to our newest DHHL Leadership Chair Kali Watson & Deputy Katie Ducatt
After a thorough and rigorous confirmation process, Kali Watson was confirmed as the Director of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL) as well as the ex-officio chair of the Hawaiian Homes Commission. He is joined by Katie Ducatt as Deputy Director for DHHL and form the newest team to move the organization into the future. They are pictured (see right) during their Kapolei Office blessing conducted by my Chief of Staff, Kahu Keahi Renaud.
HR Boxing Club for Waianae Coast Youth Make Warriors Into Future Leaders
This incredible organization shapes motivated youth into budding leaders. They seek any kokua and assistance for :
- Out of state travel expenses (Lodging, transportation, meals)
- Purchasing equipment and uniforms
- Facility maintenance & upgrades
For more Information: Call 808-372-4566 or 808-772-8291; Spread the word !!
Waianae Moku Kupuna Council (WMKC)
Senate Their “Moment of Contemplation"
Offers the
Aunty Georgiana Navarro of the WMKC delivered the "Moment of Contemplation" to the State Senate. The State Senate recognizes the WMKC as an advisory resource for elected officials. In closing, the kupuna referenced Aunty Pilahi Paki's "Spirit of Aloha Law" confirming WMKC’s commitment to help guide the people of Wai’anae with ALOHA
APRIL 2023 SENATOR MAILE SHIMABUKURO 2023 HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE
Gubernatorial Nominee MAKAI FREITAS to the Hawaiian Homes Commission
My Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs issued its recommendation and its endorsement for the nomination of Gubernatorial Nominee Makai Freitas to the Hawaiian Homes Commission. The full Senate will next consider the nominee for a confirmation vote. on the floor. (Pic L-R, Sen. Keohokalole, Mr. Freitas, Sen.
Good News! The Westside Alternative Access Road Resos are ALIVE. SCR59 is moving forward SR53 is heading towards Senate Adoption! DOT is currently seeking agreement with all roadway owners to allow design and construction of “Pa’akea Road Improvements along with Lualualei Naval Road to Hakimo Road.” Completion of this project requires removing the locked gates from Pa‘akea Road to make it part of the daily alternate access route. Project No. HWY-O-03-20
CONGRATULATIONS TO KUMU PIEPER AND THE “SCRAPPAHZ UNION 96792”
Nanakuli High’s Scrappahz Union 96792, under Kumu Michelle Pieper’s leadership, broke into the limelight when they won first place with American Savings Bank’s 7th annual Bank for Education KeikiCo Business Plan Competition. It involved over 400 students across the state in all grade levels from 3rd to 12th. The Scrappahz Union 9792’s competition business plan consisted of shredding community cardboard to repurpose it into compost, sheet mulching, and compostable pots. The combination of students, community-involvement, and environmental conscious goals landed them the top high school business winners garnering them $25,000 award. We hosted them at the State Capitol on April 21st where the legislature recognized their sizeable accomplishments & celebrated with food and talk story.
CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH AND ALL OF THEM.
Shimabukuro, Sen. Fevella, Sen. Richards)
(L-R: DOT Director Ed Sniffen, Sen. Shimabukuro, and DOT Deputy Director Tammy Lee.
NĀNĀKULI HIGH & INTEREDIATE SCHOOL GETS $2 MILLION BOOST TO PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Governor Josh Green has just released $2 M in Capital Improvement Project funds to finance the design for a new performing arts center auditorium for Nānākuli High and Intermediate School
Good luck to all the worthy students.
~ Senator Maile
Homeless Outreach and Navigation for Unsheltered (HONU) Persons Program is at Nani Kai Beach Park in Māʻili.
$250/Month Food Vouchers
Available from WCCHC!
If you have been denied SNAP/EBT and are in need of food, you may qualify for a $250/month food voucher. Vouchers may be redeemed for free fruits, vegetables, proteins (includes eggs, poultry, fish, meats), honey, poi, and other Items without added ingredients like sugar, salt, etc.
