Spring cleaning: Caring for our parks! 🍃

April 8, 2022

Cleaning our Community

I believe that a home is more than four walls and a roof over our heads. Home extends to the neighborhood around us – where we feel comfortable as part of a family and a community – our ohana. As a community, let’s come together to make our “home” safe and comfortable and especially our precious green spaces and parks! From a weeded jungle, loving care by the community created the lovely and loving Centennial Park Waikiki.

You have a chance to meet neighbors and join Rep Adrian Tam, Rotary E-Club and the Waikiki Community Policing Team in caring for Centennial Park Waikiki on Saturday April 9th at 10 a.m. Join us at the park between Royal Hawaiian Avenue and Seaside Avenue on the mauka side of Kuhio Avenue. Please bring sunscreen, a hat, and comfy clothes! Gloves and trash bags will be provided. I look forward to seeing you there!

Caring for each other!

Contents

Legislative Updates
Senate Committee on Ways and Means Passes Senate Draft of the State Budget
April 7 – First Crossover for Concurrent Resolutions
State News
Rental and Utility Relief Program
State Reports Uptick in Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance (UI) Phishing Schemes
District Happenings
Washington Middle School (WMS) is Building a State-of-the Art Studio 222 for its students!
Ka Po`e o Kaka`ako Service Fair: April 13, 9am-1pm at Kakaako Mauka Gateway Park
4/12: Waikiki Neighborhood Board Meeting, 6:00PM (Hybrid)
Weekend Waysides
Hawai‘i Youth Symphony Community Concert
Mark Your Calendars
4/12 and 4/18: “A Healthy and Sustainable Hawaii” Speaker Series
May 31 – Aug 12: Nature Adventure Camps for Keiki
4/23: Condorama VIII Presented by CAI Hawai`i

Legislative Updates

Senate Committee on Ways and Means Passes Senate Draft of the State Budget

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means today amended and passed HB1600, the state’s supplemental operating budget for fiscal years (FY) 2022-2023. With the rebounding of the State’s economy and significant increases in tax revenues, the Senate coffers are anticipating the general fund to be $ 8,772,816,000 for FY22 and $ 9,299,185,000 in FY23. Senator Donovan Dela Cruz, Chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee, in presenting the draft for committee review and decision stated that “The Senate approached this supplemental budget with the intent to create a responsible financial plan that includes a budget that incorporates strategies to improve the State’s credit rating and borrowing power and both restores and increases funding for critical services and programs.” A number of programs to assist the ALICE population, homeless, workforce development for our youth, kupuna and others were also in the senate draft which will be posted on the Capitol Website soon.

April 7 – First Crossover for Concurrent Resolutions

April 7th is the deadline for concurrent resolutions to pass the required single floor vote in the originating chamber. Upon adoption by the originating chamber, concurrent resolutions “crossover” to the other chamber. For a list of Senate resolutions that will be “crossing over” to the House, click here. Please note that this list will continue to be updated after the deadline.

State News

Rental and Utility Relief Program

The City’s Rental and Utility Relief Program has expanded eligibility so more renters on O`ahu can qualify. Review the FAQ and apply here.

State Reports Uptick in Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance (UI) Phishing Schemes

The state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations (DLIR) announced it has received a substantial increase in reports of phishing schemes attempting to impersonate the department with text messages, emails, and social media posts that appear to be coming from DLIR, phishing for personally identifiable information. See below some text messages that are NOT from DLIR:

Do not respond unless it is from the bona fide Hawaii UI website at https://huiclaims.hawaii.gov/#/ but the DLIR does NOT send text messages asking for personal information. Report fraud attempts by calling the UI Call Center at (808) 762-5751 or 5752 and select option 4. You may also report fraud to the National Center for Disaster Fraud by calling (866) 720-5721. For more information, click here.

District Happenings

Washington Middle School (WMS) is Building a State-of-the Art Studio 222 for its students!

