March 4, 2013

February 2013 "Holomua" Newsletter

Dear Friends,
Thank you for the opportunity to once again serve as your voice in the House of Representatives. This year is one of change and as the song goes, "Everything Old is New Again". Even during my short tenure in the House, it became very obvious that there was a growing chasm within the majority Democrats and we were becom-ing a "House divided." Thus after 14 years as Speaker of the House, Representative Calvin Say was succeeded by former Speaker Emeritus Joseph Souki of Maui. The Old/New Speaker was elected on a platform of transition that seeks to utilize the best talents of all members of the House.

Under Speaker Souki's leadership, I have been given the privilege of serving as Chair of the House Committee on Labor and Public Employment. In this new role, I have jurisdiction on many bread and butter issues impacting our families, such as minimum wage, sick leave, worker's compensation, unemployment insurance, and collective bargaining, just to name a few.

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding bills moving through the legis-lature, please feel free to contact me.


Aloha and Best Wishes
View full article


January 18, 2013

2013 Bill Introduction

The following are a list of bills that I will be introducing in the 2013 Legislature. Among the legislative goals that I have set for this session are measures that will develop the economy, preserve our environment, enhance education, and improve government.View full article


January 18, 2013

Happy New Year 2013- the Year of the Snake!

This is the year of the Water Snake, and all things will be possible. Saving money and being thrifty should be your top priorities. Delusion and deception are common in the year of the Water Snake. Stay Alert! To gain the greatest benefits from this year, you must control spending and use your talents wisely. If you are planning to get married, or begin a business partnership, be sure to thoroughly investigate the other person's finances and background before you legalize the alliance.


May 7, 2012

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Facility

Representative Nakashima coordinated visitations by the House Committees on Higher Education and Energy and Environmental Protection to the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Facility at Joint Base Hickam/Pearl Harbor to learn more about the current technology and plans for introduction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles into the consumer market.

The Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technology serves as a catalyst to expand transportation technology development in Hawaii and is currently working in partnership with the US Air Force to develop and demonstrate zero emission and low emission transportation technologies to meet military and commercial needs.

A new electrolyzer which was being installed during our visit will continue to test the durability of the technology in the field. An electrolyzer is a device that converts water into hydrogen and oxygen. The new electrolyzer is portable, small enough to fit in half a Matson Container, and is able to desalinate and purify the water before splitting the water molecule into its parts. This is important in military application as it would cut down on the need to transport hydrogen via supply lines and will allow for the manufacture of hydrogen closer to the point of use in the field. A hose need simply be put into a stream, pond or ocean to create the needed hydrogen for transportation.

An array of photovoltaic panels provide the necessary power to run the electrolyzer and no fossil fuels are utilized anywhere in the hydrogen creation process making it a totally renewable resource.
(Left) Photovoltaic panels provide power to the electrolyzer making the process renewable and a totally fossil fuel free process.View full article


May 7, 2012

Kalo Challenge

Ka Hana Noeau, a mentoring and leadership development group hosted their 4th Annual Sustainability event at the Intergenerational Center at Kamehameha Park in Kapaau. This year's special ingredient is kalo which has been raised by several Kohala families in part of a sustainability demonstration project that has been on-going in Kohala for the past couple of years.
Several "celebrity" teams made of of representatives of the Governor's Office, County Council, Kohala Boys, ILWU, Mayor's Team and others prepared a variety of dishes from pastas, stews, and dumplings competing for selection as "Most Savory," "Most Creative," "Most Aromatic," "Best Presentation," and the "People's Choice" awards.
Participation had grown each year with six teams participating in the chicken cook off in the first year to a field of eleven teams this year participating in the Kalo Challenge. These dishes have also been increasingly harder to judge as the judges bring a number of differences and expectations to the table. Judging on such a diverse number of criteria also adds complexity to the challenge of balancing of diverse tastes, eye appeal and textures. An additional category which was much straight forward was based on sustainability. This was measured by the cooking team's use of a variety of items that were brought in by local farmers and placed on a table for use by the teams. The OHA Team led by Trustee Robert Lindsey took this recognition by utilizing sixteen ingredients from the table in their entry.View full article


May 7, 2012

Honoka'a High School Jazz Band's Wonderful performance

"I strongly encourage everyone to take time out of their busy schedules and listen to the music produced by these very talented youths," Solomon said. "Under the direction of their band director Gary Washburn, these students have demonstrated how music education has benefited them to be successful in school and in life."View full article


May 7, 2012

Hilo High School Gym

On April 12th, the "last and final charette" for the Hilo High School gym was held. Representatives from the state, county, American Red Cross, Alumnae, and HHS were in attendance.