Vouchers can be redeemed at Saturday Farmer’s market located at Waianae Mall 8a – 12p, and Tuesday Farmer’s market located at Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC) main campus by the ER dept 9a – 12p. The program runs for 6 consecutive months.
2023 Hawaii Senate Legislative Session Update
Homelessness & Housing
~ Ohana Ola O Kahumana Expansion: GIA for Kahumana to purchase the 4.5 acre parcel next to its existing transitional shelter in Lualualei Valley. The land will be used to create a kauhale for approximately 80 individuals experiencing homelessness. ($6.89m)
~ Homeless Crisis Stabilization Beds: GIA for Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC) to provide six stabilization beds and assistance with transitional shelter placement, for unsheltered individuals. The project also includes a food distribution center and a Hawaiian Cultural Center. ($1.8m)
~ Kauhale Bill (SB1442): Appropriates $15m/year for the ohana zones pilot program, including expenses relating to operations, upkeep of facilities, provision of services, and administrative costs. Authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for the construction of facilities for the ohana zones pilot program. Establishes one position within the Office of the Governor that is responsible for the deployment of the capital improvement funds appropriated by this Act. Specifies certain exemptions shall apply to the ohana zone construction. A possible Kauhale site includes vacant land behind Nanakuli Sack and Save.
~ Transitional Shelter: Utilize former military officer's housing in Kalaeloa for unsheltered DHHL wait-listers
~ Ulu Ke Kukui: Renovate a former transitional housing project into rental unit options for DHHL beneficiaries
Transportation
~ Paakea Road (SCR59 / SR53): Funding and Resolution urging the creation of a parallel route from Paakea Road to Lualualei Naval Road by removing the emergency access road gates
~ Contraflow & Turning Lanes: Add turn lanes at the Lualualei Naval Rd., Nanaikeola St., and Helelua St. intersections; extend the afternoon contraflow
~ Makaha Surfing Beach: Adopt the master plan by re-routing Farrington Highway further mauka to address sea level rise and improve safety
~ Speed Humps: Install speed humps at Princess Kahanu Estates, Nanakuli Valley Hawaiian Homestead, and other high-speed areas; lengthen existing speed humps to extend to shoulders.
~ Car Registration (SB1046): Exempt veterans from motor vehicle registration fees for 1 non-commercial vehicle
~ Makau Street (SCR193 / SR198): Urges the City to improve the Keaau Beach parking lot and surrounding areas as possible places for a bus turnaround.
Public Safety
~ Kaala Farm: GIAs for fire prevention ($500,000) and fire prevention grant administrator ($50,000)
~ HFD Helicopter (City Initiative): Twin-engine 280 gallon bucket fire fighting chopper (3x HFD’s current capacity)
~ Called 2 Impact, Inc: GIA for At-Risk Youth on the Waianae Coast $58,000
~ Clean & Sober Homes (SCR36 / SR30): Resolution urging the City to more evenly distribute clean and sober homes and mental health facilities throughout Oahu
Education
Cool Classrooms: Air condition all Waianae Coast classrooms by the end of 2023
Papahana O Kaiona alternative learning center: Establish a facility and operations at the old Kaiser Building on St. John's Road
Waianae Coast Swimming Pool: collaboration between Waianae High, YMCA, WCCHC, & others
Youth Mental Health (SB1044): Appropriates moneys to hire school-based youth mental health specialists
Teacher Housing (SB941): Authorizes the School Facilities Authority to partner with public and private agencies to develop teacher and educator housing. Specifies Nanakuli High and Intermediate School, Waipahu High School, and Mililani High School as initial locations for the teacher and educator housing pilot.
"Waterman" Movie (SCR195 / SR200): Urges DOE to accept the filmaker's free offer to show the Duke Kahanamoku "Waterman" movie to 7th graders, and incorporate its life and history lessons into curriculum
~ The Recruiters: GIA for Music Production on the Waianae Coast $1.6m
Hawaiian Affairs
Hawaiian Intellectual Property (SCR191 / SR196): Urging the establishment of a working group.
