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Hawaiian Beaches man takes plea deal in attempted-murder trial

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A 73-year-old Hawaiian Beaches man who shot a Panaewa woman four times on Mothers Day 2012 after she had broken off a relationship with him has taken a plea deal almost three weeks into his attempted murder trial.

Joseph Amormino Sr., a retired Hawaii Community Correctional Center guard, pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and two counts of terroristic threatening. The charges stem from the May 13, 2012, shooting of June Shirshac, a 57-year-old greeter at the Hilo Walmart store, and a road rage incident on Highway 130 as Amormino drove from Hawaiian Beaches to the Auwae Road home where Shirshac lives.

Numerous other charges, including attempted first-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder were dropped in exchange for Amorminos plea, and prosecutors have agreed to seek a maximum sentence of 25 years for all charges combined. If convicted on the attempted first-degree murder charge, Amormino would have faced a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 21 at 8 a.m. before Hilo Circuit Judge Glenn Hara.

When Hara asked Amormino to briefly describe the events that resulted in the charges he pleaded to, Amorminos lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Michael Ebesugawa, asked the judge for a bench conference. Afterward, the judge asked Deputy Prosecutor Mike Kagami to state the evidence supporting the charges.

Mr. Amormino, while driving on the Keaau-Pahoa highway, threatened three members of the (Samson) Peneku family with a firearm while driving on that highway, Kagami said. He then drove to the residence of June Shirshac and Francis Makaiwi, where he shot June Shirshac four times, resulting in serious bodily injury to her. He also intentionally shot approximately four to five rounds into the bedroom door of Francis Makaiwi when he (Makaiwi) was within the bedroom in a bathroom area.

Shirshac sustained gunshot wounds to both legs, and to her right hand and shoulder. She was hospitalized for approximately four months and has undergone numerous surgeries the latest, she testified on Aug. 19. She testified in court while sitting in a wheelchair.

Makaiwi, an ex-husband of Shirshac, was uninjured in the shooting.

Shirshac testified that Amormino arrived at the home owned by Makaiwi at about 5:30 p.m. the evening of the shooting, brandishing a handgun as he got out of his pickup truck. She said that Amormino repeatedly said youre not effing leaving me before shooting her and attempting, unsuccessfully, to shoot Makaiwi.

Amorminos defense was that despite the shooting, there was no intention to kill Shirshac or Makaiwi.

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Hawaiian Beaches man takes plea deal in attempted-murder trial

Coastal changes: Beaches on the move

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The good news: The drive to the beach may be shorter in coming years.

The bad news weve already seen. Especially last winter. Homes falling into the ocean. Beaches scoured of sand. Seawalls and jetties degraded or destroyed. Roads washed out or buried in sand and debris.

Its difficult to say if last winters damage was a seasonal fluctuation or a definite, long-term trend, say experts. Coastlines, by their nature, change. Storm patterns, too, vary.

But experts agree on one point: Sea levels are rising, increasing the likelihood of long-term coastal flooding, erosion and storm damage.

Last winter may be an outlier. Four major noreasters rocked Massachusetts from October to March. From year to year, storms vary in severity and impact. Because the commonwealths coast suffered through a severe winter last year, doesnt necessarily mean this winter will be equally severe.

At the same time, barrier beaches can be very dynamic. They can narrow and shrink for a number of years. And then they can suddenly blossom again and widen. One beach can lose significant sand, while another, not far away, can gain.

There are areas where weve seen significant erosion and others where weve seen accretion, said Bruce Carlisle, director of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management. Between 2001 and 2008, where weve done the actual mapping, within that small decade, the shoreline has moved up and back a little bit.

Its important to distinguish between the loss of a beach and the migration of a beach or barrier island, when an entire system can respond by changing its location, said Rob Thieler, a research geologist with United States Geological Survey in Woods Hole. Sometimes coastal changes are asymmetric. There can be narrowing for a decade or two, followed by widening, depending on how the overall system is changing.

Hurricanes cause some damage, said Bill Sargent, a NOVA consultant and author of numerous books about the environment and science including Beach Wars: 10,000 Years on a Barrier Beach and The View From Strawberry Hill: Reflections on the Hottest Year on Record, but Sargent argues noreasters can actually do more damage because theyll hang around for three or four days. They linger over far more high tides than a hurricane would and thats when you get a cumulative effect.

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Coastal changes: Beaches on the move

CAMPFIRE ON TROPICAL BEACHES DVD – THE MOST RELAXING VIDEO YOU EVER SEEN. – Video

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CAMPFIRE ON TROPICAL BEACHES DVD - THE MOST RELAXING VIDEO YOU EVER SEEN.
Please visit our website at https://www.worldnaturevideo.com for more DVDs and Downloads. This Campfire was filmed in the UNESCO protected Beaches of El Nido...

