Wood Craft Ben Wood

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Legendary Helen Altonn marks 50 years with Bulletin

Helen Altonn came here expecting to spend a couple of years with the Star-Bulletin and then return to the mainland. Friday we celebrated Helen's 50 years of superior reporting for the newspaper at a luncheon with salmon, a champagne toast and strawberries in our Restaurant Row newsroom. Helen is a legend when it comes to Hawaii journalism, and at age 74 there is no retirement in sight. Her actual anniversary date is Oct. 22. She did not want any celebration so she scheduled vacation that week. But there was no way this much-respected reporter was going to get away without being honored for her remarkable career. Editor Frank Bridgewater scheduled the party a week early so she would be here. Frank and Tim Ryan, who received guidance from Helen when he joined the paper, gave meaningful talks about the tough reporter that brought tears to her eyes and to those of hardened staffers. Frank gave her two round-trip air tickets to the mainland as a company gift. Besides employees, many Star-Bulletin retirees attended the luncheon, catered by Murphy's. The food was a cut well above the usual office-party grinds ...

Golfer Michelle Wie is Punahou's $10-million girl and her $500,000 donation to help Hurricane Katrina victims was a marvelous gesture, but there is another Punahou 16-year-old junior, Meghan Akim, who deserves recognition for her charitable work. Meghan, supported by Punahou students, has organized a teen Halloween dance Oct. 30 at Rumours to benefit the Life Foundation. Funds raised will help Hawaii kids who have AIDS/HIV. Entry is $15 and donations can also be made. Call the Life Foundation at 521-2437 ext. 252 for further info. Meghan also models for Central Island Agency ...

Writer was slow on reporting Wie's mistake

As for Sports Illustrated writer Michael Bamberger, if he felt it was his duty to report Michelle's erroneous drop to Samsung tourney officials that cost her $53,126 Sunday, why didn't he tell officials the same day? If he had, she could have taken a penalty and continued play. But he waited until the next day, after she had signed her scorecard, and disqualification was forced. He said he did not have time to report her mistake the day it happened. He should have found time ...