CLEANUP A FIRST STEP FOR EXPANDED WEED & SEED

Hundreds of people will hit the streets in the Sheridan-Kaheka area Saturday
to hold anti-crime signs, paint over graffiti and clean bus stops during the
first major community effort in the recently expanded "Weed & Seed"
law-enforcement program.

The U.S. Department of Justice last month approved the expansion of the Weed
& Seed program from the existing Kalihi-Palama/Chinatown site, west into
Kalihi Valley and east into Ala Moana.

The event is called a ho'ala, or community awakening. Residents and other
volunteers will also remove weeds, clean Makiki Stream, pick up litter and
canvass residents and businesses in the area bounded by King, Kalakaua,
Kapi'olani, and Pensacola.

"There is a lot of energy and enthusiasm for the Weed & Seed district," said
Rep. Ken Hiraki, D-28th (Iwilei, Downtown, Makiki). "People, especially in
the Sheridan Street area, are so concerned about crime. They talk about drug
deals going on right in front of the homes and businesses, and property
crimes -- cars being stolen and homes broken into."

The program is a coordinated effort by city, state and federal
law-enforcement agencies and residents to target violent crime, drug abuse
and gang activity. Official designation brings federal money to fight crime
and toughen federal penalties for violations in the area -- the "weed" side
of the equation -- combined with crime prevention and efforts at
intervention, treatment and neighborhood revitalization as the "seeds" of a
safer community, said Maile Kanemaru, Hawai'i Weed & Seed executive
director.

"We plan to use this event to get the word out to the community," Hiraki
said. "Everybody will be wearing donated Weed & Seed T-shirts and
sign-holding on Kapi'olani Boulevard about keeping the area crime-free and
drug-free and announcing that the community is after you if you are going to
be doing bad things."

Police Maj. Michael Tucker said specific officers are being designated to
monitor and enforce Weed & Seed regulations in the area.

"The Weed & Seed team will begin outreaching with community groups to form
citizen patrols, neighborhood security watches and work in conjunction with
the patrol officers to get some continuity in the delivery of services,"
Tucker said. "If there is a problem with open drug dealing, the team will
try to focus in on those spots."

Residents have indicated that there are some well-known areas where drug
activities take place. People arrested inside a Weed & Seed area face being
arrested again if they return.

Willie Cadena, site coordinator for Weed & Seed, said the effort takes the
cooperation of everyone to work.

"The whole initiative is community-driven," Cadena said. "It is not what
Weed & Seed wants, it is what the community wants."

As part of the event, 30 students from Washington Middle School will conduct
testing of Makiki Stream water on Friday to establish a baseline for the
stream's water quality and help with a cleanup the next day. The stream
cleanup is being done in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, the U.S. Geological Survey, the University of Hawai'i and the
city.

Sharon Miyashiro, University of Hawai'i vice president of academic affairs,
said the project will teach students to take an active part in caring for
the environment and their neighborhood.

"The project stemmed from the Hawai'i Nature Center looking for stewards for
the stream," Miyashiro said. "Makiki Stream has sort of been forgotten. Over
time they will be taught to do stream assessment to see if efforts improve
quality of water. If they work at it maybe we can get the stream back to
usable again."

Makiki resident John Steelquist is coordinating the ho'ala and said the
effort can be the first step in taking the neighborhood away from criminals.

"What's important is that people realize this is something new that is
affecting them," Steelquist said. "The whole community can get together to
reduce crime. Once you reduce crime, you improve the quality of life."

[Sidebar]

Sheridan area to hold ho'ala

* A community cleanup sponsored by the Weed & Seed program.

* 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

* Meet at Washington Middle School, 1633 S. King St.

* For information, call Willie Cadena, Weed & Seed coordinator, at 845-6033,
or John Steelquist, ho'ala event chairman, at 739-4602.