By: World Nature Video

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CAMPFIRE ON TROPICAL BEACHES DVD - THE MOST RELAXING VIDEO YOU EVER SEEN. - Video

Sumba’s southern beaches

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Sumba is still one of the least visited islands of Indonesia, often bypassed for Lombok and Flores. It is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands and lies slightly further south than its neighbors. However, just a 1-hour flight from Bali and boasting pristine sparkling beaches and world-class surf breaks, this gem of an island is well worth a visit. There are not a lot of accommodation choices there yet, but with a bit of planning you can explore some of the most amazing deserted coves. Sumba is a large island with a very arid interior. Most tourism lies on the southwest coast and centers around surf and the annual pasola festival. However there are fantastic untouched azure beaches stretching all around the island. This is slowly becoming a must-see place for people seeking tranquility and a place where time seems to have stood still while tourism is booming all around. The beaches vary dramatically in terms of their landscape, depending on the surrounding ecosystems. Sumba is also home to vast tracks of mangrove forest that merge into the sea and rivers around the south central region and further to the east. Valleys of forests give way to endless powder sand beaches, whereas the southwest the coast is characterized by a continuous line of rocky outcrops harboring idyllic bays. In the southeast, in the Tarimbang area, there are some small hotels and some truly breathtaking beaches. Some are accessible by windy and bumpy roads that are slowly being renovated. The main roads out of Waingapu, the capital of East Sumba and Tambaloka, the capital of Southwest Sumba, run through the center and to the southwest coastal area, where many the eastern beaches are located along smaller tracks with more basic accommodation options. However, the natural beauty of the area more than makes up for the difficult journey that you go through to get there. Other parts of Indonesia are being over fished, but in the waters off Sumba there is a plethora of wonderful fresh seafood that will appeal to anyone who enjoys fishing. Simply drop a line and large mahi mahi, barracuda, tuna and snapper are plentiful. A fishing boat is also the best way to explore some of the more out of the way coves and bays that are home to turtles, dolphins and coves where you will hardly encounter a single soul. Some yachts use this route but the main Indonesian sailing tours do not really venture over. Thus, It is more likely that you will not encounter any other tourists at all on this side of the coast. Venturing toward the beaches in the central southern coast, you will reach Manupeu Tanah Daru National Park. Here lie the Konda and Maloba (or Kondamaloba) Bays. To get there, one bypasses varied landscape, a lush dense mangrove forest filled with the shrieks of birds and monkeys. This area is a bird watchers paradise and filled with a variety of species. There is, however, no accommodations in this area and you have to head inland to Lewa and its surrounding areas to stay the night, so visit these areas earlier in the day. At lower tide, it is possible to swim both in the sublime estuary and on the beach. However, when the tide is a bit higher, it is a little bit rough and also not good for surf, therefore it would be best to remain cautious. This is the perfect spot for a picnic and exploration of mangroves, which run along parts of the coast. The thick long lianas create a tapestry of trees where birdlife can thrive. Further along the coast is the coastal area around Lamboya where tourism is more plentiful and home to more established, higher-end resorts, one of which does not allow beach access to anyone. However Etreat Beach is accessible and has a hotel just above it, and is a good place to base yourself if you are after a more comfortable beach holiday. With easy access to a sublime white sand beach and shimmering sea, it is easy to lose yourself here. The rocky coastline runs all the way around the west to Tambaloka. Lazy days of sun, sea and surf give way to magnificent sunsets and starry nights. As most of the villages are small with little or no electricity, the stars are visible here as a result of the total darkness and lack of reflection. Although Sumba is a little harder to traverse and has far less amenities than its counterparts around Indonesia, the sheer beauty of this island and its coastline make it well worth the visit.

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The less beaten paths of Sumba

The fascinating fighting frenzy of pasola

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Sumba’s southern beaches

It's time to clean up beaches of the mess

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After 10 days of festivities, the city is gearing up to clean up the beaches. The day after the final immersions, the beaches will see various citizen groups pick up the left overs of the celebrations.

Even if a growing number of people are opting for eco-friendly idols, the beaches will be full of decayed flower garlands, coconut shells, festoons and plastic cups.

The number of immersions this year seem lower as compared to last year so the beaches are much cleaner but litter is still a problem, said Larson Fernandes, founder of Juhu Angels, an NGO. Fernandes, in association dna, will be heading to Juhu beach along with over 300 volunteers, early on Thursday to clean up the beach. Fernandes said the BMC is going to make arrangements to assist the volunteers.

The BMC arranges for trucks, so all the groups that come to the beach just need to fill the garbage into bags. The BMC workers will load it into trucks, said Fernandes. Starting as early as 5am, Fernandes says that the beach will be clean for visitors by around 8am. Over 200 students from Holy Cross School and St. Joseph High School will also volunteer. It is important that students learn to care for the environment so that they act responsibly in the future, said Fernandes.

