Senator Mike Gabbard
October Newsletter
Vol. 18 Issue 10
Agriculture and Environment Committee, Chair
Judiciary Committee, Vice Chair
Government Operations Committee, Vice Chair
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Aloha e friends,
I hope you and your ‘ohana are well. My staff and I are busy planning for Session 2025. As always, please contact me at (808) 586-6830 or sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov if I can help you or your family in any way. I invite you to follow me on social media: Instagram @GabbardAloha, Facebook, YouTube, and X @SENMIKEGABBARD. Also, if you’d like to be added to my mailing list, please send me an email with “mailing list” in the subject line.
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Listen Story Community Meetings | |
Between January and October, I usually have an in-person and virtual Listen Story Community meeting each month. We record the Zoom meetings and put the videos on my YouTube channel. So, please visit my Community Playlist when you get a chance, where you can watch past meetings.
October Listen Story
I held my October Listen Story Community meeting last Saturday and invited Chris Flaherty – co-founder and principal of ʻIkenākea and Daniel Simonich – Vice President of Development at The Michaels Organization, (who tuned in on Zoom), to talk about the new affordable housing development, Leiwili Kapolei, (a.k.a. Kapolei Northeast Corner) followed by Q & A, and additional community updates.
| Sen. Mike Gabbard and Chris Flaherty at the Listen Story community meeting October 19, 2024. | |
September Listen Story
In September, we hosted Mr. Frank Genadio, long-time Makakilo resident and member of the OMPO (O'ahu Metropolitan Planning Organization) Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC), representing Neighborhood Board #34, which includes Makakilo-Kapolei Honokai Hale. Frank provided an overview of the history and status of the Makakilo Drive Completion, a.k.a. “Makakilo Drive Extension a.k.a MDE” project. You can view his presentation on my YouTube channel here. A summary is featured below.
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Sen. Mike Gabbard and Mr. Frank Genadio, at the Listen Story community meeting Sept. 28, 2024. | |
Makakilo Drive Completion | |
Hawai‘i has about 1.4M residents. There are 25 Senate districts, each with roughly 56K people. In 2024, the population of Makakilo was listed at 21,523, which is nearly half of my district, Senate District 21. To get to Makakilo from the freeway, there’s only one road in and one road out. The question becomes, what happens to all these folks if there’s a wildfire? A natural disaster? An emergency vehicle that needs to get through, or an ambulance taking someone to the hospital where seconds matter?! | |
Makakilo Drive Exit off the freeway. To get to Makakilo from the freeway, there’s only one road in and one road out. | |
Project Touted in 1993
Frank Genadio, a long-time Makakilo resident and OMPO (O'ahu Metropolitan Planning Organization) Citizen Advisory Committee member has been advocating for the completion of the Makakilo Drive Extension (MDE) since 2001. He recalls that in 1993, plans for the extension were already featured in a magazine, but were never realized. By 2001, the project was listed in the "Transportation for Oahu Plan 2025," and in 2004, Castle & Cooke proposed building an extension, leaving 4,000 feet unfinished.
In 2005, MDE became OMPO’s top priority, but the project stalled. The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) allocated $375,000 for planning between 2006-2008, but no funds followed for construction. The City Department of Transportation Services (DTS) held meetings with community members in 2007-2008, and touted a target construction date of 2014-2015, but nothing materialized.
Project Disappeared from the TIP
In 2011, R.M. Towill was hired to begin the design process. However, $6 million and 13 years later, no final design exists, leaving the project in limbo. While the TIP showed funding allocations from 2011 to 2016, the project disappeared from the program without explanation.
