Author Archives: Bianca Moragne

Alex Mawae Takes Lahaina

Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

Alex Mawae Takes Lahaina

Community Contributed

By Clare Seeger Mawae

Twelve-year-old Alex Mawae from Molokai headed to Lahaina last weekend to participate in the Lahaina SUP Surf contest. Having just come back from California taking fourth place in the surfing portion of the Californian event, Alex wanted to see how he faired with the Maui boys. With entries from well-known top international SUP/surfers in the other divisions and a full division of 12 and under, Alex Mawae did well competing against the Maui surfers and taking third place with a very credible performance.

This was Alex’s second SUP/Surfing event compared to the many long distance events he has done since the age 8.…

Rebuilding After Disaster

Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

In the event of a devastating natural disaster, homes on Molokai may be damaged. But when residents are ready to repair and rebuild, they face the usual lengthy permit process that is currently required by the County of Maui to replace or restore any structure. While emergency building permits can be issued, the county is looking at how the permit process can be expedited in the wake of natural disasters to speed up the recovery process. Homeowners who are planning to rebuild their homes may consider hiring a knock down rebuild contractor with years of experience.

Planners are visiting communities around Maui County holding workshops to involve residents in the process of developing post-disaster reconstruction guidelines, and visited Molokai two weeks ago.…

Protecting the Irreplaceable

Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

Hawaii has a rich history, which means the state has a wide range of historic places that should be preserved, conserved and protected. Molokai is leading the way in historic preservation, according to Kiersten Faulkner, executive director of nonprofit Historic Hawaii Foundation (HHF).

“Molokai has set the standard and set the bar high on preserving active cultural sites, such as the fishponds restoration,” said  Faulkner, who came to Molokai May 17 to hold a seminar on historic preservation. “Molokai has been fierce advocates for a sense of place. The rest of the state is way behind Molokai.”

About 15 Molokai residents and HHF representatives met at Kulana `Oiwi to discuss the importance of preserving historic resources on Molokai.…

Gabbard Talks Story with Middle School Students

Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

Gabbard Talks Story with Middle School Students

When Rep. Tulsi Gabbard visited Molokai two weeks ago, she talked story with an assembly of Molokai Middle School students and answered their questions, both probing and fun. The congresswoman told students that she works in Washington, D.C. about three weeks every month, and comes home to Hawaii to travel around her districts for about a week. Here are some of the questions students from the Middle School seventh and eighth grade Social Studies classes prepared.

Question: How has being in the military influenced the decisions you made?

Answer: The time I served in the Middle East on two deployments really changed me a lot and informed some of my policy positions.…

Learning Life Lessons Through Basketball

Wednesday, May 28th, 2014

Learning Life Lessons Through Basketball

The Harlem Ambassadors Basketball Team brought its positive message of pursuing an education, staying drug free and of course, basketball, to the Barn last Monday night for a spectacle of slam dunks and laughs.

Taking to the court in a charity game, the Harlem Ambassadors played the Molokai All-Stars, a team of volunteers from the fire department, police department and Friendly Market, in a game full of music, dancing and fun.

“Please stay in school, stay focused, be obedient, listen to your parents or guardians, the leadership that is before you,” said Lade Majic, coach of the Harlem Ambassadors. “Everyone can make it.…

Long-time Service Honored

Thursday, May 22nd, 2014

Long-time Service Honored

Molokai honored the retirement of two long-time county employees last week. Steven Arce is leaving the Public Works Department after 41 years of service, while Travis Tancayo put in 25 years with the Fire Department.

“I love my job,” said Arce, who is retiring as Head of Public Works and Civil Defense on Molokai. “I worked to improve relationships with the public — it wasn’t very good in the 70s.”

For Tancayo, his job has brought a lot of travel that involved Hana, Na Pili, Lanai, and most recently as a Battalion Chief for Molokai, Lanai and West Maui.

“I’ve been away a lot from my wife and family — the commute to Maui has been challenging,” he said.…

Veterans Corner

Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

Community Contributed

By Jesse Church

Aloha my beloved veterans and fellow residents of Molokai, old Jesse here with all the veterans news and upcoming events. On Memorial Day, small flags mark the graves of service members at cemeteries across the country to honor the fallen. How did this tradition begin? During the Civil War, a widow in Knoxville, Tennessee named Laura D Richardson led a group of four women who formed a committee to obtain flowers to decorate 3,000 graves in the city’s national cemetery. However, the flowers that the group wanted to purchase were unavailable or out of season. One day, Richardson saw a small toy flag in a store window and got an idea.…

Tante’s Breaks Ground

Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

Tante’s Breaks Ground

The sound of a jack hammer last Friday marked the official start to the rebuilding process after Hotel Molokai’s kitchen burned down almost two years ago. The machine, wielded by Hotel Manager Michael Drew and Tante Urban, owner of Tante’s Island cuisine, pummeled through a layer of concrete as a joyous cry arose from family, friends, guests and staff.

Construction on the new kitchen is expected to begin on June 1, with completion scheduled early in the new year.

Tante’s Island Cuisine, a family-operated restaurant on Maui, took over management of the former Hula Shores Bar on April 15, in partnership with a Molokai family.…

Transition to Middle School

Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

Community Contributed

By Alison Place, School Renewal Specialist

Ho`olauna defined is to “give an introduction to; to be friendly.”  This year’s sixth grade Ho`olauna was held on Monday, May 12 at the Duke Maliu Regional Park. The purpose of the annual Ho`olauna is to transition the outgoing sixth graders to middle school.  One hundred fifteen sixth graders from Kilohana, Kaunakakai, Kualapu`u and Maunaloa joined together to get to know one another and to learn more about what it means to be a Molokai Middle School (MMS) student.

Referred to as the Class of 2020, these students were told they are the visionaries who have 20-20 vision to create the world of the future while remembering the past.…

Ask-a-Lawyer Day Success

Wednesday, May 21st, 2014

Ask-a-Lawyer Day Success

Photo and caption courtesy Karen Holt

Pictured here, Brian Simon (HSBA), new Supreme Court Justice Michael Wilson, and volunteer attorneys Carole Richelieu and Karen Holt at Ask-a-Lawyer Day.  Dozens of Molokai residents came to the Kaunakakai Elementary Cafeteria on Saturday, May 10 to ask for free legal information.  Ten attorneys, members of the Hawaii State Bar Association’s Senior Counsel division, donated their time and paid their own travel expenses.  The event was spearheaded by Honolulu attorney Tim Lui-Kwan, and Molokai’s own John Sabas.…