$1 million gift pushes Aloha United Way to goal
Aloha United Way has received a $1 million donation from the Hartley Foundation, pushing the organization past its 2001 fund-raising goal of $13.6 million, officials said.The $1 million gift from the Hartley Foundation will be directed toward Child and Family Service ($500,000), Hawaii Foodbank Inc. ($250,000), Catholic Charities ($125,000) and the Salvation Army ($125,000), Aloha United Way announced this week. The Hartley Foundation is a private organization created by Michael Hartley, founder and former chairman of Cheap Tickets Inc.
Aloha United Way now hopes to raise just more than $14 million. Because of increased needs such as emergency housing, utility and rental assistance due to massive layoffs, officials said more funding support is needed this year.
"The events of Sept. 11 have caused untold harm to Hawaii's economy and severely impacted the lives of our people," said Irving Lauber, Aloha United Way president and chief executive officer.
Tea ceremony will help terrorism victims
Sept. 11 victims will be remembered at a special Japanese tea ceremony Sunday at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii.The Omotesenke Domonkai Hawaii, practitioners of Japanese tea ceremonies for 46 years, will hold the event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Seiko-an Tea Room.
The event offers free tea and refreshments and will be open to the public. Donations will be turned over to victims' charities.
>> The Sex Abuse Treatment Center has received a $19,594 grant from the Hawaii Community Foundation's Robert E. Black Fund to support its sexual assault prevention program, "When She Says No." It is an award-winning program that uses interactive drama and student participation. Adriana Ramelli, director of the center, said funds would partially support 100 performances for the school year. [Taking Notice]
>> Annie Alves was selected to lead a state delegation of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States to the organization's 88th National Convention. She represented Hawaii during the convention, held Aug. 18-24 in Milwaukee.
>> Tesoro Hawaii has awarded scholarships totaling $29,000 to the following students: Melanie Canite, UH-Manoa; Annalisa Drogowski, Leeward Community College; Michael Furumura, California Polytechnic-San Luis Obispo; Christine Houghton, Holy Names College (Calif.); Nicole Kikuchi, UH-Manoa; Nicole Matsuo, Northwestern University (Ill.); Mariko Meana, UH-Manoa; Narita San Meana, UH-Manoa; Matthew Sullivan, Santa Clara University (Calif.); Kimberlee Anaya, California State University at Northridge; Joel Julian, Otis College of Art and Design (Calif.); Andrea Pei, University of California-Irvine; Elaine J. Pinacate, UH-Hilo; Mariko Saito, Barnard College (N.Y.); and Meddie Texeira, Hawaii Pacific University. The scholarships, for the 2001-2002 school year, were awarded to children of current Tesoro Hawaii employees.
>> Kuakini Medical Center's Laboratory and Ancillary Testing Facility has been awarded accreditation by the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation of the College of American Pathologists. Kuakini received the accreditation for having inspection programs equally or more stringent than current government requirements. The accreditation was granted after a recent on-site inspection.
>> Grant T. Murakami AICP has been named president of the Hawaii Chapter of the American Planning Association for the 2001-2003 term. In addition, the following individuals were named as officers at the organization: Shevaun A. Low AICP, vice president; Michelle Kurisu, secretary; Dina Tamura Wong AICP, treasurer; Robert McGraw AICP, director-at-large; Gene Yong, director-at-large; and Leo R. Asuncion Jr. AICP, past president. The newly elected officers took office on July 1.
>> Nicholas Jachowski was recently honored by the state Board of Education for his involvement with the U.S. team that won the world championship in the Fifth International Geographic Olympiad. Jachowski, a freshman at Maui High School, was selected for the U.S. team after taking first place in the Hawaii State Geography Bee and second place in the U.S. National Geographic Bee. He was honored Sept. 6 with a luncheon in his honor and a trophy designed by a number of Maui contributors.
>> The University of Hawaii at Manoa's Didactic Program in Dietetics has been awarded national accreditation from the American Dietetics Association. The accreditation is good for a term of 10 years, and was awarded after extensive self-studies and a site visit during the spring of 2001.
>> The Alexander & Baldwin Foundation has awarded a $3,500 grant to the American Cancer Society's Camp Anuenue Summer Program. The money will enable children from Maui and Kauai, ages 7 to 21, who have been diagnosed with cancer to attend the program on Oahu without charge.
>> Goodwill Industries of Hawaii Inc. has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Jessie Ann Chalmers Charitable Trust. The money will be used to implement an enhanced safety and health program for the company's employees.
