State Senator Josh Green Announces Community Talk Story Meetings

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year!

Another year has come and I am honored to continue to represent you and work on your behalf in the State Senate.

Working together over the past eight years we have achieved great results for our community, including more state investment in our roads, schools, and hospitals than we have seen in decades.

Over the past year alone we brought several major new projects to West Hawaii, including funding for a new Kona courthouse, our own community college, and important new highway construction. These projects will help create jobs, stimulate our economy, and build our community and civic life for years to come.

In my role as Chairman of the Senate Health Committee during the coming legislative session, I will keep fighting to strengthen Hawaii’s healthcare system, with better hospitals, more access to care, and a safer, healthier environment for everyone in Hawaii.

So I can better understand your needs and represent you, I will continue to hold talk story meetings in West Hawaii throughout the New Year, including:

Monday, January 9 

Kona Community Hospital, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Senator Green will give the keynote speech on healthcare transformation in America and what it means to West Hawaii.
Sponsored by the Kona Community Hospital Auxiliary

Tuesday, January 10 

Old Kona Airport Pavilion (Makaeo), 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Talk Story addressing the upcoming legislative session and priorities for West Hawaii.
Sponsored by Kona Town Hall Meeting

Friday, January 20

Waikoloa School Cafeteria, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Talk Story with the community

Please come share your thoughts and ideas and let me know how state government can better serve you. Let’s keep working together to achieve more great results for our community and to make Hawaii an even better place to live.

I look forward to seeing you soon. And again, from my family to yours, have a safe and happy New Year.

Aloha,

Josh Green

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House Reps to Attend the Waikoloa Community Development Plan (WCDP) Talk Story

Media Release:

What: State Representative Cindy Evans (District 7 – North Kona, South Kohala) and Senator Josh Green (District 3 – North and South Kohala, North and South Kona) will give a legislative update at the Waikoloa Community Development Plan (WCDP) Talk Story.

When: Friday, June 3, 6:00 pm – 8:00pm

Where: Waikoloa School cafeteria

More: Rep. Evans and Sen. Green will provide a report on the 2011 legislative session. Rep. Rida Cabanilla, Chair of the House Housing Committee, and Rep. John Mizuno, Chair of the House Human Services Committee, are also scheduled to attend. There will also be community announcements and a brief report from the Waikoloa repesentatives of the SKCDP (South Kohala Community Development Plan) Action Committee. Light snacks will be available, and there will be time for an informal talk story after the legislative updates.

Legislative Update With Senator Josh Green

Senator Josh Green

Media Release:

The 2011 legislative session has come to a close, and I am pleased to report that the legislature has approved over $30 million in funding for West Hawaii to invest in essential projects which will improve healthcare, education, law enforcement, transportation, and renewable energy research in our community, including:

• $12 million for construction of a new Kona Judiciary Complex that will make our justice system safer and more efficient for our judges, juries, and police force
• $6.8 million for improvements to Kuakini Highway, Queen Kaahumanu Highway, and Kohala Mountain Road
• $6 million for improvements to Kona and Kohala Community Hospitals
• $3.5 million for NELHA pipeline improvements
• $1.5 million for construction and improvements to West Hawaii Explorations Academy

These projects were identified by our community as essential priorities for our district and will create jobs, encourage investment, and stimulate the economy of West Hawaii for years to come.

In addition to standing up for West Hawaii in the legislature, I continue to serve as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health.

I remain committed to doing everything possible to strengthen and improve Hawaii’s healthcare system, expand access to care and insurance, and address public health concerns from pollution, vog, and industrial contamination to childhood obesity and drug abuse.

This session, immediately after the earthquake in Japan and the resulting tsunami and nuclear crisis, I scheduled a series of emergency informational briefings in the Health Committee to keep the public informed of the latest and most accurate information on the potential for radioactive contamination reaching Hawaii.

As Chairman, I insisted that the Department of Health, the EPA, the FDA and other federal agencies provide us with continual updates on any possible impact this disaster might have on the people of Hawaii.

Going forward, I will continue to keep you fully informed of all public health concerns as they develop, and to do whatever is necessary to improve our healthcare system statewide.

Thank you again for your ideas and support. Please contact me any time at my personal email: joshuaboothgreen@yahoo.com

Let’s continue to work together to achieve more great results for our community.

Aloha,

Senator Josh Green

Video Clips From the August 21st, Public Hearing on the Shoreline Access

Media Release:

Senator Josh Green, and Representatives Denny Coffman and Cindy Evans knew they had to respond to the public outcry over the closure of the public access road along the coast that leads to the Kohanaiki Beach area.

Little did they know the extent of the publics unrest. Thousands of signatures were gathered in a matter of weeks, and hundreds showed up in person to let their representatives know, that either NELHA opens the gate, or the people would open it themselves.

Some of the people wanted to go down that night and open it, others suggested the next day, everybody agreed that if it was not open in a 30 day period, it would be time to act.

Ron Baird, the CEO of NELHA, has given a number of reasons for closing the gate, but none of them really seem to hold water, adn none of them seem to justify the manner in how it was done.

Giving just two weeks notice, Baird ordered that the gate be locked for good.

It is the general sentiment that he should not onlly open the gate, but resign.

Needless to say the public is upset, and unruly to say the least. 30 days seems like the longest people will wait for NELHA to respnd.

A lot of credit most be given to Josh Green for holding this informal meeting to gather information. The Senator and two Representatives took a lot of heat from the public, who sometimes blamed them for the gate being locked. The truth of the matter, is that they were there to gather information to find a remedy.

That remedy appears to be to open the gate, restore access, and replace Baird with someone who has more respect for the residents that call Kohanaiki their second home.

Big Island Live broadcast the whole meeting live, and is playing reruns periodically. This is a short edited version of a two and a half hour public outcry.