The gym will be built in one phase and when completed with seat 1376 in the bleachers when open, and 880 in the closed position. The gym will be built to meet the requirements of being a shelter as well as meeing ADA requirements. Various green energy initatives such as solar water heating will also be included in the gym design.

Ground breaking for the gym which has been delayed for over a year is now planned for June, 2012.View full article


April 24, 2012

Hawaii's 2nd Annual Micro Robotics Bipedal Robot Workshop

I would also like to encourage interested teams to participate in the upcoming Hawaii Micro Robotics Bipedal Robot Workshop which will be held at Hawaii Community College August 25-26. This workshop includes the opportunity to design and build an easy biped robot, the new Bipeduino. Elementary, middle and high schools with robotic teams are eligible to participate. For further information and registration, please contact Art Kimura, Hawaii Space Grant Consortium at art@higp.hawaii.edu, or (808) 934-7261.

These activities stimulate high technology education and assist in creating a technically capable workforce by developing the skill sets necessary to support high technology robotics-based activities as programs for potentially larger efforts. As a result, this will increase the number of students who have access to programs that are transitional between high school and college.

The 26th Legislative Session has adjourned and during the interim, I will hold meetings to update you on what was accomplished this session and what new laws will affect you. I will also continue to focus on the issues important to you, and will always be available to you during the interim. I appreciate your ideas and participation and should you have any suggestions or concerns please feel free to email me at repnakashima@capitol.hawaii.gov or call 974-4000, extension 6-6680.

MahaloView full article


April 24, 2012

Liquid Robotics PacX Challenge

On April 5, 2012, I was pleased to be able to celebrate the arrival of Liquid Robotics' wave-powered Wave Glider marine robots at Kawaihae Harbor, and learn about its amazing technology as well as the Pacific Crossing (PacX) Challenge competition.

The four Wave Gliders docked at Kawaihae Harbor before continuing their record-setting journey across the Pacific Ocean for the PacX Challenge.

In November 2011, Liquid Robotics launched their wave gliders from San Francisco Bay, and last month broke the world record for distance by an unmanned wave-powered vehicle. They survived 26-foot waves in a gale force storm, defied turbulent mid-ocean currents, all while transmitting real time ocean data and staying on course to their first destination: the Liquid Robotics' Marine Engineering and Test Facility at Kawaihae Harbor.

The purpose of this crossing was to foster new scientific discoveries in ocean science by collecting and transmitting global ocean data during the yearlong journey. This expedition has also created an opportunity for students, marine researchers, and aspiring oceanographers to follow the robots as they cross the Pacific Ocean.

The Wave Glider is the first marine robot to use only the ocean's endless supply of wave energy for propulsion (no manpower, no emissions, no refueling). It is a reliable and economical autonomous satellite-controlled and self-powered robotic marine drone that has the capability of efficiently completing long missions with minimal environmental impact. Marine data gathered -- including ocean winds, wave heights, weather, oxygen, and currents -- will help address challenges such as ocean acidification, fisheries management, and natural disaster mitigation.

After a short checkup on the Big Island, the wave gliders will split into two pairs for the next leg of the PacX voyage. The Piccard Mar and Fontaine Maru are headed westward, crossing the Mariana Trench and taking on the Kuroshio Current to Japan. The Benjamin and Pap Mau are going through the Coral Sea and headed for Australia.

