80 Years Young
_0.jpg)
Sending a very special thanks to all of you: my many friends, relatives, sons, daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, far and near, for celebrating my 80th birthday with me!
Love,
Lillian and Tiny Puaoi
_0.jpg)
- Failure notice from provider:
Connection Error:http_request_failed Submission Deadlines
Advertising
Content
To print on:
-
Author Archives: Megan Stephenson
1 Comments‘The Ultimate Sacrifice’
.jpg)
Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Army, Coast Guard and many others. Vietnam, World War II, Korea and Desert Storm. Veterans of different backgrounds, hometowns and fighting grounds came together for this year’s Veterans Day services on Molokai.
The Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans hosted a ceremony at the Ho`olehua Veteran’s Cemetery last Thursday morning, attended by family, friends and volunteers from Molokai Middle School.
During a solemn rendition of taps by Rob Stephenson on the saxophone, the veterans released 21 red, white and blue pigeons in lieu of a 21 gun salute.
Bob Aldridge joined the Molokai veterans group nearly 10 years ago for the camaraderie.
.jpg)
“In a world of uncertainty, someone has to make a stand.”
Veterans Day: More than Just Nov. 11
Veterans visit Kualapu`u School
By Diane Abraham
On this past Wednesday, Nov. 10, my fourth graders at Kualapu`u School found out first-hand that Nov. 11 was more than just a holiday and a day without school. We were honored to have two veterans who had served in Vietnam come and share their mana`o and answer questions. Many thanks to Larry Helm and Bo Mahoe for their time and insight as 20 fourth grade boys and girls got to find out the sacrifices and experiences that our veterans go through for our freedoms, as well as the things our military men and women do to benefit others during times of natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis.
Veterans give up time from family and friends in ways that most of us cannot fathom. For these American heroes, it’s not about being honored on one day each year. Generally, it’s a 24/7 duty that involves humane decisions. If Nov. 11 came and went without you thanking a veteran, please do so now: it’s more than just a one day thing.
.jpg)
.jpg)
Lower Airfare Possible for Kalaupapa
.jpg)
Pacific Wings is planning to apply for a federal subsidy that will lower the price of its Kalaupapa flights.
Currently the only commercial airline to service the peninsula on a regular basis, Pacific Wings has Essential Air Service (EAS) status with the government, a program that guarantees air service to remote areas. Those businesses with an EAS can separately apply for a subsidy to help the business’ cost of service.
Mark Miller, administrator of the Kalaupapa Settlement for the Department of Health, announced at last week’s community meeting he had spoken with Greg Kahlstorf, CEO of Pacific Wings, about their application.
“Getting the subsidy means returning to lower airfares and increased use of the service,” Miller said in an interview after the meeting. “It is also a valuable addition to our Kalaupapa patients for accessing essential medical services in Honolulu.”
After a confrontation between Pacific Wings staff and security at the Kahului Airport last year, angry with the response from the Hawaii Department of Transportation, Kahlstorf said the airline withdrew many of their inter-island routes. With fewer routes and fewer customers, Pacific Wings had to raise their prices on remaining routes.
.jpg)
“Before you can figure how to market something, you’ve got to figure what the product is…Ecotourism, historical tourism, whatever we can do to attract more traffic.”
Back in Business
.jpg)
As Molokai residents and visitors alike rejoice in the opening of the new Kalaupapa pali trail, bridge the mules famous for taking visitors down the winding path are a little apprehensive.
“They’re like, what the heck is this?” said Buzzy Sproat, mule trainer extraordinaire for the Kalaupapa Guided Mule Tour. “We need to get them in shape; make sure they can go across the bridge.”
After seven months of idling, Sproat said the mules need a little reminding. He and his mule trainers will take the mules over the bridge, and up and down the trail more than 20 times to make sure they’re comfortable again.
Previously hosting up to 75 riders a week, the world-famous Molokai Mule Ride Company was sent into a tailspin of financial woe when a landslide took out Bridge No. 2 on April 13.
Co-owner Roy Horner said the National Park Service (NPS) sometimes employed the mules, and mule trainers, to help out a business reliant on that bridge.
.jpg)
“We’re very happy the trail is finally open,” he said. “This was the number one trail project in the western U.S. because of the importance of its connection” between topside and the peninsula.
“I apologized for the long delay, but we’ve ended up with a fantastic end result,” he said.
By December, the tours plan to for their businesses to be back up and running as usual.
“We are looking forward to continuing to give people happiness and joy each day…To have them feel the spirit of Kalaupapa,” Horner added.
Toxic Waste Removed from Ilio
.jpg)
An environmental cleanup prompted by the Coast Guard will continue until mid-November as the last of the hazardous waste is removed from a cliff at Ilio Point and shipped to the mainland.
For nearly two weeks, workers have been using a large vacuum to suck up the remains of equipment that was dumped by a Coast Guard station while it was active prior to 1966.
“The Coast Guard dumped [the materials] there, so it’s our responsibility to clean it up,” said Gene Maestas, public affairs officer for the U.S Coast Guard 14th District in Honolulu.
Testing of the site in 2009 showed high concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, in the soil. When testing was conducted offshore, however, no contaminants were found in the water, sediments, invertebrates or fish.
“We’re very lucky [the station] dumped something that’s not more readily in the marine environment,” said Jay Silberman, project manager from the U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit. “We want to clean it up before it gets into [the water].”
.jpg)
Silberman said the PCBs chemical adheres tightly to soil – almost like glue – and requires a solvent to separate the two. Because PCB does not dissolve in water, the contactor, Pacific Commercial Services Inc., is removing the contaminated materials with a vacuum that reaches 18 inches below the surface.
