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For The People

Hilo Gathering 10/22

For The People - Hilo Gathering with Dwight Takamine 10/22/2008


Maya Soetoro-Ng endorses Dwight Takamine

Takamine named honorary co-chair for Big Island Obama campaign

Maya Soetoro-Ng endorses Dwight Takamine for State Senate seat, Takamine also named honorary co-chair for Big Island Obama campaign
Crowd poses for picture with Maya Soetoro-Ng at Honoka'a fundraiser.

"A big part of why I came today was to support Dwight Takamine."

"This is a man who is in many respects, like my brother - he's a man that you have heard about today with a commitment to sustainability... environmental stewardship... to children (and) the elderly."

"I am very happy to be supporting him and to do whatever I can... and please continue to fight hard!"

-- Maya Soetoro-Ng in Honoka'a 9/13/08.
Hale Ho'ola Hamakua

"Clearly, today is a terrific day for the Hamakua community. This project was really on life support for a while."

-  Rep. Dwight Takamine, Democrat Hilo-Hamakua-Kohala 


O'o Groundbreaking Ceremony Aug 8, 2008

The Hawai'i Tribune Herald covered the expansion ceremony for Hale Ho'ola Hamakua on Saturday, August 9. 

A Testimony to Resiliency

Life After Sugar Along the Hamakua Coast

In May of 2004 a blessing took place for the new North Hawaii Education & Research Center (NHERC) at what was, a short time ago and for 53 years, the old Honoka‘a Hospital. On this day, the completely refurbished hospital began” a new half century.” This time, pursuing the nurturing of the “mind,” as an education & research center. Attending the “Blessing” lead by Kahu Kauka of Imiola Congregational Church were dignitaries from the State, County, Hale Ho'ola Hamakua, Honoka‘a High School and the University of Hawai‘i System. 

Please click here to read the rest of "A Testimony to Resiliency" by Paul Takamatsu
Andrade Camp Celebrates Groundbreaking

Rep. Takamine, Lorraine Shin, Quirino Antonio, Sen. Lorraine Inouye, Richard Ha and Roy Oka in front of the water project sign

Rep. Takamine, Lorraine Shin, Quirino Antonio, Sen. Lorraine Inouye, Richard Ha and Roy Oka
in front of the water project sign

Many residents from Andrade Camp and the surrounding communities gathered on June 10 for a happy celebration for their water system project.   Andrade Camp, a small community of about 20 plantation houses, has worked with federal, state and county leaders to modernize the area’s plantation-era water system. The work of improving the system will now proceed and on completion, maintenance of the system will be assumed by the Department of Water Supply.  

Dignitaries,agency representatives and residents participate in the ground-breaking ceremony.
Dignitaries,agency representatives and residents participate in the ground-breaking ceremony.
Most of the residents are former sugar plantation employees who are in their late 70s and 80s and should be applauded for working together and persevering. They are an excellent example of what can be done when you have caring hard-working people who share a common goal. Under the guidance of State Representative Dwight Takamine, $485,000 of funding was arranged through the USDA-Rural Utilities Services Loan/Grant Program making it possible for the assessment costs for these necessary improvements to be amortized over a period that makes it manageable for these residents of modest means and fixed pension income.

Richard Ha, owner of Hamakua Springs Country Farms and an advocate supporting these efforts, shared his assessment of this five year project.  “Dwight Takamine was the driving force behind this project.  There were several times that it looked like the project had died, but he would not give up.  I’ll bet he called more than 15 meetings in order to keep the process moving.  He is very good at getting the best out of people.  He was able to keep everyone on the same page and working together.  He insists on sharing the credit with everyone, but all of us who were involved from the start know that it was Dwight who made it happen.”
 
NHERC PHASE IIA Blessing
Dwight Takamine - Working Collaboratively - Empowering Communities | Home



Winona Chen, a Honoka'a High senior, explains at the ceremony how she earned 27 college credits at NHERC

Winona Chen, a Honoka'a High senior, explains at the ceremony how she earned 27 college credits at NHERC

NHERC PHASE IIA Blessing
On Thursday, May 22, 2008, the North Hawai‘i Education and Research Center (NHERC) in Honoka‘a expanded to include Phase IIA. PhaseIIA adds over 2,000 sq. feet of space and enables UH Hilo to expand programming. NHERC offers credit and non-credit courses and serves as a meeting place for the community. Since its opening in May 2006, there have been over 11,000 users of the Center.