>> The American Cancer Society has been awarded a $4,000 grant from the Jessie Ann Chalmers Charitable Trust. The money will be used to fund the 2001 Families Can*Sur*Vive Program, an annual family retreat for children who have been recently diagnosed with cancer, their parents and siblings. About 200 youth and family members take part in the retreat, held in November each year.
>> Lori Ann Saeki has been selected as one of five winners nationwide in the second Scripps Howard Foundation "Most Valuable Staffer" Broadcast Competition. Saeki, the interim general manager at the student-run radio station KTUH, received a $5,000 scholarship and an all-expenses-paid trip to New Orleans. KTUH will also receive a matching grant of $5,000.
>> Duke's Canoe Club Kauai recently named the following employees as Employees of the Month for the first and second quarters: Brandon Cablayan, January; Erwin Vidal, February; Nikki Assistin, March; Glenda Esposa, April; Caroline Kodani, May; and Brandon Nagamine, June. The honorees were presented with koa surfboard plaques and certificates and will be eligible for the company's Employee of the Year award.
>> Pualani "Pua" Yama-moto has been named as one of 80 Udall Scholarship recipients for the 2001-2002 academic year. Yamamoto, a nursing major at UH-Manoa, will receive up to $5,000 for education expenses. She also attended the Udall Scholar Orientation held August in Tucson, Ariz.
>> Dominique Desroches, Deborah Hamamoto and Debbie Uyeda have been awarded Hawaii Instructional Materials Association Scholarships for the 2001-2002 academic year. Desroches and Uyeda are students at UH-Manoa. Hamamoto attends UH-Hilo.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Managing Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com. Corrections and clarifications
Police, Fire, Courts
By Star-Bulletin staffLEEWARD OAHU Honolulu Police Department Crimestoppers
Brush fire off H-2 may be linked to others in area
A brush fire last night off the H-2 freeway near the Plantation Road overpass may be linked to other suspicious brush fires in the area, a fire captain at the scene said.The blaze consumed about a quarter-acre and was under control within 20 minutes, a fire official said.
Four companies responded to the 6:53 p.m. alarm.
Police and fire officials said that three fires along the H-2 freeway near the H-1 merge, Ka Uka Boulevard and Kipapa Gulch on Nov. 15 may have been maliciously set.
Man allegedly hurls rock at ex-girlfriend's car
Police arrested a 37-year-old man Wednesday evening after he allegedly threw a rock at the windshield of his ex-girlfriend's car in Waipahu.The 19-year-old woman was leaving her home with her new boyfriend when the suspect shattered her car windshield with the rock, police said.
The victim identified the suspect, who was arrested at 11:05 p.m. Wednesday.
HONOLULU
Firefighters rescue hikers stranded in dark
Firefighters rescued two separate groups of hikers that became stranded because of darkness.A 21-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman were found Thanksgiving morning at the Judd Trail off Nuuanu Pali Drive, fire officials said.
The pair began their hike Wednesday in the late afternoon and became stranded. Firefighters walked the two to safety.
On Wednesday night, two young male hikers were airlifted out of the Kuliouou Valley loop trail. The steep terrain and the darkness prevented them from walking out of the woods.
Victim ID'd in fatal motorcycle crash
The Honolulu Medical Examiner has identified the man who died early Sunday morning in a motorcycle crash under the H-1 viaduct in Mapunapuna as Zearious Woods, 33.Woods was an Army soldier assigned to Tripler Army Medical Center.
Police said Woods and another motorcycle driver were weaving in and out of traffic when Woods lost control of his motorcycle and crashed into a concrete wall.
He was taken to Tripler where he later died.
Child playing with matches blamed for fire
A child playing with matches is blamed for a fire yesterday at an apartment building at 705 Hoawa St.The fire in a storage area was reported at 12:21 p.m. Neighbors were able to get the fire under control before firefighters arrived, and it was extinguished at 12:31 p.m., the Fire Department said.
Damage is estimated at $10,500.
Man is hit on head with scooter in robbery
Police are investigating a robbery in the Salt Lake area in which the suspects hit a 36-year-old man on the head with a scooter.The man was walking to work at 9:50 p.m. Wednesday near Kamehameha Highway and Salt Lake Boulevard. Two men allegedly demanded money from the victim. When the man attempted to fight back, one of the men hit him on the head twice with the scooter, police said.
The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Man allegedly uses stroller to steal items
A man with a stroller stole $300 worth of items Wednesday night from Sears at Ala Moana Center, police said.The 40-year-old man allegedly left the store with the stroller full of stolen merchandise when he was stopped by store security, who arrested him for the theft.
