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Free health checks are offered tomorrow in an outreach program at Pearlridge Center. Free health screenings
tomorrow at Pearlridge CenterAs part of the national Make a Difference Day, the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii has called on a number of local health agencies to provide free public health screenings and tests, running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Diabetes testing, blood-pressure checks and bone marrow registry will be among the activities.
Residents also will have a chance to make a difference by giving blood or donating items for Holiday Cheer baskets being assembled for Oahu's 1,500 dialysis patients.
"The public, volunteers and participating agencies are asked to bring a new household item to fill these packages of aloha," said Glen Hayashida, National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii executive director.
Such items as soap, toothpaste, shampoo, paper plates and non-perishable foods such as canned tuna and chicken, rice and pasta are especially welcome, he said.
Neighborhood trolley to be celebrated today
A blessing for the Kaimuki-Kapahulu-Waikiki Trolley has been set for 6:15 p.m. today in the Honolulu Zoo parking lot, with other activities planned along the route.A Hawaiian blessing by kahu Kordell Kekoa will be followed by participants boarding the trolley to Market City Shopping Center for a ceremonial untying of a maile lei.
Mayor Jeremy Harris and Councilman Duke Bainum are among those scheduled to take part in the ceremonies.
"The trolley is truly a community project," Bainum said. "With this trolley, we not only want to make transportation easier for our residents but also market Kaimuki and Kapahulu as new visitor destinations."
The neighborhood trolley system is Honolulu's first serving small communities. It began operating in August.
Currently, two trolleys run along the route from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, making 11 stops.
The nonprofit Greater East Honolulu Community Alliance, consisting of residents, merchants and concerned citizens of Palolo, Kaimuki, Kapahulu and Waikiki, was instrumental in establishing the trolley run.
Grant helps Waimanalo program for Hawaiians
U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka have announced that Waimanalo Health Center will receive a $704,055 federal grant to support its community outreach and preventive health care program targeting native Hawaiians.Known as the Mauli Ola Project, the program is expected to receive additional funding over the next four years.
Mauli Ola integrates health and social services and incorporates both traditional cultural concepts and Western medical practices.
200 Club honors three from Fire Department
Three Honolulu Fire Department employees were honored yesterday by The 200 Club.Firefighter Frank DeJesus was recognized as HFD's employee of the year.
DeJesus works in the education section of the Fire Prevention Bureau.
He has worked tirelessly educating the community about safety and fire prevention and also was integral in the Keiki Photo Card program, fire officials said.
Battalion Chief Arthur Ugalde was named HFD's manager of the year by The 200 Club and Steven Nakasone, a fire-equipment mechanic, was named the civilian employee of the year.
The three men were honored at a luncheon yesterday at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.
The 200 Club is made up of 200 business leaders.
Tomorrow
Some events of interest8 a.m., Fernhurst Women's Residence: Prudential's sixth annual Global Volunteer Day, 1566 Wilder Ave. Prudential employees will clean, paint and provide general maintenance all day.
Correction
American Classic Voyages Co.'s third-quarter profit of 5 cents a share was better than the average estimate by Wall Street analysts of an 11-cent loss. A Hawaii Inc. report yesterday had an incorrect figure for the estimate.
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffHonolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Police investigate report of boy's brief abduction
Police are investigating a 9-year-old boy's report that he was kidnapped yesterday while playing basketball at Kalihi Waena Elementary School.The boy reported that a man pulled him by the arm into a dark-colored vehicle at about 2:45 p.m., police said. He said he was driven to Dole Intermediate School, where he was dropped off unharmed.
He said the man, estimated to be in his 50s, had alcohol on his breath and wore an earring.
Two women hit by truck on Kapahulu Avenue
Two women were injured after being struck by a pickup truck on Kapahulu Avenue at Mooheau Avenue at 1:23 p.m. yesterday.A 77-year-old woman was reported in guarded condition and her friend, 79, was in fair condition, at Queen's Medical Center.
The northbound pickup, driven by a man, 33, may have run a stop light when it struck the women as they walked in a crosswalk, police said. He appeared to have had a stroke. He was taken to St. Francis Medical Medical Center, where he was reported in good condition.
It did not appear speed or alcohol were involved, police said.
Home burns near Hilo; damage put at $105,000
HILO -- Fire destroyed a two-story house in Eden Roc subdivision south of Hilo shortly after 6 p.m. yesterday, fire officials said. The cause is under investigation.Damage to the house, owned and occupied by Becky Thurston, was put at $105,000.
Police roadblocks due for Halloween period
Police roadblocks to deter alcohol-impaired and drug-impaired drivers go up tonight and remain in effect through Wednesday.These checkpoints over Halloween will be at unannounced times and places.
The Courts
Several isle residents indicted on welfare-fraud charges
Seven people were recently charged with welfare fraud.Waianae residents Mataotama Uti, 29, and Pereti N. Uti, 26, were charged with first-degree theft for fraudulently obtaining more than $20,000 in welfare benefits.
Wahiawa resident Lauralyn Faafia, 23, was charged with one count of first-degree theft for fraudulently obtaining more than $20,000 in welfare benefits and one count of second-degree theft for fraudulently obtaining more than $300 in welfare benefits.
In the same indictment, Wahiawa resident Jeffrey A. Faafia, 25, was charged with one count of first-degree theft for fraudulently obtaining more than $20,000 in welfare benefits. Waikiki residents Russell C. Hernandez, 37, and Gerald K. Forchuk, 56, were charged with first-degree theft for fraudulently obtaining more than $20,000 in welfare benefits.
Shawnette K. Collier, 24, a former Kaneohe resident now believed living in Washington state, was charged with second-degree theft for fraudulently obtaining more than $300 in welfare benefits.
Physician pleads no contest for failure to file GE taxes
Joana H. Magno, M.D. entered a no contest plea to three counts of failure to file general excise tax returns for tax years 1996, 1997 and 1998.Magno failed to report a general excise tax obligation of about $54,649 on gross income of approximately $1,229,000 in those three years, state tax officials said.
Circuit Judge Karl Sakamoto granted Magno's request for deferred acceptance of her no contest plea and ordered her to pay a $12,000 fine. The judge found that extensive medical bills for Dr. Magno's minor child were mitigating circumstances.
