HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Democratic Party of Hawaii selected three nominees to fill the vacant Senate District 18 seat, serving Central Oahu, Mililani, Waipio and Waipahu, after Sen. Michelle Kidani’s retirement.

Kidani’s retirement took effect on June 30.

The party announced Thursday that Sechyi Laiu, Beth K Fukumoto, and Danielle Bass were submitted for selection to fill the seat.

Laiu is a senior Hawaii civil service administrator with more than 15 years of experience in commercial, family, immigration and legislative law. He is the litigation coordinator for the Hawaii Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and was a staff attorney for the city on transportation, public safety, legal affairs and salary compensation.

Fukumoto is a political columnist, longtime Miliani resident and former state representative. She served as vice chair of the House committees on Tourism and Veterans, Military and International Affairs and Culture and the Arts.

Bass is a fourth-generation, lifelong Miliani resident, with more than 20 years of experience serving Central Oahu and Hawaii. She served as Legislative and Committee Manager in the House and advanced sustainability and resilience initiatives and policies as the state’s sustainability coordinator.

The governor will choose one of the three to serve as the next state senator for Central Oahu.

Honolulu (KHON2) – Navigating the many programs and services available for young children can be overwhelming, but First 5 Hawaii is making it easier for families to find the support they need.

Designed for families with children from birth to age 5, First 5 Hawaii is the state’s first comprehensive online resource that helps connect parents and caregivers with state and federal programs they may qualify for.

By answering a few simple questions, families can quickly discover resources tailored to their specific needs.

The website serves as a one-stop shop, partnering with 18 state and federal programs to help connect families with services such as preschool, child care assistance, health coverage, nutrition programs including WIC and SNAP, parenting support, developmental screenings, and special needs services.

Parents can also explore age-appropriate activities, child development information, and helpful parenting resources.

What sets First 5 Hawaii apart is its personalized eligibility screening tool.

Instead of searching multiple websites and applying for programs one at a time, families can use a single resource to identify benefits they may qualify for across early learning, health care, nutrition, housing assistance, and more.

Even families who aren’t sure they qualify are encouraged to give it a try. The online eligibility screener is free, confidential, and only takes a few minutes to complete.

Many families are surprised to learn they may be eligible for programs they didn’t know existed.

By bringing trusted resources together in one convenient location, First 5 Hawaii helps remove barriers for busy parents and makes it easier to access services that support healthy child development during the most important early years of life.

To learn more or complete the eligibility screener, visit the First 5 Hawaii website.