Hot topics – from wildfires to smuggled deadly fentanyl to the County Mass Transit – will top Waimea Community Association’s Virtual Town Meeting agenda from 5:30-7 p.m., Thurs., Oct. 6, 2022.

Guest presenters include the still new Hawai’i County Mass Transit Administrator and General Manager John Andoh, Dr. Kimo Alameda, who is Hawai’i County’s Fentanyl Task Force leader, and Nani Barretto and Elizabeth Pickett with the Hawai’i Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO).

WCA's virtual town meeting will be streamed “live” on WCA’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/WaimeaCommunityAssociation) and on WCA’s YouTube channel (go to www.WaimeaTown.org) for link. Everyone is welcome to log on. The meeting will be saved to Facebook and YouTube for on-demand viewing thereafter.

‍“Exciting things are happening with Mass Transit – from “new” - for our island - buses to the County successfully securing substantial new federal funding that has enabled “free” ridership 24/7 islandwide. We look forward to learning more about these developments from Mr. Andoh” said WCA President James Hustace.

From good news about public transit, to exceedingly bad news about a load of deadly fentanyl smuggled into Hawai’i Island including some that looks like tempting colorful candy, to how to better prevent wildfire threats to lives and property, it will be a fast-paced meeting loaded with timely information.

Also providing updates will be Tammy Muranaka about the Oct. 18 Pink It Up Waimea! remembrance to support those struggling with or who have succumbed to breast cancer, and Chessine Nugent sharing details about Luala’e subdivision’s re-launch of its popular Halloween Spook-Tacular trick-or-treat event from 5-8 p.m., Mon., Oct. 31.

Other speakers will include an update on plans for Waimea’s 62-year-old Waimea Christmas Twilight Parade on Sat., Dec. 3, 2022 – with an entirely new route shared by parade co-chair Lani Olsen Chong, followed by General Election information from Rosemarie Muller with League of Women Voters. Concluding the important announcements will be an invitation shared by WCA Board Member Nancy Carr Smith to WCA’s November Town Meeting, which will be in-person for the first time in over two years and will re-start WCA’s traditional First Responders MAHALO recognition. The meeting is being moved to Wed., Nov. 16, 2022, 5:30-7 p.m. and will be held at Mana Christian ‘Ohana’s Kahilu Town Hall. (More information on this coming soon – the entire community is invited and asked to kokua by helping cover the cost of a COVID-safe light dinner for First Responders and all community guests.)

Also on the virtual town meeting agenda will be an update by Hamakua’s re-elected Council Member Heather Kimball and the introduction of the new South Kohala District Family Court Judge.

For more info about the meeting or community association, email WaimeaCommunityAssociation@gmail.com or go to www.WaimeaTown.org.