O'ahu briefs
Advertiser Staff and News Services
HONOLULU
Hikers find body in Nu'uanu Valley
Several hikers along the trail to Jackass Ginger Pool in Nu'uanu Valley yesterday came across the body of a 35-year-old man from the Mainland who is a suspected suicide, police said.
The first call to Honolulu police came at 11:15 a.m. from a woman who saw the body after her dog started acting erratically along the trail.
Honolulu Fire Department's Air One helicopter ferried in firefighters and police officers to the spot seven miles from the trail head and flew out with the body.
Detectives from the missing persons detail had been alerted by the man's girlfriend that he had been despondent and threatened suicide last week.
Prescription Care Hawai'i gets $3 million
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation donated $3 million to finance prescription drugs for 20,000 of Hawai'i's low-income patients.
Bernard Siegel, president and trustee of the foundation, gave the check to Gov. Linda Lingle and Tom Driskill on Friday. Driskill is the president and CEO of Hawai'i Health Systems Corp.
The money will be used to finance Prescription Care Hawai'i, a partnership between the public and private sector that is designed to provide free prescription drugs to the state's most vulnerable citizens.
The two-year grant will enable Prescription Care Hawai'i to link low-income patients to pharmaceutical company assistance programs, according to information released by the governor's office.
Lingle said she plans to meet with key legislators from the House and Senate health and consumer protection committees Friday to further discuss prescription-drug programs, long-term healthcare and other health issues.
Ala Wai project ideas welcome
The Ala Wai Watershed Association is seeking project proposals from the community that will improve water quality in the Ala Wai watershed.
The nonprofit, community-based organization is dedicated to caring for the watershed that drains into the Ala Wai Canal and near-shore waters of Waikiki and Ala Moana.
It has a total of $250,000 available for projects that make a difference in water quality and are consistent with the association's mission and goals. Projects must be completed by Jan. 31.
They should demonstrate practices from the mountains to the sea in conservation, residential, business, stream, canal and near-shore areas that can be extended by communities to improve water quality in the Ala Wai watershed.
Proposal are due by March 31. Applications are available by calling 955-7882. The association has a Web site at www.alawaiwatershed.org.
EAST HONOLULU
School receives telescope gift
Haha'ione Elementary School has a telescope for students and teachers to use.
Built by Miles Takiguchi with contributions from other parents and representatives of the real estate firm he works for, the telescope will be used to support the school's focus on promoting science and technology in the classroom.
The school recently held its annual science fair, Science and Technology Exploring Possibilities by Students. The three-day fair, which ended Tuesday, shared knowledge from the Police Department, Hawaiian Humane Society and experts in physics and rocketry.
WINDWARD
Printmaking demonstrated
Kailua artist Shirley Hasenyager of Honolulu Printmakers will conduct a free printmaking demonstration at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Kailua Public Library.
Hasenyager, known for her watercolors and prints, will demonstrate printing on a portable press and discuss different methods of printmaking.
For more information, call the library at 266-9911.
Mall hands out five scholarships
Windward Mall recently awarded five scholarships to Windward teens who served on the shopping center's Teen Board and earned top points in the areas of of community service projects, fashion show, children's events and career shadowing.
The mall gave $1,000 to Kellie Wedemeyer of La Pietra; $500 to Nicole Hamada of Kalaheo High School; $400 to Paige Ishida of Punahou School; $250 to Chelsea Yasuda of Hawaii Baptist Academy; and $150 to Leah Fukuyama of Sacred Hearts Academy.
Members of the board are chosen each year to represent the mall and community. Candidates must live in the Windward area, maintain a 2.5 grade-point average or better, volunteer in the community and commit 10 hours a month to the program.
