Author Archives: Adam Bencze

Meet Dr. Darryl Salvador, Behavior Health Director

Thursday, March 15th, 2007

Dr Salvador is currently available to see children, adolescents, or adults, and will see people by self-referral or doctor-referral. He invites anyone who wishes to see him for any reason to come by, talk story, and share your aloha.

In Honor of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole’s 136th Birthday

Thursday, March 15th, 2007

The Prince turned Congressman’s Legacy is still strong today.

Prince Jonah was born in 1871 on Kaua`I, and was educated on Oahu, in California, and finally in England. The Prince traveled widely in Europe and even joined the British Army to fight in the Second Boer War between 1899-1902.

In 1903, he was elected to US Congress, where he served until his death until 1922. It was in Congress that Kuhio had his biggest impact on the history of Hawaii; he was able to implement several laws which have given Hawaii its present-day identity, including the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act which passed congress and made into law in 1921.

The avowed purpose of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was to rehabilitate Native Hawaiians, particularly in returning them to the land in order to enable the maintenance traditional ties to the land. The Hawaiian politicians who testified in favor of the act specifically referred to the devastation of the Hawaiian population and the loss of the land, and the need for Hawaiians to be able to grow and eat kalo (taro).

The Hawaiian Homes Commission Act included a controversial definition of "Native Hawaiians" as persons with 50 % or more Hawaiian blood (Prince Kuhio, Hawaii's non-voting delegate to Congress, had wanted a blood quantum of no less than 1/32)

After Hawaii officially became a State in the Union in 1959, the Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL), a state agency, was created to so the State of Hawaii could self-govern homestead lands, though the Federal Government still retains a “rubber stamp” authority on any legal changes made by the DHHL.

K?hi? died on 7 January 1922. His body was laid to rest with the rest of his royal family at the Royal Mausoleum in Nu?uanu on the island of O?ahu. His life and work will be honored on Molokai on March 24 with a ceremony at Kulana O`iwi.

Good Fun: Sashamon’s Four Hour Jam Session at Paddlers

Tuesday, March 6th, 2007

Molokai Native’s Unique Surf Reggae Gets Crowd To Its Feet

Young Brothers Request 24% LCL Rate Increase for Barge Service

Tuesday, March 6th, 2007

Molokai and Lanai to experience largest service hikes from transporter.

Young Brothers ships everything from cars to cabbage to small appliances. There is a rate increase breakdown which is contingent on good types (refrigerated, straight load, etc), but the most notable request is a 24% hike on LCL (Less than Container Load) cargo. This means that ports which consume the fewest goods- Molokai and Lana`i- will be hit hardest if the rate hike is approved. A container of toasters, for example, which is only full to 80% of its designated container load weight will be assessed the 24% LCL tariff, likely driving the cost of all those toasters up by that same 24% margin. This could be disastrous to consumers; many here on Molokai consume grains and canned food- among other dry goods which will see the largest tariff adjustment- brought by the barge, and may not be able to afford a 24% rise in their weekly grocery bill.

Molokai businesses, however, are worried that they will not be able to pass the price increase onto consumers, and that it will be them “eating” the price hike- a factor that may stunt Molokai’s economy. Representing Molokai’s largest employer, Molokai Ranch Lodge manager Teri Waros thinks the tariff will hit the tourism industry on Molokai especially hard because of the competitiveness of the industry. “I have eighty-five regular employees whose families I know and value,” Says Waros at the Public Utilities Commission meeting on the matter, on March 1 in Kaunakakai. “What will happen to them, and our business overall, if it becomes too expensive keep things running?”

Coffees of Hawaii owner Dan Kuhn lamented the proposal as well. “We already have the highest electricity costs in the country, and if this goes through- will Molokai become an island of (native) reserves, or a place where it’s actually possible to do business?” Kuhn also expresses his concern over the recent price hike for ag-businesses who need to perform irrigation on the island, another major expense for crop growers.

A big reason for skepticism about the plan is that Molokai and Lana`i are quite literally being punished for being relatively small consumers of goods. Young Brothers presentation at the March 1 meeting gave four reasons for their need for their desired increase: Mounting security costs, volatile fuel markets, rising employee premiums, and the need for shore and vessel improvements.

While those reasons are all within the normal scope of expected business overhead expenditures, one has to wonder at their rate designs. Molokai and Lana`i aren’t receiving “shore improvements” like harbors on Oahu and Maui are, and if the “vessel improvements” hinted at by Young Brothers include the building of lighter vessels to service ports with lower overall shipping weight demand, they certainly have not made that clear as a possibility to the public.

What this boils down to, then, is smaller islands footing the bill to keep Young Brothers service competitive on the larger market islands Oahu and Maui. Barbara Haliniak of Molokai Chamber of Commerce says “because shipping on the inter-island air carriers is unregulated, Young Brothers is Molokai’s lifeline. This increase is just going to make it harder on everyone here.”

Young Brothers’ President Glenn Hong (pictured) spoke at the meeting and says that the company is willing to listen to Molokai. “We realize that this will be hard on some”, said Hong as the meeting wrapped-up. “We are willing to work with Molokai who has any comments and concerns, and we value Molokai as a market”

The Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to make its decision regarding the fare increases on July 15, and if approved, the price change would take effect September 15.

Future Fest Options A Hit

Tuesday, March 6th, 2007

Sahamon, Raucous army recruiters spice up career day

Towards the end of the event, students were treated to some music; Sashamon was pressed to come up with his Ukulele and play a song in front of the whole assembly, and delivered a slow, soulful rendition of “Necta” (Butterfly) to a flurry of camera flashes.

KaluaKoi Inferno Threatens West Molokai

Thursday, March 1st, 2007

Blustery winds didn¹t help firefighters as they battled a stubborn blaze all afternoon on Monday. The brush fire started as workers were taking down the radio towers along KaluaKoi Rd. Early reports suggest the flames were caused by heavy equipment, used to disassemble the metal struts of the towers, which accidentally ignited dense grass in the area, though Maui County Police have yet to complete an official investigation as to the cause of the blaze.

Quick work by Molokai¹s fire department, as well as two Maui County Fire Department helicopters whose skilled pilots swooped up water from area swimming pools to put out some of the larger hot spots- quelled the blaze just before 5pm. Local residents and Ranch workers reported the fire quickly, and their quick response guaranteed the fire was contained before endangering any structures or causing any human injury.

Because of the dry terrain and ever changing winds- not to mention a lack of paved roads- fires can be extremely hazardous on west Molokai. Within its current decade-long drought, two other major fires have occurred; a 100-acre brush fire in 1999 saw three homes evacuated in Hoolehua, and a catastrophic 12,000 acre blaze came within 200 feet of Molokai General Hospital above Kaunakakai in 1998.

Molokai Hits Mainland

Thursday, March 1st, 2007

Local Boy’s Musical Play a Hit in Minnesota

The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, a veritable theater headquarters for the twin city area, is once again home to Molokai’s own Marcus Quiniones and his original production Circle Around the Island. The hour-long play was first written and performed by Quinones in Minnesota in 1999, and will be re-opening up on March 3 at the Guthrie.

Quiniones, who grew up in Puko`o, was inspired to write the play when in College in Minnesora in the late 90’s. While there, many of his friends would ask him to give ukulele and hula performances on campus, something he was good at but never took seriously until after graduation. The play deals with themes of extraordinary communion of mystical companions, family guardians, and Hawaiian music and movement inspired by the hula. The initial success of the play propelled Quiniones into Ululena, a dance/expression troupe on Maui, before he headed to London, England, to study at the School Of Performing Arts.