I visited WMS’s new 21st century recording studio in the making today. Principal Michael Harano and his team are dreaming big for our students and faculty in this Title I school. When built, it will be used not only to enable students to dream big but actually learn skills to actualize their dreams; it will bring other artists to the recording studio and educate and train students in skills and professions yet to be discovered. It will be another community asset – not only for our WMS students but for elementary, high school and other artists beyond the campus. WMS reached out to world-renown production designers Walters-Storyk Design Group (WSDG) who built studios for Alicia Keys and Jimi Hendricks and they have partnered with WMS to create a state-of-the-art dual purpose teaching studio. Watch the WMS story—of their dream and where they are in the process here.

Ka Po`e o Kaka`ako Service Fair: April 13, 9am-1pm at Kakaako Mauka Gateway Park

KPoK Community leaders will be hosting a service fair on Wednesday, April 13 from 9AM – 1PM at the Kaka`ako “Mauka” Gateway Park. In collaboration with Partners in Care and Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, they will be providing those in need with on-the-spot services and assistance with: SNAP (food stamps)/TANF (financial Assistance) applications and on-site interviews; birth certificates, social security cards and state issued ID cards; non-criminal tickets and warrants; legal advice or paralegal services; tax refunds (to claim your stimulus payments; medical services and wound care; COVID testing and immunizations; drug treatment options; hygiene services and even animal care services…and many more.

4/12: Waikiki Neighborhood Board Meeting, 6:00PM (Hybrid)

Attend the monthly meeting next week Tuesday, April 12 at 6pm. See the agenda here.

Note that it is a hybrid meeting. See below for the link. If you want to join them in person, please note the change in venue for this month:
Ala Wai Gold Course Clubhouse, Second Floor
404 Kapahulu Avenue
FREE Parking Available

To join the meeting remotely here is the WebEx Link
https://cchnl.webex.com/cchnl/j.php?MTID=m1bf60a74e70572f01c6ab16f0512e94c
Meeting number: 2480 101 5251
Password: JgHkxPYA284 (54459792 from phones and video systems)

Join by phone
+1-408-418-9388 United States Toll
+1-213-306-3065 United States Toll (Los Angeles)
Access code: 248 010 15251

Weekend Waysides

Hawai‘i Youth Symphony Community Concert

SALT at Our Kakaʻako is excited to welcome back the Hawaii Youth Symphony for FREE Community Concerts on Sunday, April 10, in The Barn!

Youth Symphony I: 11:30 a.m.
Youth Symphony II: 2:15 p.m.

Mark Your Calendars

4/12 and 4/18: “A Healthy and Sustainable Hawaii” Speaker Series

Join Nainoa Thompson, Lieutenant Governor Josh Green, Dr. Chip Fletcher, Ramsay Taum, navigator-in-training Lucy Lee and the Hawaii Executive Council’s “Climate Change: A Vision for Success” Panel for three events April 12th and 18th that will inspire and help the people of the Pacific (and the world) achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. You can open the flyer here for more details.

–Picture Credit: Hawai`i Nature Center

May 31 – Aug 12: Nature Adventure Camps for Keiki

Hawai`I Nature Center is now open for enrollment in the week-long Nature Adventure Camp for children, ages 6 to 11. Kids can go tech-free and high-touch in nature in this five-day program held Monday through Friday from 8 am to 3 pm. This program is led by expert environmental educators specializing in outdoor exploration. Students will learn all about nature cycles, watersheds, aquatic life and coastal habitats, wetlands, sustainability and more! Book online now!

4/23: Condorama VIII Presented by CAI Hawai`i

Condorama — a free education program for Hawaii condo owners. Topics to be covered: most common complaints and what AOAO boards can do to prevent them; flood insurance; directors & owners (D&O) liability claims; Hawaii Civil Rights Commission complaints; and dealing with difficult owners during the pandemic. Please visit CAI Hawaii to register.

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If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to respond to this email or email me here: my inbox is always open. You can also give our office a call at (808) 586-6740. Mahalo for waking up to our newsletter! Have a great day!