About Town: 03-07-18

Hawaii Community College 2018 Alumni of the Year Award recipient Lacy Deniz, center, was honored during a HCC Alumni & Friends event in February. At right is Hawaii Community College Alumni and Friends president Bobby Yamane, and, left, Harold Nishimura, who received the 2017 Alumni of the Year Award. Courtesy photo
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Lacy Deniz awarded college’s 2018 Alumni of the Year

Lacy Deniz, who was born and raised in Honaunau, always dreamed of being a television news reporter.

She recalls watching KGMB and “just knowing deep down inside that I could really see myself doing that.”

She has achieved that dream, and is now the traffic reporter on Hawaii News Now Sunrise.

“It’s really about doing a service to the community,” Deniz said. “Every morning I get to wake up and help people get to work in the morning.”

Before she was a news reporter, Deniz was a student at Hawaii Community College’s campus in West Hawaii, which was formerly in Kealakekua. She earned her associate of arts in liberal arts degree, graduating in 2012. She then transferred to the University of Hawaii at Manoa where she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications.

The Hawaii Community College Alumni &Friends organization awarded Deniz as the recipient of the 2018 Alumni of the Year Award for the Hawaii Community College campus. She was honored during an event last month at the Manono campus in Hilo. She will also be the keynote speaker at the commencement ceremonies at the Hawaii Community College – Palamanui campus in Kailua-Kona on May 12.

“We are proud to recognize Lacy Deniz as the recipient of our 2018 Alumni of the Year Award,” said Robert Yamane, president of Hawaii Community College Alumni &Friends. “She is part of the younger generation of alumni and has achieved success within her first 10 years since graduation, embodying what it means to learn, to lead, to serve and to inspire future generations.”

GET meeting location changed

The venue for the March 12 meeting regarding a proposed half-percent General Excise Tax, GET, surcharge has been changed to Anna Ranch, 65-1480 Kawaihae Road in Waimea. The previously-slated venue had been Waimea Elementary School.

The meeting time is 6 p.m.

Info: www.hawaiicounty.gov. Click on the link to General Excise Tax Surcharge for a detailed explanation.

Easter Imu fundraiser set

Enjoy the best turkey (or ham, pork butt, ulu, uala or kalo) ever and support the South Kona community during a Easter Imu fundraiser. A $20 reservation is required by March 30. Drop-off time is 4 p.m., March 31 at the Maona Community Garden. We can accommodate early drop-off but the package must be in a cooler with ice. Contact the community garden to make arrangements.

Pick up will be 9-10 a.m. Easter Sunday, April 1. at the garden located near Honaunau Rodeo Arena.

Info: 937-9800 or maonacommunity garden@gmail.com.

AJA Veterans Legacy Association offering scholarships

The Hawaii Island AJA Veterans Legacy Association is offering two $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors who plan to continue their post-high-school education this fall. Applicants must be a senior at any Hawaii island public or private high school and must enroll full time at any accredited college or university in the state of Hawaii for the 2018-2019 academic year, registering for 12 credits or more.

Application forms and instructions are available at counselor offices at Hawaii island public and private high schools. The deadline for application is April 14.