Representative Daisy Hartsfield

07/17/2026

Fyi...

We are launching a 3-year project to replace aging wooden utility poles in West Oahu – mainly along the Farrington Highway corridor – to enhance safety in areas at high risk for wildfires. The Critical Pole Hardening Program will start in late July with crews replacing about a dozen utility poles in Makaha.

Seven utility poles in Makaha are scheduled to be replaced starting in the last week of July 2026; no lane closures are needed for this work. The next five pole replacements are expected to start in October along Farrington Highway, requiring partial lane closures. Traffic advisories will be issued ahead of any planned road closures. Additional poles may be replaced by the end of the year as permitting allows.

The Critical Pole Hardening Program – taking place on Maui, Oahu and Hawaii Island – includes replacing wooden poles with stronger, more resilient materials such as fiberglass and steel. Crews also will upgrade structural components to better withstand hurricane-force winds and challenging terrain.

“It’s our kuleana to ensure that our island grids are resilient and support important ingress and egress routes in areas at high risk for wildfires,” said Marc Asano, our director of wildfire strategy. “This project is a critical step toward hardening our infrastructure along the Waianae Coast.”

The poles targeted for completion in 2026 stretch along Farrington Highway from Kaulawaha Road to just past Kili Drive.

The project aims to strengthen our infrastructure along the Leeward Coast as it faces increasing exposure to extreme winds, dry vegetation, and coastal erosion. It is a near-term step toward reducing wildfire ignition risk while improving system reliability.

Crews also will install covered conductors in some areas and modernize hardware to reduce the likelihood of sparking or faults that could ignite fire.

For more information about the Critical Pole Hardening Program, visit: http://hwnelec.co/rxg150ZnX48

07/05/2026

When I see someone wearing a face mask, my immediate thought is that it’s a profound sign of respect, mindfulness, and civic courtesy.

​It’s a visual reminder that we don’t always know what someone else is going through. Whether a person is getting over a stubborn bug, managing a chronic health condition, protecting a vulnerable loved one at home, or simply being cautious, putting on a mask takes a deliberate effort to prioritize collective well-being.

​Here is why that practice stands out so positively:
​Empathy in Action: It shows an active awareness of the people around you. In a fast-paced world, taking that extra step to safeguard strangers in a public space is a quiet but powerful act of kindness.
​Normalizing Public Health: Post-pandemic, keeping this habit alive helps destigmatize masking. It creates a more inclusive environment where people who must mask for their own survival feel safe and normal doing so.
​Cultural Consideration: In many cultures, masking when under the weather has long been standard etiquette. Seeing it practice here represents a great evolution in how we view community health.

​Ultimately, seeing someone in a mask just commands respect. It tells me that the person underneath it values the health of the community just as much as—if not more than—their own personal comfort. It’s a very grounded, thoughtful way to navigate public spaces.

​What has your experience been like wearing one recently? Do you find that people in our community are generally understanding and supportive of it?

07/01/2026

I posted about wanting suggestions on how to increase the use of rail and how timely that it's the Skykine's 3rd birthday. Tap to see the press release from the City and County of Honolulu about it.

HONOLULU — The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services (DTS) is celebrating the third anniversary of Skyline operations, the nation’s first fully automated, elevated rail transit system.

06/24/2026

How many of you in Waipahu use the Skyline? Any suggestions on how to increase ridership? What can we do so we can make this alternative means of transportation a success in our town? Please share your thoughts and let me know. Mahalo.

06/21/2026

06/20/2026

There are areas in Waipahu where lines are not underground. Should we start transitioning overhead lines to underground ones as part of updating Waipahu's infrastructure?

06/13/2026

Spent the morning visiting sites in Waipahu where projects are are being worked on. Looks like the sidewalk by the high school is making progress as scheduled. The bridge by the Waipahu Street s-turn, however, I'm still waiting for a reply from the City regarding my request about a status update.

06/08/2026

Did you know Hawai'i has so many different types of seabirds? Let's make sure they are taken care of and protected because Hawai'i is their home and part of what makes Hawai'i special.

🌊🕊️ Hawaiʻi is home to some of the most beautiful and unique seabirds in the Pacific 🌺

Species like the ʻIwa, Mōlī, Manu o Kū, and ʻUaʻu are deeply connected to the islands, with several found nowhere else on Earth 🌏✨

Sadly, some of these incredible birds are now threatened or endangered, making conservation across Hawaiʻi more important than ever 🤍

📸

06/08/2026

06/08/2026

City said road would reopen end of this month. I hope that has not changed. I will stop by the s-turn on Waipahu Street later this week to see what, if any, progress was made in fixing the bridge.