O'ahu briefs
Advertiser Staff
HONOLULU
Library plans July 21 gala
The Library for the Blind & Physically Handicapped will celebrate its 70th anniversary with a gala and open house July 21.
Entertainment will be by Hoku award-winner Maunalua, and there will be refreshments and hourly prize drawings. Information will be available on library services for the blind and visually impaired, with booths of organizations that serve the blind.
Besides books and magazines, the library provides transcribing services, Radio Reading Service and computers.
The free event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 402 Kapahulu Ave., at the back of the Waikiki-Kapahulu Public Library.
WINDWARD
State Hospital hit by thieves
After struggling for weeks to keep patients from breaking out of the Hawai'i State Hospital, officials now have a problem with thieves breaking in.
Twenty-eight new computers were stolen from the facility in Kane'ohe sometime before Monday morning, Health Department spokeswoman Janice Okubo said.
The missing computers are worth about $30,000, she said. They were taken from the old Guensberg building, the hospital's most secure unit until its closure several months ago.
Okubo said workers had stored the computers in the empty building and were gradually installing them in other units. The thief or thieves broke through several doors, she said.
"They pried open doors and broke open locks," said Okubo. "They (hospital staff) didn't see anyone coming out. They were going up to get some of the computers on Monday morning, and that's when they noticed the building had been broken into."
She said additional computers that were stored in the building have since been moved.
There have been 10 escapes from the hospital since January, and 16 escapes last year. Health officials say they have responded to the problems with various security improvements and may soon hire experts to perform a thorough security evaluation.
Kailua history to be compiled
A move to establish a Kailua historical society is under way in the Windward community. A meeting has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday for anyone who is interested or has knowledge of the history of Kailua.
On the agenda will be the formation of goals, to include a hope to preserve, store and share appropriate historical materials, to make these available to the public and to stimulate interest and pride in Kailua's history. Among the first tasks will be to establish an organizational structure and appropriate committees to accomplish the goals.
The meeting will be at the Kailua public library, 239 Ku'ulei Road. All interested parties are encouraged to attend. Call Joanne Flannery at 263-0090 or Peggy Froome, 261-5265.
