State orders farm to stop selling some products ADVERTISING State orders farm to stop selling some products HONOLULU (AP) — The state Department of Health ordered an Oahu seaweed farm to stop selling and distributing some of its products, which
State orders farm to stop selling some products
HONOLULU (AP) — The state Department of Health ordered an Oahu seaweed farm to stop selling and distributing some of its products, which were linked to several salmonella cases.
The products from Marine Agrifuture LLC, also known as Olakai Hawaii, include Kahuku Ogo, Robusta Ogo and Sea Asparagus.
They are sold wholesale and used in retail products such as salad dressing, tea and condiments.
“Distributors and retailers have been notified to remove the affected products from sale or distribution immediately,” said Peter Oshiro, chief of the DOH Sanitation Branch. “We advise the public to discard any suspect product they may have.”
State officials confirmed 14 cases of salmonella on Oahu that are linked to poke prepared with limu or seaweed.
The state says lab tests conducted at the farm in Kahuku identified salmonella in the packing and processing tanks and elsewhere on the property.
Officials continue to work to confirm the locations where the products might have been shipped.
The farm will be allowed to resume sales once it shows the risk of contamination has been mitigated at the source and that new sanitation practices have been implemented, the Health Department said.
Honolulu gives commission more power to fire chief
HONOLULU (AP) — The commission overseeing the Honolulu Police Department has been given more power to fire or suspend the police chief after voters overwhelmingly passed a city charter amendment calling for more civilian oversight.
The decision also will give the Honolulu Police Commission the authority to subpoena witnesses and evidence as it conducts investigations.
Before the charter amendment passed Tuesday, the commission could only remove the chief for continuous problems after giving the chief time to correct the issues.
The decision came as a grand jury began looking into allegations of civil rights abuses and corruption by the department that emerged from a theft case involving the police chief’s mailbox, according to a federal public defender.
Honolulu Police Deputy Chief Marie McCauley said in an emailed statement, “The department will follow the law and the will of the voters. We will continue to do what is best for the people of Oahu.”
The amendment will go into effect immediately after the elections office certifies the results, according to the Honolulu Charter Commission.