The materials will be bagged and sealed and shipped to the mainland.
The dumpsite was discovered in 2008 by Silberman and a colleague, who later put in a request for funding to conduct testing and a cleanup project. Estimates put the cost of the operation at about $600,000, which is fully covered by the Coast Guard.
Silberman said the debris – electrical equipment, pipes, iron metal, wood, glass and brick – covers about 100 cubic yards of the cliff, 70 yards of which is hazardous.
The public is advised to stay clear of the site until the operation is complete.
Tutu Talk
_0.JPG)
Community Contributed
Column by Tutu and Me
It is important to note that children’s perception of music follow their development. For example, newborn babies begin life by developing trust versus mistrust in the environment. They are soothed by quiet singing and rocking, which helps them formulate trust. They are frightened by scary sounds, which lead to mistrust.
By the time a child reaches ages two to three, they show increased language development, and can jump, run and walk to music. At this age, children learn and enjoy action songs.
Children use songs and rhythms to communicate their thoughts and feelings. Music heightens children’s listening skills. Music fosters a positive self-image by helping children feel successful in musical activities. Many songs focus on children.
_0.JPG)
At Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool, we give children many opportunities to explore music through singing, dancing, playing instruments, and creating bodily movements.
Try This at Home:
• Sing familiar songs with your child every day
• Make a homemade kazoo – secure wax paper at one end of a toilet paper roll with a rubber band. Blow through the open end while humming a tune.
• Make a homemade tambourine – place rice or beans between two paper plates, secure the edges of the plates with tape. Shake the tambourine with one hand or tap it with the heel of the other hand. Beware of the choking hazard of the beans.
• Make a homemade drum – cover and decorate the outside of an empty coffee can. Replace the lid and beat with hands or wooden spoons.
• Make homemade sand blocks – glue coarse sand paper to two smooth blocks of wood. Rub the blocks together to make music.
• Play classical music for you and your child. Bach is a good choice.
• Dance to music with your keiki.
Remember: Music is important in the lives of children
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.
Toothbrush Time
.jpg)
Community Contributed
By Boki Chung
Soft is better than hard… and yes, I’m talking about toothbrushes. The Molokai Community Health Center is hosting a toothbrush exchange on Saturday, Nov. 20 from 8 – 10 a.m. outside Friendly Market Center. Come down and trade in your nasty old toothbrush for a free new one, plus some other goodies.
A voucher for a free cleaning and check-up will be given to the person who trades in their nastiest toothbrush.
Some tips about toothbrushes:
• Your toothbrush should be soft: hard toothbrushes damage your gums, wear away your teeth and can cause sensitivity.
• Your toothbrush shouldn’t be too big! You need to be able to clean all surfaces of your teeth and around all the bends of your arch – choose a size which covers about two of your teeth.
• Replace your toothbrush every four months, or when it starts looking like junk. If it looks nasty sooner than that, you’re brushing too hard.
Why should we clean our teeth and mouth anyways?
• Gum disease is a major risk factor for the development of serious health conditions, like heart disease and diabetes.
• Dirty teeth look ugly!
• Most importantly, no one likes stinky breath.
.jpg)
Maunaloa Heads to Mo`omomi
.jpg)
Community Contributed
‘It Was Classic’
By Maria Angst
In the morning, we drove in cars to Mo`omomi and it was bumpy. We were going up, down, and side to side. It was classic!
As we walked on the footpath, we saw a white native plant. It is soft and fluffy. It only grows at Mo`omomi. It is called `ena `ena.
At Mo`omomi beach we saw flags that marked where the shear water bird nests were. We saw a baby sheer water bird. The bird looked like a grayish cotton ball. The shear water bird also has a short wedge tail. It rested peacefully under a flat rock.
Next, we ate lunch in a cave that looked like an upside down sand dune. It looked spectacular! Uncle Ed gave us juice to drink because we listened and paid attention. On our hike, we also saw tree snail fossils. We learned that the ancient Hawaiian people ate turtle, and that there are deer at Mo`omomi.
Last, we picked rubbish from the beach. There were bottles, cans, floaters, toothbrushes, and lots of plastic. Birds think the rubbish is food and eat them and they die.
Lesson Learned
By Vaai Seumalo
When we went to Mo`omomi beach, we learned that Uncle Ed and his crew cut down the kiawe trees to help the native plants.
We looked at the native wedge-tail shear water birds. We learned that sometimes monk seals come to the beach. A long time ago, there were many green turtles that would also come to Mo`omomi beach. Hawaiian used to eat the turtle that they caught. They also ate crabs and fish.
At Mo`omomi, there are different kinds of rocks. There are sandstones, imu stones, and stones used for tools.
We picked up some rubbish. Uncle Ed said that some boaters dump their rubbish in the sea and it ends up on our beach.
I enjoyed my Mo`omomi Beach fieldtrip!
.jpg)
MOC Seeks Transparency
UPDATE – MOC meeting planned for Monday, Nov. 15 at 3:15 p.m. at the Kaunakakai Gym.
From the employees of the Molokai Occupational Center (MOC), in an open letter to the Board of Directors (Allan Tancayo, Claude Sutcliff, Meg Afelin, Ida Ruiz, Rita Kalahiki and Vicki Boswell), Molokai residents and any of MOC’s funding sources or corporate oversight agencies:
All contents copyright © 2003-2024. Molokai Dispatch, Inc. All rights reserved. 
