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Author Archives: Megan Stephenson

Big Gains in Metal Recycling

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

Big Gains in Metal Recycling

While frustrated residents have built up a cache of large metal materials needing to be recycled, the county’s temporary program is almost done – but with a lot of success.

Molokai’s recycling center and landfill used to host a metal recycling facility, but was shut down in Dec. 2009 after reaching its capacity. Patience Gaia, administrator for metals and abandoned vehicles in the county Department of Environmental Management, said hosting metal recycling events is actually more cost effective for islands like Molokai and Lanai.

“The previous facility [was] meant to be temporary,” Gaia said, adding that keeping the equipment and staff for metal recycling was costly. “We get more collection [of materials] in a short time than ongoing.” 

The county contracted Kitagawa Towing to receive and process the material, and the Community Work Day Program (CWDP) to provide assistance cleaning up sites and bringing material to the landfill.


Gaia said more than 120 cars have been received, as well as 200-plus appliances, 100 tons of scrap metal, and over 1,000 tires. After being crushed, the metal is sent to Oahu, and sometimes on to other markets such as China. Tires are shredded and turned into playground material or other rubber-based products, and cars and appliances are melted down to form new metal parts.

Rhiannon Chandler, executive director of CWDP, said they received a lot of calls from residents, and on-island crews were sent out to help clean up.

“It was really overwhelming,” she said. “People had this stuff on their property for a while, unable to get rid of it.”

The county is planning another metals collection event next spring, and Chandler added CWDP is planning on working with a towing company to help bring in large items like cars.

Almost Pau
Metal materials accepted during landfill hours until Sat., Dec. 11:
Tues-Sat 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
No charge for residents; call 658-9029 for more info

Can It Be Recycled?
Regular recycling accepts:
Cardboard, glass jars and bottles, aluminum, tin and steel food and drink cans, paper, newspaper, plastic bottles, plastic bags, yard debris, motor oil, HI-5 Deposit Bottles and Cans
NOT: Styrofoam, aluminum foil, molded plastics, magazines, ceramics, light bulbs, containers with food residue

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Tutu’s Corner

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

Tutu’s Corner

Community Contributed

Column by Tutu and Me

Self-esteem is one’s regard for self; how we value ourselves. Most of the feelings about ourselves were established when we were children. Many people suffer from a low self-esteem, which leads to many other problems in their lives. Low self-esteem could, for example, lead to depression and even a life of oppression and crime as one strives to feel good about oneself. Therefore, it is very important, as caregivers of young children, that we help children to develop a healthy self esteem while they are young.

We are not advocating the exaltation of oneself or teaching children to feel superior to others. This can be very harmful. On the contrary, we are advocating the humble, thankful acceptance of oneself as good and beloved.

At Tutu and Me Traveling School, the staff strives to enhance the self-esteem of children as well as adults. We strive to give positive feedback to children and families, to demonstrate emphatic listening, to encourage children to make decisions about areas and to give children tools for identifying emotions, among others.


Try This at Home:
•    Hold and touch your baby during the first year of life. This is crucial. It is your baby’s first most comforting experience with the world.
•    Meet your baby’s basic needs (hunger, security, and comfort) quickly, consistently and sensitively. It is impossible to spoil a newborn baby.
•    Encourage your child daily with words. It is up to you to build your child up. Words to use include “good, well done, excellent, wow, correct, good idea, clever” and of course, “I am proud of you.”
•    Encourage your child daily with your body language: maintaining eye-contact when your keiki is talking to you, smiling, giving thumbs up, or simply hugging them will show beyond a doubt that you are paying attention and that they are important and valued.
•    Communicate respect for your child by emphatic listening and dialogue. Emphatic listening means listening to the emotional content of a message. This does not imply agreement. It is possible to empathize and disagree at the same time.
•    Focus corrective feedback on your child’s behavior, not on your child. Always make it crystal clear to your child that it is the behavior that you disapprove of, not your child.
•    Give honest and specific praise, often: Say “I liked the way you helped clean up the blocks,” is better than saying “you did a good job.”

