Recap of 2023 legislature, plus in-person with Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke tops June 1 Waimea Town Meeting agenda

The recently concluded 2023 State Legislative session continues to be the subject of much debate and Waimea residents will have an opportunity for an in-person discussion with Sen. Tim Richards and Rep. David Tarnas about what occurred – good and challenging – for North Hawai’i and the entire County and State during the June 1 Waimea Town Meeting from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the W.M. Keck Observatory conference room.

Also joining the in-person meeting will be Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke to introduce the state’s “Ready Keiki” early childhood initiative to ultimately provide preschool opportunities for all Hawai’i three- and four-year-olds.

This initiative has been funded by the Legislature with $200 million in 2022 and another $39 million in the 2023 session. Lt. Gov. Luke will be announcing the opening of the first 11 new – all free – PreK classrooms across the state come August with one of the 11 classrooms for 20 4-year-olds here at Waimea Elementary School. Her town meeting presentation will inform Waimea families about how to apply for this program as well as other initiatives she is focused on including comprehensive broadband service to rural areas.

The June 1 Town Meeting is sponsored by Waimea Community Association and all are welcome to attend in person. It also will be streamed “live” to the association’s Facebook page and to WCA’s YouTube channel. To log in via YouTube, go to www.WaimeaTown.org for a link. As always, the meeting will be recorded to both Facebook and YouTube for later on-demand viewing.

Questions welcome in advance by emailing: WaimeaCommunityAssociation@gmail.com. Questions may also be submitted in writing in person at the meeting or typed into the Facebook chat to be addressed as time permits.

WCA’s spotlighted not-for-profit will be the Waimea Trails and Greenways project with Clem Lam providing a project update and inviting the community to participate in their National Trails Day celebration on Sat., June 3 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Waimea Nature Park and along Ke Ala Kahawai O Waimea – the streamside Waimea trail. The free event will include entertainment, art and storytelling, bike and pedestrian safety education and food trucks.

WCA Town Meeting attendees will be urged to support Ke Ala Kahawai O Waimea with a tax-deductible contribution either at the in-person June town meeting or via the group’s website: www.waimeatrails.org/.

Also participating in the town meeting will be representatives of South Kohala Community Policing.

For more info about the meeting or community association, email WCA President James Hustace at WaimeaCommunityAssociation@gmail.com or go to www.WaimeaTown.org.