Waimea Town Meeting set for tonight
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 Thurs., June 1, 2023 Waimea Town Meeting from 5:30-7 p.m. in the W.M. Keck Observatory conference room. (Note location change for this meeting – it will not be at Tutu’s House this month.)
Also joining the in-person meeting will be Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke to introduce the state’s “Ready Keiki” early childhood initiative to provide preschool opportunities for all of Hawai’i three- and four-year-olds. This initiative has been funded by the Legislature with $200 million in 2022 for facilities and another $39 million in the 2023 session for tuition subsidies. Lt. Gov. Luke will be announcing the opening of the first 11 new – all free – PreK classrooms across the state funded by the 2022 legislative appropriation. These classrooms will open in August with one of the 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 about other initiatives she is focused on including comprehensive broadband service to rural areas.
Lt. Gov. Luke’s presentation will inform attendees about how to apply for this program as well as about other initiatives she is focused on including comprehensive broadband service to rural, underserved communities.
All are welcome to attend WCA town meetings in person. They also are streamed “live” to the association’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/WaimeaCommunityAssociation) 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 with the project’s volunteer lead Clem Lam providing an 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 town meeting or via the trails group website: www.waimeatrails.org/
Also participating in the town meeting will be representatives of South Kohala Community Policing.
For more info, email WCA President James Hustace at WaimeaCommunityAssociation@gmail.com or go to www.WaimeaTown.org.
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