It's time to catch up on news over the back fence.

A proud grandmother named Yuk Ling Chung called to brag about her three grandchildren, all born on Nov. 1, to Lois and Wesley Chung. There's Jordyn Chung, age 15, and Sarah Chung, age 9. This Nov. 1 Annalise Naomi Chung came into the world. The Chungs live in Manoa. Wow. What a birthday party they must have.

There's another grandmother in Manoa, Mariam Woolsey Reed, who is 94 and will probably outlive us all. However, just in case she doesn't, Mariam has had her tombstone put in place at the old Manoa Protestant Cemetery. Her reason is to make sure they spell her middle name right. It has 26 letters. The name is Nahalowaaokamakaiokapololu.

GOOSE BUMPS

Jim Milbury once lived on Red Hill just above Moanalua Valley and he used to run up the valley. One particular run he will never forget. "The wind picked up and chilled my neck," he said. "The hair on the back of my neck stood up. By the time I reached the valley floor I was having a case of paranoia. But the weirdest thing happened when I returned home. I picked up the Sunday paper and read an article about the winds of Moanalua Valley. I had just experienced it and it was extremely frightening."

TIGHT BUDGETS

It's fun to read the old newspapers. The Dec. 7, 1900, Advertiser lists campaign expenses of politicians who ran in a recent election. Big spender James K. Kaulia shelled out a whopping $207 while Jonah Kumalae spent $109.25. K.M. Koahou got by on $10.10, and I didn't believe it at first, but it's right in the story: W.J. Coelho, $0.

KNITPICK

On a flight to Hilo I noticed Paula Helfrich by the window knitting a lace scarf. Little did I know that I was witnessing a rare phenomena until she explained that her knitting needles wouldn't get through the TSA inspectors at the gates until recently. "The craft ladies of the world rose up in righteous anger and wrote their congressmen," she explained. Now her wooden knitting needles pass inspection.

STOP THE STRESS

Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia have found that you take away normal protection against illness when you have to deal with social problems.

A 12-year-old girl in the study was scolded by her grandmother. A saliva test then showed elevated cortisol levels. Three days after the stress, the girl showed symptoms of an upper respiratory infection and a slight fever. Children raised in highly stressed families are at the greatest risk for health problems.

Reach Bob Krauss at 525-8073.