SENATOR MAILE SHIMABUKURO 2023 HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE
LATEST COMMUNITY UPDATES
URGENT WAI’ANAE COAST INTERGOVERNMENTAL STRATEGY SESSION
US Congresswoman Jill Tokuda with Councilmember Andria Tupola convened a meeting with federal, state, and county agencies to specifically address a number of urgent issues specific to the westside as a tactical strategy session.
Present at the July 31st meeting at City Hall were staff from my capitol office (Chief of Staff, Keahi Renaud) as well as Dorene Eddy from Rep. Darius Kila’s office, and also members from the Mayor’s Office, Honolulu Department of Facilities Maintenance, Road Maintenance, State Department of Transportation, Dept of Land and Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The top issue was ULEHAWA STREAM and how to promote & maintain free flow to the ocean and prevent the back-up issues of stagnation odors, garbage, and various health concerns from drainage & pollution. The following timeline below was provided.
Collaborative discussions were engaged on how best to coordinate all the agencies to meld the planning, permitting, and funding from all levels of government to implement a long term solution in the most efficient fashion at the lowest cost for all parties involved.
Additional discussion involved the negotiation of Makua Valley and the military determining if it still requires some access to Makua or not. The deadline for public comment & testimony is September of 2023.
Deliberations also entailed the Kolekole Pass as an alternate access road for the westside. The Navy may need to make road upgrades & repairs on some parts.
The last topic was about DOT acquiring Pa’akea Rd. and also having the military address the chronic flood condition from Lualualei.
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AUGUST 2023
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Makahā
Waiʻanae
Nānākuli
Ko Olina
MAHALO NUI to everyone for participating !! ~ Maile
In the midst of the catastrophic conflagration in Lahaina, Maui, the Legislature sent out a call to the people of O’ahu to bring food, clothes, and a variety of supplies. Nobody could have expected the most incredible outpouring of pure aloha.
Beginning on the morning of Friday, August 11, a truly tremendous amount of cars began lining up curbside to drop off donations which were then quickly sorted by hundreds of legislators, staff members, and also volunteers at ground-level and then stored all those supplies along hallways, conference rooms, and in both capitol chambers !!
We will be working to get these hundreds of tons of supplies to Maui. Keep them in your prayers. https://hawaiiancouncil.org/helpmaui
Leeward Coast Legislators and both Agriculture Chairs Support MA‘O Farms
Knowing that Hawai‘i is the most isolated land mass on earth as well as a critically dependent island group for food imports, means that we as a state have a critically threatened food sustainability issue.
MA‘O Organic Farms is one of the lead organizations hailing from Wai‘anae which is simultaneously improving our state’s supply of fresh organic food but they are also training the next generation of farmers.
We also recognize that by shifting to a more environmentally-friendly organic growing systems, MA’O Farms helps to protect our fragile native ecosystem. They have recently applied for a USDA grant to help expand their land, increase their production, upgrade their processing, improve their marketing, and enhance their mentoring/internship program.
When our food improves, we all benefit. When we train well, the community thrives.
Maile~
Wai‘anae Coast Comprehensive Health Center’s Interns from the Ho‘oulu Nā Mamo Program Visit the Queen and the Hawai‘i State Capitol
The Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center’s (WCCHC) high school program, Ho’oulu Nā Mamo is a Hawaiian cultural-based program to inspire and grow the next generation.
Hoʻoulu Nā Mamo summer interns participated in an intensive 5-week program immersed in traditional Hawaiian cultural practices shared by WCCHC’s Ha Ola Mau and School Based Health Centers (Waiʻanae High, Waiʻanae Intermediate, Nānākuli High & Intermediate and Kamaile Academy PCS) with mentors Kaliko Chang, Blane Garcia, and Ariel Panui.
On July 21st, these 11 interns and 3 mentors visited the Hawaii State Capitol to learn more about the law-making process and the power of the legislature. Cultural protocols began the day paying homage & respect to our Queen.
We then conducted a high-speed, high-yield legislative bootcamp learning about a variety of legislative processes useful in passing laws. We wrapped up our visit at the Hawaii State Public Access Room where there some mission is to empower any student who walks through their doors wanting to make change.
The MANA of this program exuded itself during their entire visit. We here at Senator Maile Shimabukuro’s office look forward to witnessing big ideas from these Hawaiians and to strengthen our ties with this incredible WCCHC program, Ho’oulu Nā Mamo, and look forward to meeting their young leaders in the future!!
u Heleakala Housing Association Celebrates its 50th Anniversary
Here in Hawai‘i, the traditional idea of “community” based on ‘OHANA is broadly accepted and recognized. The neighborhood of Pu’u Heleakala was established 50 years ago with 236 townhouse units where many upstart families could purchase their first homes. Times blossomed but also faced many community challenges.
Over the last half decade, new board members and resident manager have restored the aloha & vitality of this small “village” in Nanakuli. This rebirth has come full-circle on the event of its 50th Anniversary. The best of luck to all the members of this neighborhood.
Congratulations to Pu’u Heleakala for making a community into an “ohana”!!
Maile
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