Remember, wise is the parent who will help their child understand that by their very membership in the human race they are worth a lot!
Excerpts from Families Online Magazine, Sylvia Cochran, “Healthy Self Esteem for Your Child”

Contributions from Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, a program of Partners in Development Foundation.  Tutu and Me is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

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Father Damien’s St. Joseph Church Rescued

Friday, December 3rd, 2010

Father Damien’s St. Joseph Church Rescued

Community Contributed

By Maria Sullivan, St. Damien Parishioner

St. Joseph Church at Kamalo is a State Historic site and one of the most visited on Molokai.  Each year more than 4,000 Hawaii residents, visitors and pilgrims visit the church, built in 1876 by Father Damien and the Kamalo community. Today, due to the grace and generosity of many people, this 134-year-old church is being saved, so it can continue to tell the story of Molokai, and of one of its most famous residents, Father Damien. 

In addition to his work with the Hansen disease patients on the Kalaupapa peninsula, Father Damien also served as pastor and church builder for the Catholic faithful who lived on topside Molokai.  Of the churches built by Father Damien, St. Joseph Church at Kamalo remains in the most original condition.  However, due to time, weather and termites the church was at risk of being lost. A windstorm this past April complicated matters by blowing off the cross and tearing a large, gaping hole in the church’s eight-sided steeple spire.


There are still substantial costs ahead to evaluate the structural integrity of the steeple, and to reinstall a new top spire. Father Guerreiro and the parish are hopeful that donors will come forward and join the parish in its effort to “Save the Steeple” at Father Damien’s historic St. Joseph Church.

Help Save the Steeple
Make your check payable to: “St. Joseph Church Fund”
Attn: Fr. Clyde Guerreiro
Saint Damien Parish-St. Joseph Church Fund
P.O. Box 1948
Kaunakakai, HI  96748
For more information about the church and project, contact Maria Sullivan, St. Damien Parishioner (808) 553-5181; mjs@aloha.net

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Paddlers Closes Temporarily

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010

Paddlers Inn has still not received the OK to start serving liquor at their restaurant, despite having their permanent liquor license approved. Staff said they are waiting for the liquor commission before they are able to serve alcohol.

“Basically we just can’t afford to stay open on food alone and cost of running this place is too much,” said bar manager Mike Helm.

In order to cut costs, the restaurant will close temporarily, beginning last Monday, Nov. 29.

“It’s a miracle the place has been open this long on food alone,” Helm said.

Paddlers Inn thanks the community for their support.
 

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The Nature Conservancy Goes Solar

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010

The Nature Conservancy Goes Solar

TNC News Release

The Nature Conservancy’s Molokai office is sporting a new look – a large rooftop photovoltaic system that will significantly reduce energy  costs while providing enough power to meet the office’s electricity needs for years.  
 
 “We were able to basically cover all of our energy needs and put a cap on our energy costs into the future,” said Suzanne Case, the Conservancy’s Hawaii executive director. “It’s good for Hawaii both economically and in terms of sustainability.”

The 8.88-kilowatt photovoltaic array was installed by Maui’s Rising Sun Solar at the Conservancy office in the Molokai Industrial Park on the hot leeward side of the island. The PV system, which cost $69,596, will use solar energy to power lights, electronics, air conditioning and other office needs.

“Tapping into the clean, renewable energy resources that Hawaii has in such abundance holds tremendous potential for Molokai, which has one of the highest electrical rates in the nation,” said Matias Besasso, a partner with Rising Sun Solar. “Not only can it reduce costs, but it can lead to job creation and greater energy independence and self-sufficiency for Molokai’s people.”  


The estimated cost of generated power over 12 years is $53,572, compared to $109,295.32 with regular utility power.

Ed Misaki, the Conservancy’s Molokai director, said installation of the new system has been in the works for three years. “Going green is one of our big goals,” he added, noting that the new array will be hooked up and dedicated on Dec. 1, 2010.

Misaki said the Conservancy’s Molokai office will remain connected to Maui Electric’s grid under a Net Energy Metering contract, so that electricity is still available to the office on cloudy days, while excess power can be sold to the utility on days when office power use is low.

