Grandmother tries hard
to keep family togetherTessie, a grandmother featured in the last of our Good Neighbor Fund stories, reminds one of the little boy in the inspirational tale who does as much as he can to make a difference against overwhelming odds.
The story goes like this: A man is walking along a beach which is covered with starfish that have washed ashore and face certain death unless the tide pulls them back into the water. He comes across a little boy flinging as many starfish as he can back into the ocean. The man tells him there are too many to save: "What difference can you make?" he asks.
"I don't know, but it sure makes a difference to this one," says the boy, as he throws another starfish into the sea. The man bends over and starts doing the same.
Tessie raised five children of her own and, for the past three years, has been raising seven grandchildren. She lost her husband 14 years ago and her children "never were the same." They turned to drugs and alcohol, got into trouble with the law, or married abusive husbands.
Because of their ongoing problems, her children are constantly disrupting the peace of her household. Once, some men came into her home with crowbars, taking apart the walls, because her son owed them drug money. The FBI has made numerous visits.
Her grandchildren live in fear and are about to snap, Tessie says. Sometimes she wonders what keeps her going. Her own health is suffering: She had breast cancer two years ago and has not followed through with check-ups because of all the turmoil.
The family lacks furniture, beds, a well-running refrigerator and a stove. It may be too late to provide them with gift-wrapped presents under a Christmas tree, but these items would be appreciated any time soon.
If you want to help make a difference, send a check to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin's Good Neighbor Fund, P.O. Box 2019, Aiea 96701 at any time of the year.
Or you can donate items to the Community Clearinghouse in Building 914 at the Kapalama Military Reservation on the left of Sand Island Access Road, about a half-mile beyond Kilgo's.
Call 845-1669 for information.
Isles to get $1.9 million for aid to the homeless
Hawaii will receive some $1.9 million in federal Continuum of Care grants and $637,000 in emergency shelter grants to help the homeless.The city will get $1.1 million of the Continuum of Care money, with the rest going to the state Housing and Community Development Corp.
Of the emergency shelter grants,the Salvation Army and Women Helping Women will receive $275,153 and $290,760 respectively.
Science meeting invites students to participate
High school students aspiring to be scientists will have a chance to meet mice-cloning biologist Ryuzo Yanagimachi and other top-notch scientists at a conference sponsored by The Queen's Medical Center Feb. 22-24 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.To attend the conference, "Genetics and Molecular Biology . . . From Discovery to Practice," students should submit an essay on one of these subjects: genetics, infectious diseases or molecular technologies.
Twenty students will be selected based on their essays. Winning students then must submit exhibits to be shown at the conference.
The deadline for the essay is Jan. 15. For more information, call Queen's Medical Center's public relations office, 547-4780.
Also at the conference, the hospital will honor Yanagimachi with the Queen Emma Distinguished Scientist Lectureship Award. Yanagimachi and his research team at the University of Hawaii stunned the science world in July with news of their cloning of 50 adult mice.
Library offers free mugs for adult bookworms
The Kailua Public Library will give a free coffee mug to any adult who reads 12 books between Jan. 4 and March 31.To join the Adult Reading Challenge 1999, participants must have a state public library card and register at the library's Reference Desk.
The free coffee mugs, from the Friends of Kailua Library, will be given during National Library Week, April 11 to 17.
For more information, call 266-9911.
Chamber gives grant to homeless residence
Safe Haven, a residence for the homeless with serious mental illness, has received $7,000 from the Chamber of Commerce. The grant will be used for pharmacy supplies. The home, a project of Mental Help Hawaii and the Kalihi-Palama Health Center, helps the homeless reconnect with the community.
Mayor Harris wishes us a season of 'generosity'
Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris has issued his Christmas message:"From all of us at Honolulu Hale, we wish you a very Merry Christmas," Harris said.
"As we gather with family and friends in joyous celebration, let's not forget to share our bountiful blessings with those less fortunate than we are.
"May the generosity of this Christmas season prevail as we reach out to others. From my wife, Ramona, and our family, peace and good will to all."
Big Isle classes offer advice on bankruptcy
HILO -- The Big Island branch of the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii is holding classes to teach people how to handle their own bankruptcy filings since being flooded with calls from people in debt.Available in Hawaii only on the Big Island, the pilot project began a year ago when only one other Legal Aid Society in the nation was doing it.
"We're being inundated with calls," said Laurel Loo, the society's Hilo managing attorney.
She was unsure whether the increase is tied to any single aspect of the Big Island economy, but she said calls have increased in recent years.
Callers typically have excessive credit card debt or medical bills, she said. The classes teach people how to ask a court to cancel the debt. Fees for the classes range from $25 to $275.
Eligibility varies. For a family of four, monthly income must be between $1,971 and $3,940.
Interested people should call the Hilo office at 934-0678 or the Kona office at 329-8331.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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Police, Fire
By Star-Bulletin staffPOLICE/FIRE
Fire closes section of Pensacola Street
A section of Pensacola Street was closed to traffic today due to a midmorning structure fire on Elm and Laula streets.The fire, reported at 9:08 a.m., was extinguished by 9:30 a.m., but police closed Pensacola Street makai of South King Street because of fire hoses stretched across the road.
Fire damages Pearl Kai L&L Drive-Inn eatery
An early morning fire today damaged the L&L Drive-Inn at Pearl Kai Shopping Center.Firefighters responding to the 3:58 a.m. alarm at 98-199 Kamehameha Highway extinguished the fire at 5 a.m. Damage estimates were not available.
Woman raped by pair in Kalihi Wednesday
A 23-year-old woman told police she was raped after being kidnapped Wednesday night while walking in Kalihi.It is the fourth reported sex assault in Honolulu since Monday, but the cases appear to be unrelated, police said.
The victim of the latest incident says an unknown suspect threw a towel over her head and then pulled her into a van at about 11 p.m., according to police. She awoke on a roadway at 6 a.m. and called police.
The woman also reported that her wallet was stolen.
She was unable to provide investigators with a description of the two suspects involved.
Two men rob, injure plant nursery employee
Police are looking for two men involved in a robbery at a plant nursery on Hihimanu Street in Waimanalo. Kailua police said the two men accosted an employee at the nursery, shoved her to the ground and stole a fanny pack containing approximately $200 at about 2 p.m. yesterday. The suspects fled in a stolen car that was recovered at the corner of Mokulama and Waikupanaha streets. The victim suffered a bruised elbow.
See expanded coverage in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
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