In addition to providing free unlimited access to ocean data, Liquid Robotics is inviting scientists, students and educators to compete in the PacX Challenge competition that will be awarded to the person(s) whose research "best represents the spirit of exploration and discovery embodied by this journey". The grand prize of $50,000 and six months of Wave Glider data services should inspire and ignite interest within the Big Island school system. Those interested in competing are required to submit a one-page research abstract. In December 2012, a board of distinguished U.S and international ocean scientists will evaluate the submissions and select one grand prize winner. I encourage taking advantage of this unique opportunity. The submission deadline for participating in the PacX Challenge is July 17, 2012.
(http://www.liquidr.com)


April 24, 2012

2012 Post-Session Legislative Community Meetings

I invite you to one of the following post-session meetings. The 2012 Legislative Session adjourns on May 3, 2012. I will provide a recap of the session, review of bills passed, and Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) approved for construction in the coming year. Please mark your calendars!View full article


April 19, 2012

Jam with the Honoka'a High School Jazz Band!

Aloha Capitol Jazz Fans!

Take a break on Friday, April 20, 2012 and celebrate National Jazz month!
Representative Mark M. Nakashima (Honoka'a Graduate) and Senator Malama Solomon invite you to attend this special concert by the award winning Honoka'a High School Jazz Band!

10:00 a.m.
Capitol Rotunda

See attached flyer for more information
Enjoy the jazz!
View full article


April 10, 2012

Big Island Candies Raised $430.00 for the Hawaii Food Basket!

Our office is happy to announce that we have raised $430.00 for the Hawaii Island Food Basket! Mahalo for all of you who have kindly purchased your crunch bars to support this great cause!View full article


March 12, 2012

Congratulations to Kohala Middle Schools team "6000 n 60"!

Kohala Middles School Students won National Siemens Award!

Each year the Siemens Foundation holds a "We Can Change the World Challenge" that encourages student teams to work with a teacher or mentor to identify a wide range of environmental issues of concern and create a plan to make sustainable, reproducible improvements in their local communities. The idea behind the challenge is to empower youth to introduce change! Students are judged based on their local environmental issue, community engagement, creativity and innovation, scientific approach, and the ability to expand their entry content in other communities. Each member of the first place team received a $10,000 U.S. savings bond, a discovery trip to Costa Rica, a pocket video camera to document their adventure, and a Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge green prize pack.

With the guidance of their team mentor, Lani Bowman, a group of Kohala Middle School students took the first place award for the grade 6-8 division of the 2010-2011 Siemens "We Can Change the World Challenge". The students are Isabel Steinhoff, Rico Bowman, Genevieve Boyle, and Mina Apostadiro. The team of students, known as "6000 n 60" focused on the disposal of household batteries and how there were no local opportunities to recycle them. "6000 n 60" represents their goal to collect 6000 batteries in 60 days. Their prediction was that if people were given the opportunity to recycle batteries and given information on how to better use those batteries, the community would be more aware of the ways in which they dispose their batteries and be more likely to participate.View full article


February 28, 2012

The Hamakua CDP is Coming to You!

The Community Development Plan (CDP) will map the future of your Hamakua community so this is YOUR chance to make sure we heard what YOU said & are headed in the right direction!View full article


February 25, 2012

Mid-Session Community Meetings

Aloha,
Representative Mark Nakashima will be holding a series of mid-session community meetings. Please come and share your thoughts or concerns with him. He will also be providing updates on district projects and current legislation. Please mark your calendars. He will also be meeting with seniors groups at their respective Senior Centers. Mahalo!

Hamakua Community
Thursday, February 23, 2012 6:30 PM, North Hawaii Education & Research Center (NHERC)

Kohala Community
Monday, February 27, 2012 4:00 PM, North Kohala Library

Rural South Hilo Community
Tuesday, February 28, 2012 7:00 PM, Kalanianaole School

North Hilo Community Council
Wednesday, March 28, 2012 6:30 PM, Location to be announced

If you have any questions, please contact our office toll free at 974-4000 ext 6-6680
Aloha!View full article


January 30, 2012

January Newsletter

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2012 Year of the Dragon!View full article


July 28, 2011

Rural Outreach Services (ROS) Initiative in Honokaa

Hawaii 24/7 (07/22/11) - "Government and community resources coming to Hamakua" (video) Gov. Neil Abercrombie and other officials kicked off the state's first rural initiatives program. The program, headquartered at the University of Hawaii, Hilo-North Hawaii Education and Research Center (NHERC), brings 38 federal, state and local agencies and nonprofits on a rotating basis to a central Big Island location. View full article


For previous news updates, visit our news archives.