William P. Kenoi (November 9,1968 –January 26,2021) was an American politician who served as Mayor of Hawaii County from 2008 to 2016. Before being elected mayor,Kenoi served as a legislative aide in the State House and State Senate,a law clerk,a deputy public defender,and an Executive Assistant to then-mayor Harry Kim. [1]
Kenoi was born in Kalapana,and attended Waiakea High School. [2] Kenoi attended both Hawaiʻi Community College and University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo,but then transferred to University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1990,and graduated in 1993. [3] Kenoi had transferred through the National Student Exchange program,and later became the NSE's President in his first year there. [3]
In 1992,Kenoi worked as an intern to Senator Daniel K. Inouye,during which time Kenoi attended the Democratic National Convention in New York City. [1]
Upon graduating,Kenoi worked as a Legislative Aide to State Representative Les Ihara,Jr. during the 1993 Legislative Session. He then occupied the same position in the State Senate during the 1995 and 1996 sessions. [1] After graduating from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 1996,Kenoi passed the bar exam on his first attempt and then served as a clerk for Judge Richard K. Perkins of the Eighth Division of the First Circuit. [1] Kenoi then worked as a Deputy Public Defender,where he served in the Appellate,Family Court,Juvenile Criminal and Adult Family Court divisions,before finishing his career at the Public Defender’s Office at the Circuit Court. [1]
Beginning in 2001,Kenoi served as an Executive Assistant to Hawaii mayor Harry Kim,where he worked to address issues including crystal methamphetamine use,as well as homelessness and housing. [1] He was a member of the Pacific Century Fellows class of 2003. Ige was a member of the inaugural 1997 class of the Pacific Century Fellows. [4]
Kenoi ran for mayor in 2008. Though Lorraine Inouye initially led in the opinion polls, [5] Kenoi advanced to the general election against Angel Pilago. On November 4,2008,Kenoi defeated Pilago by a margin of 55.6%–40.9%. [6] At 39,Kenoi became one of the youngest mayors in Big Island history. [7]
Kenoi was re-elected mayor on November 6,2012,narrowly defeating former mayor Harry Kim,49.8%–47.6% –a margin of 1,438 votes. [8] Kenoi received praise for his efforts to unite the population of the county during his term as mayor. He spent much time in Hilo and worked to meet the needs of the county's rural community. [9]
On November 1,2016,Kenoi was found not guilty by a Hawaii Island jury on all charges related to his alleged misuse of a purchasing card issued by Hawaii County. [10] He afterwards apologised for the scandal. [9]
Kenoi reached his term limit after two terms,leaving office in December 2016. [11]
Kenoi revealed in March 2018 that he was diagnosed with myelofibrosis,a bone marrow blood cancer,in 2015 while serving his second term as mayor. The cancer began to accelerate in March 2017 and the former mayor underwent blood transfusions. Later that year,he underwent a bone marrow transplant in California,which involved chemotherapy and months of rehabilitation. He returned home in October 2017 and began feeling better until March 2018,when he reported feeling lethargic. After flying back to California,he was told his cancer had become more aggressive and that he would have only a month to live without aggressive chemotherapy. [12]
Kenoi died on January 26,2021,at the age of 52. [9]
Hawaii is the largest island in the United States,located in the eponymous state of Hawaii. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands,a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of 4,028 square miles (10,430 km2),it has 63% of the Hawaiian archipelago's combined landmass. However,it has only 13% of the archipelago's population. The island of Hawaiʻi is the third largest island in Polynesia,behind the north and south islands of New Zealand.
Hawaii County is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands. It is coextensive with the Island of Hawaii,often called the "Big Island" to distinguish it from the state as a whole. The 2020 Census population was 200,629. The county seat is Hilo. There are no incorporated cities in Hawaii County. The Hilo Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Hawaii County. Hawaii County has a mayor–council form of government. In terms of geography,Hawaii County is the most expansive county in the state and the most southerly county in the United States.
Hilo is the largest settlement in Hawaii County,Hawaii,United States,which encompasses the Island of Hawaii,and is a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 census. It is the fourth-largest settlement in the state of Hawaii and largest settlement in the state outside of Oahu.
The University of Hawaiʻi System is a public college and university system. The system confers associate,bachelor's,master's,and doctoral degrees through three universities,seven community colleges,an employment training center,three university centers,four education centers and various other research facilities distributed across six islands throughout the state of Hawaii in the United States. All schools of the University of Hawaiʻi system are accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The UH system's main administrative offices are located on the property of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in Honolulu CDP.
