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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Mokule'ia group's future uncertain

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser North Shore Writer

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Families displaced from Mokule'ia Beach Park on Monday night because of the park's overnight closure stayed in Hale'iwa for the evening but had no idea where they would sleep last night.

After years of complaints from the surrounding community, police cleared the park of unauthorized campers Monday evening under a new restriction that bars park use from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.

Police said they would continue to patrol the area to keep overnight campers from coming back.

Many of the families gathered at a Hale'iwa site, said Mary Jane Dalumpinis, who had lived in the park for four years.

All of the campers were together "as one family," Dalumpinis said. "Where we was last night, they told us we can't go back there."

Dalumpinis said she suffered another setback yesterday when a judge would not uphold a temporary restraining order that she thought would allow her to stay at the beach park. Dalumpinis said she represented herself in the case.

"We lost the case," Dalumpinis said. "Now we all got to be out of there."

With the support of the North Shore Neighborhood Board and the city's Parks Board, the city Department of Parks and Recreation announced a month ago that it would close the park at night. Campers were given ample warning to move or risk losing their belongings.

Most campers left the site by the deadline but police issued two citations, one to Dalumpinis. She said it was for trespassing and would cost her $25.

Dalumpinis said she wasn't sure what the future held, but would talk to the other homeless families before deciding what to do next.

"We just move on and to the next step," she said. "Whatever God guides us to do, we do 'em."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.