic backgrounds and occupations will participate in a panel, "Positive Discipline Local Style."
To register, visit www.hawaii.gov/dhs/fatherhood/fatherhood/, e-mail HawaiiDads@pacthawaii.org, or call 808-841-2245.