After twelve years, the Conservancy will have the option of negotiating a new contract or purchasing the system at fair market value.

“It’s a win-win for us,” said Conservancy Director of Internal Affairs Rico Gomez.  The Nature Conservancy on Molokai has been paying about 41 cents per kilowatt-hour, and under the new arrangement initially will pay 30 cents, he said.

“Every single one of us has to do what we can to reduce our use of fossil fuels – to try to put a limit on global warming, which poses a serious threat to nature and people,” Case said.

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Limited Time to Change Hunting Rules

Friday, November 26th, 2010

Conservation Council for Hawaii News Release

The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources is proposing revisions to Hawaii Administrative Rules relating to hunting and game, and asking the public for their feedback. This is an opportunity to urge the state to change the hunting and game management paradigm to reduce the damage caused by introduced continental feral ungulates and game mammals, and provide more opportunities for hunters to help control animals and bring home the meat. 

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Money Available for Farming Conservation

Friday, November 26th, 2010

Community Contributed

Provided by Wally Jennings

The Ho`olehua Field Office is seeking land owners and managers that would be interested is conservation practices to address resource concern to come sign-up of conservation planning.  This service is free and may offer opportunities for assistance do conservation on farmed and ranched lands.

Through the Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, two programs are available for Molokai farmers to assist in wildlife habitat and erosion and conservation techniques.

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Surf and Turf

Friday, November 26th, 2010

Editorial by Todd Yamashita

Do we need to control feral animal populations humanely? Yes. Do we deserve great neighborhood restaurants? Absolutely. Letters to the editor this week remind us that we live in a compassionate and active community. While we all have varying opinions, one thing is certain – most of us have good intentions in making our community a better place.

Unfortunately, as Walter Ritte says, good intentions are not enough. Some of the problems we face in our community are complicated – they are difficult to understand and require complex solutions.

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Tutu’s Corner

Friday, November 26th, 2010

Tutu’s Corner

Community Contributed

Column by Tutu and Me

Children are natural born creators! In their play, they are engrossed in the process of creating. Unfortunately, adults have become conditioned to be concerned with the final outcome or product.

To children, the very act of painting, drawing, dancing or singing is more important than finishing or making sure it is perfect. Children only care about the “final outcome” if they think that it is important to the adults in their lives. This, in turn, causes blockage to the free flow of creative expression.


At Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, there are many opportunities for children to engage in creative artistic activities, such as indoor art, easel painting, writing, etc. The very act of trying out different things and using imagination is encouraged.

Try This at Home:
•    Encourage your child in their attempts at artistic expression.
•    Supply crayons, colored pencils, plenty of plain drawing paper (brown paper bags are excellent) for drawing lines, circles, happy and sad feelings, etc.
•    Collect bits and pieces of fabric, cotton balls, stickers, ribbon etc. to create art.
•    Let your child experiment with a paper punch and then use the dots to create something.
•    Inspire art with art – put on some music and together with your child, draw or paint the way the music makes you feel.
•    Keep singing! Sing familiar songs together -- while working around the house, or riding in the car.
•    Take time to rhyme – learn favorite poems/chants/ rhymes together.
•    Make or buy puppets, and have the puppets tell stories.
•    After reading to your keiki, talk to them about the story.

Remember: Letting children use their imaginations and express themselves creatively is an important part of early childhood development.

Contributions from Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, a program of Partners in Development Foundation.  Tutu and Me is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

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Kuaolamaikekuahiwi Chin

Friday, November 26th, 2010

Kuaolamaikekuahiwi Chin

Kuaolamaikekuahiwi Kamiloloa Chung Kyu Chin was born September 17, 2010 at 9:56 a.m. in Hilo, Hawaii Island, to proud parents Kanoe Davis and Keone Chin. She weighed 4 lbs, 15.5 oz and was 18.5 inches. Sisters Nahoni, Ko`i`ula and Miliopuna Davis, brothers Wainoho Tolentino-Chin and Pauahi Tolentino-Chin, grandparents Iokepa and Theresa Wong, Maria Wong-Mikhail and Alice and Donald Chin, and great-grandparents Nani and Francis Wong welcomed her to the world.

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