I saw the item Wednesday about someone receiving mysterious phone calls on their answering machine, which their Caller ID identified as all starting with 944. I went through the same thing last fall. Mystery calls were bid
for UH Foundation aidFinally, I found out the calls were from the UH Foundation. The University of Hawaii operator told me the UH prefix is 956, but because all lines are on a rotary, they show up as 944. Call the UH Foundation.
Kathryn Nelson, the foundation's director of annual giving, confirmed your findings.
"Our callers are instructed, when they receive an answering machine, to just hang up," she said. They don't leave a message because "the person cannot call back into the telemarketing center."
Also, the telemarketers will keep calling a number "until we receive an answer," Nelson said.
If anyone wants to be removed from the UH Foundation's telemarketing list, call 956-8769.
That's also the number to call if you want to verify the foundation's fund-raising solicitations.
Nelson said she doesn't know if the foundation will change its policy of hanging up when greeted by an answering machine but will discuss the matter with the telemarketing manager.
The owner of a small store in Moiliili has left messages on our car windows requesting that we do not park near his store. He does not own the street or the parking around his store. Several of us have tried to politely abide by his request and have parked half a block away. What is most annoying is that several of us have had our car scratched while our vehicles were parked nearby, assuming he is trying to warn us not to park there. Can you refer us to the proper agency? First off, Jerry Lee, manager of his family-owned store, said no one from the store would ever scratch or damage any vehicle.
"We've been there for 18 years and consider ourselves local and try to be nice to our neighbors," he said.
Lee said the store closes at 7 p.m. and speculated the damage may have been caused by young people who tend to congregate after hours outside the store, where there is a pay phone and bench. His own store has been vandalized, he said.
Lee acknowledged he recently put notes "on two cars." But he said it's because they had been parked there all day without being moved and were affecting the drainage, as well as business. He said he put the notes in lieu of calling police.
Police did talk to him because of your anonymous complaint.
"The problem appears to be that people are parking too close to his driveway," said police spokeswoman Jean Motoyama. Parking and double-parking are constant problems in the crowded neighborhood, she said.
But if cars are indeed parking too close to the driveway and intersection, police can issue a citation, she said.
Both Motoyama and Lee say they hope the situation doesn't escalate into a war. Call Lee at 949-2269 to see if some neighborly solution can be worked out.
To HPD for its "HPD Inside 801" TV show. It gave a very clear and concise view of HPD, which I thought was refreshing. I hope it does more 801 shows. -- Mike. (A rebroadcast is set for 10 p.m. tomorrow on KFVE, Channel 5.) Mahalo
The Honolulu Friendship Force wants volunteers to host 34 Australian visitors May 13-20. The international exchange program involves couples and singles, aged mid-40s to mid-70s. Call Leta Wright, 949-1295. Friendship Force
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
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