However, he warns that the volunteers must be careful while performing the clean up. We will be arranging for masks and gloves for every volunteer. Apart from that there will also be a first-aid kit available, he said. With the risk of poisonous sea creatures coming ashore and harming the volunteers, an ambulance will also be stationed to ensure quick medical help.

Operation clean-up Date: September 19

Assembly point: Juhu Beach, Main Entrance Near Juhu Police station, Santa Cruz (West) Reporting Time: 5am

Individual & Group registration can be done at http://www.dnaindia.com/ecoganesha

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It's time to clean up beaches of the mess

Local beaches under attack

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Outsiders are stripping local beaches of shellfish, says one Qualicum Beach resident, and she wants it to stop.

Speaking at Tuesday night's Regional District of Nanaimo meeting, Eileen Becker said she is fed up with seeing people digging up area beaches for shellfish, with little or no oversight.

"Fisheries was cut back and they are hard-pressed to monitor the area," Becker said. "The beaches in this area are very unique, with diverse habitats and species, but they are being plundered by shellfish harvesting, much of it without licenses."

She said shellfish harvesters often leave large, gaping holes behind them, which she said is a death sentence to baby clams.

"They have no respect for limits," she said. "Many areas have seen their marine life devastated. When you remove one species, it affects all the others. In a short time we could have nothing more than a dead beach."

Becker called for the entire beach area to be designated as a provincial park, as she believes it would lead to having at least one park ranger on site, who could make sure the beaches were protected.

"Do we want a dead beach or a living one?" she asked. "There is no enforcement. They are there every day with sacks and buckets."

In response, French Creek director and board chair Joe Stanhope agreed there is a problem.

Ive chased them off my beach more than once while they were carrying five-gallon buckets they expected to fill up, he said.

Bowser-Deep Bay director Bill Veenhof noted the issue is a concern in his area as well. However, he stressed he didnt want to see legal shellfish harvesting eliminated.

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Local beaches under attack

Volunteer lifesavers take to Straddie beaches

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Sept. 16, 2013, 2 p.m.

NORTH Stradbroke Island's beaches will be decked out in red and yellow this weekend as surf patrols resume.

The first Saturday of the spring holidays marks the start of the patrol season, with Point Lookout Surf Lifesaving Club volunteers to watch the beaches every weekend and public holiday until the May Day long weekend.

The patrol teams will consist of volunteers with a variety of experience, from 14-year-old first timers to veterans in their 50s.

Club captain Joel Di Trapani said patrol leaders had gone through extra training ahead of this year's season.

"There's been a lot of leadership training and extra procedures that everyone's gone through in preparation," he said.

Main and Cylinder beaches will be patrolled from 8am to 5pm on weekends, but the times will be extended over the summer holiday period.

Mr Di Trapani advised anyone travelling over to the beaches to swim between the red and yellow flags.

"Read the conditions board to see what things are like out there each day and come and say hello to the lifesavers on duty; they're usually happy to have a chat," he said.

The club is also on the lookout for more volunteers to help out over summer.

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Volunteer lifesavers take to Straddie beaches

Scarborough in a bind on dogs, beaches

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Yesterday at 1:25 AM Canine owners want access, U.S. officials want plovers protected, and project funding is at risk.

By Leslie Bridgers lbridgers@pressherald.com Staff Writer

SCARBOROUGH - A threatened bird species, a federal fine and an eroded beach will all be at issue when the Scarborough Town Council meets Wednesday.

click image to enlarge

A sign on Pine Point Beach in Scarborough alerts visitors that it is a plover habitat.

Press Herald file photo/Carl D. Walsh

The council might decide whether to continue allowing residents' dogs to romp freely in the sand on summer mornings -- the town has 2,300 canines -- or to better protect the small number of piping plovers that inhabit local beaches during those months. An unleashed dog killed one of the birds on a Scarborough beach this summer.

Along with the lives of the plovers, a project to restore an eroded Scarborough beach would be on the line if the council chooses not to ban unleashed dogs from its beaches during the birds' nesting season. A $12,000 fine also could be imposed by the federal government.

The debate about dogs on beaches is not new to southern Maine coastal communities.

On the side of canine rights are dog owners -- large and vocal groups that have proven in other coastal towns that they have political clout. Many of them say the unfortunate death of one bird isn't reason enough for all of their dogs to lose the opportunity to swim and socialize in the summer.

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Scarborough in a bind on dogs, beaches

Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Brings Authentic Tastes of the Caribbean to Beaches® Resorts – Video

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Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Brings Authentic Tastes of the Caribbean to Beaches® Resorts
At Beaches® Resorts, guests can experience the distinct flavors and aromas of Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum as part of its renowned Luxury Included® Vacation e...

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Appleton Estate Jamaica Rum Brings Authentic Tastes of the Caribbean to Beaches® Resorts - Video


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