Charity must turn away people in need
The warehouse on Sand Island looks jammed to most. But to those familiar with the usual Christmas chaos at the Community Clearinghouse, having room to walk between aisles instead of squeeze is a bad sign.It is a sign of the slow economy that has increased demands from the poor and shrunk donations from the rest.
Yesterday morning, volunteers were rushing to find toys and pack them off to 150 families. The Marines came to the rescue at the last minute, handing over leftovers from their Toys for Tots drive.
"It's been such a lean year, donations are much harder to get," said Mariellen Byrnes-Jones, who heads Community Clearinghouse. "I've spoken to every agency and they're all down.
"It's the economy. Companies usually do big drops for us. But when they're laying off employees, they don't collect from them. People are scared. They don't have the money to be as free as in the past."
Welfare to Work program brightens isle Christmas
To a 7-year-old boy named Bryson, Santa Claus lives. The evidence of that was in the TV the youngster found under the Christmas tree today.Santa in a way also exists for his mother, Lori Halemano -- in the form of AT&T, which gave her the job that allowed her to buy the 13-inch set.
Halemano, 27, confident and professionally dressed, melts any stereotype of what a welfare mother looks like. But she was one just six months ago. Now Congress, as part of welfare reforms to put recipients to work, wants to melt the stereotype further and increase incentives so businesses hire single moms who face even greater difficulties than hers.
The new Welfare to Work grant targets single parents who are most dependent on welfare and have the least work experience. Ninety-eight percent of the parents in that category are women.
Hawaii expects to receive $5 million in February to expand ways to get these parents into the work force, like the opportunity given to Halemano, who works in technical support.
"We're definitely having a good Christmas this year," Halemano said, smiling. "I have a feeling of self worth, and I can buy Christmas presents."
Washington Place open house to be held
It's time to celebrate with the Holiday Season Open House and Hawaii Foodbank canned-food drive at Washington Place as festivities continue tomorrow and Saturday, 5 to 8 p.m. both days.Tomorrow night, the public is invited to come and be entertained by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Glee Club from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and the Hawaii Baptist Academy Choir from 6:30 to 7 p.m.
Saturday night's fare will feature the Pearl of the Orient Dance Company from 6 to 7 p.m. and the Kamehameha Alumni Glee Club from 7:15 to 8 p.m.
Gowns of Princess Liliuokalani and Hawaii first ladies Nancy Quinn, Beatrice Burns, Jean Ariyoshi, Lynn Waihee and Vicky Cayetano will be on display at the open house.
Blood Bank needs additional donors
The Blood Bank of Hawaii is asking for help in meeting blood needs during the holiday season."Blood must be readily available for Hawaii's patients every single day of the year. Patients needs do not take a holiday," said Judi Young, the chief operating officer of the Blood Bank of Hawaii
Christmas and New Years fall on on Thursdays, creating four-day weekends for potential donors and the Blood Bank is experiencing a greater need for donors, Young added.
The Blood Bank Donor Center at 2043 Dillingham Blvd. is closed on Christmas and New Year's Day but will be open the day after Christmas and on weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On Saturday the blood bank will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Police/Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffMotorcyclist hurt in Kalihi accident
A motorcyclist is in critical condition today after an accident involving a taxicab and a light pole in Kalihi last night.Details are sketchy, but a taxi company notified police around 10:40 p.m. that one of its drivers had been involved in an accident with a motorcyclist at Houghtailing and North School Street, police said.
Although the motorcycle rider was in critical condition this morning, police said he was in stable condition when he was taken to Queen's Hospital last night.
Beaten man fires shots, wounds two in Kakaako
A man who was beaten early today by a group of men in front of Restaurant Row drove back and fired several shots at them, striking two men, police said.The two men, in their 20s, were taken to Queen's Hospital and were undergoing surgery, police said. One man apparently was struck in the stomach, the other in the leg.
Police are seeking an unidentified man driving a dark-colored Lexus or Celica who fled mauka on South Street.
"He just pulled up slow and started firing through the passenger window," said Dave Wardlaw, a security officer at One Waterfront Tower, who fled up the driveway as soon as he saw the gun.
The brawl broke out around 3:20 a.m. as Wardlaw was walking near the tower's driveway across Restaurant Row.
He saw what appeared to be a couple arguing on South Street in front of Restaurant Row, which had closed earlier. The man was in a car and yelling at a woman to get in. When she refused, he got out, dragged her to the car and threw her in the front seat, Wardlaw said.
At least six men watching the couple across the street outside World Cafe apparently ran across the street to intervene. "They grabbed the guy, dragged him out and started punching and kicking him," said Wardlaw, who ran over and tried to separate the men. "They were really ganging up on the guy."
The women also became upset and tried to get the men off him.
When the fight broke up, the beaten man jumped into his car and drove away, but not before the men kicked his car, Wardlaw said. He made a U-turn at the corner and drove slowly back toward the group, who were still standing at the corner of South and Auahi streets. At least three shots were fired, police said.
Police recovered bullet casings near a fire hydrant at the corner.
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