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Former television anchor and current Democratic Hawaii State Representative Glenn Wakai has officially thrown his hat in the ring for the State Senate seat being vacated by Norman Sakamoto. Wakai has represented the 31st House District (Moanalua Valley-Salt Lake) since 2002.
"I have accomplished much for the state and my constituents while in the House," Wakai said in his e-mail message Sunday. "I can do even more in the Senate. Hawaii needs dynamic new leaders to push a progressive agenda."
Here's a little more from his website:
Glenn Wakai is a model of integrity and tenacious leadership. He attacks problems with innovative solutions and effectively communicates with constituents.
Glenn is a product of his district, having attended Moanalua Elementary School and Moanalua Intermediate, before graduating from Mid-Pacific Institute in 1985. He left Hawaii to attend the University of Southern California (USC) where he obtained two B.A.s in Broadcast Journalism and Sociology (minor: Business Administration).
In 1991, he landed his first job in television news as an anchor/reporter for KUAM-TV in Guam. He then helped to build a news operation in Saipan as Assistant News Director. Glenn returned to Hawaii in 1994 to become the court reporter for KHON-FOX2. In 1999 he moved across town to be a reporter at KHNL News 8.
After 11-years in television news, Glenn set aside his microphone to pursue a long standing passion for public service. In November 2002 the residents of Salt Lake and Moanalua elected Glenn to the State House, then re-elected him in 2004, 2006 and 2008.
Glenn is Vice-Chairman of the Economic Development Committee and is a member of the following committees: Tourism, Agriculture, and Education.
He is President of High Impact Communications, a public relations firm, and also runs a non-profit, Reach out Pacific (REPAC), which takes surplus medical and educational supplies to Pacific islands.
Glenn sits on the board of Goodwill Contract Services, Japanese Cultural Center, the Young Business Council, and the Moanalua High School Learning Center Advisory Board.
Fellow Democrat Sakamoto is vacating the seat to run for Lieutenant Governor.
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Wakai did not "set aside his microphone." His contract wasn't renewed. Please do your research before publishing.
Residents of Moanalua Valley are quite familiar with Wakai's supposed accomplishments. For example, when neighbors of his parents on Ala Lani St, and a separate group of residents at the end of the valley were experiencing noise problems from feral chickens, Wakai promised both groups that he'd take care of the problem. After the chickens near his parents' home were trapped, he published his success story in his newsletter. The residents at the end of the valley never received any of their promised help. They asked him if he was still going to help them. He said no.
His excuse? The traps were stolen.
The real story? He already generated positive news coverage so he no longer needed to fulfill his promise to the other residents. Why didn't he just borrow a few more traps?
He continues, to this day, to remind his constituents of his chicken eradication "accomplishment." Several years after, he continues to "milk" the story for all it's worth.
More recently, the first story in his newsletter to constituents - one of only 2 stories in the one page, single sided newsletter - was of the road work done on the Moanalua Valley offramp. Apparently Wakai didn't have any of his own accomplishments to tout so he took one from a government agency and made it look like his own accomplishment. NOT!
But I'll stop wasting my breath. The gullible residents of Moanalua Valley continued to re-elect Wakai, refusing to do their homework and ask questions, and instead just believed all of the stories that the "good Japanee boy" told them. I'm sure their neighbors living in Sen. Sakamoto's district will continue to do the same.
Thanks goodness that Sen. Sakamoto's district DOESN'T include Moanalua Valley.
Unfortunately, the story I heard is that one of Wakai's very close friends is running for his seat. She's also a democrat, and in Moanalua Valley, that means she's virtually guaranteed to win.
I write for my family and myself who have lived in the same house in Moanalua Valley since 1971.
Rep. Glenn Wakai asked for Federal assistance from US Senator Inouye for a rock mitigation project in Moanalua Valley. The rock danger is located on the slope of Trippler Army Hospital's land. Senator Inouye obtained congressional funding for this project. Since then, the US Corps of engineering completed what I consider three phases of this project. Thus making our inhabitance much safer.
Except for Rep. Glenn Wakai, no other politician addressed this rock problem and achieved this successful completion. At nights we can sleep with less danger. To Rep. Glenn Wakai, Thank You. Ron Shinmoto and all of the Moanalua Valley residents that boarder Trippler Army Hospital.
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