Mother Approves Split Decision

--After 18 years of togetherness, the Kienast quintuplets are ready to go their separate ways. “We’ve been five all our lives. Now is our chance to be one,” said Sara Kienast. “We want to make a name for ourselves, by ourselves.” Sara, Amy, Abby, Ted and Gordon turn 18 on Wednesday. The quints’ birthdays--what Ted calls “press day”--have always been met by photographers and reporters. But this year they will celebrate separately with friends on Wednesday, then hold a private family party on Sunday. Each plans to attend a different college and four have picked schools far from Far Hills, N.J., where they grew up. “It’s about time,” Abby said. “I could make do without seeing their faces every day.” None plans to tell new friends he or she is a quintuplet. “Why should we have someone look at us and think of four different people,” said Sara. The quints gained worldwide fame when they were born Feb. 24, 1970, after their mother, Peggy Jo Kienast, took fertility drugs. In 1984, the quints’ father, William, committed suicide when his plastics business began to falter. Peggy Jo Kienast says she is looking forward to her children leaving home. “I’m all for parenting and children, but I don’t live through my children. I’m looking forward to this next step,” she said. “You’re worn out by their senior year.”

--Brigitte Bardot, the French film star of the 1950s and ‘60s who has become an animal rights activist, assisted in the attempt to rescue a dolphin that beached itself outside her home near Saint-Tropez, France. Bardot, 53, now a recluse, pleaded with local rescue services to save the animal. The 200-pound dolphin was hauled out to sea but returned and was beached again. The second time, Bardot brought in a veterinarian who injected the mammal with penicillin. Rescuers then pulled it far out to sea. “Bardot could not do very much to help but she was very nice. She gave us a cup of tea to warm us up, as the water was very cold,” said one rescuer.

--Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene helped colon cancer patient Mack Landers complete an 89-book collection of works by Western author Zane Grey. The book Greene delivered to the 73-year-old Landers in Euless, Tex., was “Don, The Story of a Lion Dog.” There are only about 100 copies remaining of the story, which was published 60 years ago. Greene wrote of Landers’ search for the book in his nationally syndicated column, and said five or six people called offering copies. Greene accepted one from Dr. James H. Vickers, president of the National Zane Grey’s West Society. Another copy was offered by Zane Grey’s son, Loren.