Still No Road Connecting to Freeway
Despite the Kualaka’i Interchange being completed in 2010, there’s still no road connecting it to Makakilo Drive. Makakilo residents have continued to push for action, with Mr. Genadio and others raising awareness through various public efforts, media commentary, and town hall meetings, including recent articles in Civil Beat (After Lahaina, Makakilo Residents Press Harder For Another Exit Off Their Hill) and Star-Advertiser (Column: It’s past time to extend Makakilo Drive) An attempt to transfer the project from city to state control failed in the legislature last session (SCR110). I’ll keep fighting to find a solution to get this project completed!
| | The current end of Makakilo Drive, looking toward Pearl Harbor. There’s still no connecting road. CINDY RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STAR ADVERTISER | |
Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior Ship
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Sen. Gabbard addresses the Marine Conservation Policy Forum, Sept. 9, 2024. |
On September 9, I was invited to participate in a “Marine Conservation Policy Forum Luncheon” on The Rainbow Warrior Ship, docked at Pier 9, near the Aloha Tower. (Greenpeace flagship in Honolulu after 5-week investigation of North Pacific Ocean)
The backdrop was inspiring and the conversations uplifting! Discussions revolved around efforts to protect our ocean, at the Greenpeace USA Marine Conservation Policy Forum luncheon. The purpose of the event was to leave with concrete legislative ideas, such as banning plastic bottles in Hawai‘i, as an example.
I was joined by other community-led organizations to address issues of concern for Hawai'i including deep sea mining, ocean sanctuaries, healthy fisheries and human rights due-diligence for migrant fishers, plastics pollution and more!
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Greenpeace's John Hocevar, talks with Sen. Gabbard before the start of the forum. | |
On September 12, I was invited to be a keynote speaker at the Virtual Island Summit, which connects islands globally to share ideas, best practices, and solutions for sustainable development, including over 500 island communities worldwide.
The Summit features over 160 expert speakers each year - heads of state, policymakers, development partners, entrepreneurs, academics, and NGO leaders; and, covers a wide range of topics related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other topics pertinent to island communities including ocean conservation, climate adaptation, renewable energy and sustainable tourism.
My remarks highlighted Hawai’i's unique challenges in food security and sustainability due to its isolated location and fragile ecosystems, emphasizing the need for innovative and collective action to build resilient food systems in the face of climate change. Please click here to view my presentation.
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Sen. Gabbard at the Supreme Court Courtroom at Aliʻiōlani Haledon Sept. 27, 2024. | |
As Vice Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee (or JDC), I was honored to speak at the Swearing-In Ceremony at the Supreme Court Courtroom at Aliʻiōlani Haleon, on behalf of the Senate regarding the confirmation of four distinguished individuals to serve as judges for O‘ahu’s First Circuit Court, on September 27. After reviewing their resumes and testimonies, it was clear these appointees possess the experience, character, and qualities that align with the highest standards of judicial service.
AlohaCongrats to Judge Rebecca A. Copeland, Judge Brian A. Costa, Judge Dyan M. Medeiros, and Judge Steven R. Nichols. IMHO, and the opinion of many in the legal community, these four individuals are first class and will do an awesome job as judges in the First Circuit. Mahalo nui to each of them for stepping forward to serve our community and state.
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Sen. Gabbard spoke at the Swearing-In Ceremony at the Supreme Court Courtroom at Aliʻiōlani Haledon Sept. 27, 2024. | |
19th Annual Mahatma Gandhi Day and International Day of Nonviolence
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On October 2, at the Gandhi statue in Kapiolani Park, beachside of Honolulu Zoo, the Gandhi International Institute for Peace (GIIP) celebrated the 155th birthday of one of the world's great leaders, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, fondly remembered as "Mahatma Gandhi."
Gandhi was a pioneer of Satyagraha, or resistance through nonviolent civil disobedience. He became one of the most important political and spiritual leaders of his time. The event included music by the Royal Hawaiian Band, a spiritual invocation, speeches by prominent community leaders, yoga, meditation, cultural dances, and sound healing.
The reinauguration of the damaged statue, destroyed last year, was celebrated on Gandhi Day. Raj Kumar, founder and president of GIIP, accepted an Honorary Certificate on behalf of the Senate (prepared and presented by my office) along with a proclamation from the Mayor and the Governor. www.GandhiDay.org ~ www.GandhianPeace.org
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Meg Turner, Office Manager for Senator Mike Gabbard. | | | | |