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is a public university in Hilo,Hawaiʻi. It is one of ten campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi System. It was founded as Hilo Center at Lyman Hall of the Hilo Boys School in 1945 and was a branch campus of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. In 1970 it was reorganized by an act of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature and became a campus within the newly created University of Hawaiʻi System.
Harry Kim is an American politician who was the mayor of Hawaii County,from 2000 to 2008 and 2016 to 2020. Before serving as mayor,he was the county's civil defense director.
Nelson Kiyoshi Doi,was the sixth lieutenant governor of Hawaii from 1974 to 1978 in the first elected administration of Governor George Ariyoshi. Doi was a member of the Hawaii Democratic Party.
Stephen Kei Yamashiro was an American politician and lawyer who served as the former Mayor of Hawaii County from 1992 to 2000. Yamashiro served on the Hawaii County council from 1976 to 1990,including eleven years as the council's chairman. He then served as the Mayor of Hawaii for two consecutive,four-year terms from 1992 until 2000.
Puna is one of the 9 districts of Hawaii County on the Island of Hawaiʻi. It is located on the windward side of the island and shares borders with South Hilo district in the north and Kaʻūdistrict in the west. With a size of just under 320,000 acres (1,300 km2) or 500 sq. miles,Puna is slightly smaller than the island of Kauaʻi.
The Mayor of Hawaii is the chief executive officer of the County of Hawaii in the state of Hawaii. The mayor has municipal jurisdiction over the Big Island of Hawaii. The current mayor is Mitch Roth. The Mayor of Hawaii County is the successor of the Royal Governors of Hawaii Island of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Colleen Wakako Hanabusa is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Hawaii's 1st congressional district from 2011 to 2015 and again from 2016 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party,she ran for her party's nomination for governor of Hawaii in 2018,challenging and losing to incumbent and fellow Democrat David Ige.
Thomas Tameichi Sakakihara,referred to locally as Tommy Sakakihara in person and in print,was a Japanese American politician from Hawaii,interned due to his ancestry during World War II.
The Hawaiʻi County Band is a municipal band founded in 1883. It is the second oldest professional musical organization in the State of Hawaii. Only the Royal Hawaiian Band,founded in 1836,is older.
Bernard K. Akana was an American engineer and politician. He served as the Mayor of Hawaii County from 1988 until his death on April 12,1990.
Herbert Tatsuo Matayoshi was an American politician and businessman. Matayoshi was the mayor of Hawaii County from 1974 to 1984. He was the third Mayor of Hawaii County,as well as its second elected Mayor overall. Matayoshi was also the longest-serving mayor of Hawaii County to date,holding the office for ten years.
Patrick Henry (Pat) DeLeon is an American psychologist,former chief of staff for United States Senator Daniel Inouye and past president of the American Psychological Association (APA). He became an aide for Senator Inouye in 1973,when Inouye served on a committee investigating the Watergate scandal,and remained on the senator's staff for 38 years. After DeLeon's daughter survived meningitis in 1984,he was involved in the establishment of the Emergency Medical Services for Children program. DeLeon helped to create the nursing and pharmacy schools at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.
Lorraine Rodero Inouye is an American politician from the state of Hawaii. A member of the Democratic Party,she serves in the Hawaii State Senate,representing District 4. She is not related to U.S. senator Daniel Inouye.
Kaialiʻi Kahele is an American politician,educator,and commercial pilot who served as the U.S. representative for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district from 2021 to 2023. From 2016 to 2020,he served in the Hawaii Senate from the 1st District. Kahele is a member of the Democratic Party and the son of the late Hawaii Senate member Gil Kahele.
Hele-On Bus is the public transport bus service provided by the County of Hawaiʻi on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi,within the state of Hawaiʻi,United States. It serves a limited number of routes on limited frequency.
Hoʻolulu Park is a 56-acre (23 ha) park and recreation center operated by the County of Hawaiʻi in Hilo,Hawaii,east of the Wailoa River State Recreation Area and downtown Hilo,and west of Hilo International Airport. The venues are named for prominent figures from the Hilo area,including Hilo High School basketball coach Ung Soy "Beans" Afook,boxer and sports promoter Richard "Pablo" Chinen,coach and complex supervisor Aunty Sally Kaleohano,swim coach Charles "Sparky" Kawamoto,youth sports organizer Walter Victor,and sports booster Dr. Francis F.C. Wong. Hoʻolulu Park also is the site of the Edith Kanakaʻole Multi-Purpose Stadium,which hosts nationally prominent events,including the Hilo Orchid Show and the Merrie Monarch Festival.