Hawaiian Language (HCR143 / HR145): Urging the appointment of a committee to plan expansion of Hawaiian language education in the DOE
Waianae Economic Development Council: GIA for Nanakuli Village Ctr digital hub & co-working space ($834,410)
Environment
Pokai Bay Jetty: $5m CIP for re-design for improved circulation of Poka’i Bay Jetty
Makua Management System (SB1258 / HB1267 / SCR39 / SR33): Requires DLNR to develop and implement a management system for Ka‘ena point state park, Makua, and Keawa‘ula regions
Flood Mitigation: Collaboration between Navy, City, State, and community groups in Lualualei Valley
Limu (SB1037): Designates Limu Kala (Sargassum echinocarpum) as the official Hawaiʻi state limu
Ocean Waste (SCR23 / SR18): Urges state to recognize the 4th Saturday of every September as "Trash Fishing Day"
Kingdom Pathways: GIA for Environmental preservation $238,669
Landfills (SCR57 / SR51): Resolution urging the City to provide real property tax relief to residents within a 1/2 mile radius of landfills
Ulehawa Canal (HCR106 / HR112): Resolution urging the City to conduct quarterly dredging, and extend the seawall groin further
Agriculture
~ Pig Farmers (HB300 / SB1246 / HB946): hog, sheep, goat, chicken, and other small animal slaughterhouse at Kalaeloa ($4m CIP)
~ Waianae Moku Navigators: GIA for Food Security ($763,505)
~ Kahua Paa Mua: GIA for Agricultural Education
~ Solar Farm Low Income Housing (SCR58 / SR52): Resolution urging solar farms to raise panels and build units for homeless individuals under them
Health
~ WCCHC Emergency Room: GIA for operating funds ($2m)
~ Telephone Only (HB907): Authorizes reimbursement of telehealth services provided by way of an interactive telecommunications system be reimbursed.
~ WCCHC Family Medicine Residency Program: GIA for renovations and medical equipment to address shortage of primary care providers ($500,000)
~ Dialysis (SB473): Exempts drug manufacturers, wholesale prescription drug distributors, and third-party logistics providers of home dialysis drugs, supplies, and devices from the license, registration, and permit requirements for pharmacies; provided that certain conditions are met.
~ Reproductive Care Workforce (SCR38 / SR32): Urging JABSOM to prioritize efforts to strengthen HI's reproductive care workforce in rural areas
~ KAMP Hawaii: GIA to help with over 1000 participants at 5 district parks on West Oahu. Kalaniana’ole Beach Park, Ma’ili Community Park, Pilila’au Community Park, Waianae District Park and Makaha Community Park. This is the 17th year providing the Healthy Lifestyle Summer program to these parks ($200,000)
Judiciary
~ Clean Slate (SB410): automatically remove expunged offenses, and delete dismissed traffic citations, from a person’s public record
~ Mental Health Crisis Centers (SB1594): Court diversion program for unsheltered and other individuals experiencing mental health instability
~ Tenants' Rights (SB393 / SB26): Requires landlords to provide opportunity for mediation prior to eviction. Prohibits evictions where landlord caused unit to become uninhabitable.
~ Involuntary Mental Health Treatment (SB1492): Requires DOH to track and publicly report certain data relating to crisis reports, emergency mental health transports, & court-ordered treatments. Requires DOH to respond to reports about persons having severe mental illness who are in need of assistance and to assess whether those persons may fulfill the criteria for assisted community treatment. Establishes that a court's denial of a petition for involuntary commitment shall serve as notification to DOH that the person should be evaluated for assisted community treatment. Requires Attorney General to assist with the preparation and filing of petitions for assisted community treatment, unless declined by the petitioner.
~ Rent Relief (HB1439): Establishes and appropriates funds for a pre-litigation mediation pilot program. Requires landlords to participate in mediation before filing an action for summary possession. Creates and appropriates funds for an emergency rent relief program.
