Author Archives: Catherine Cluett Pactol

DOH Applauds Public Tours in Kalaupapa

Sunday, September 21st, 2025

DOH News Release

The National Park Service announced that public tours at Kalaupapa National Historical Park will resume this week. The Hawaiʻi Department of Health welcomed the return of tours as an opportunity to share the history and legacy of Kalaupapa and those who have lived there.

A media tour is scheduled for Sept. 18, with tours for the general public beginning in late September through Kalaupapa Saints Tours.

The National Park Service manages all commercial activity and concessions in Kalaupapa National Historical Park, with preference given to businesses owned by patient-residents of Kalaupapa.

Kalaupapa Saints Tours, like previous tour operators, is owned by a patient-resident.…

Aging Gracefully Means Monitoring Eye Health

Sunday, September 21st, 2025

Hawaiian Eye Center News Release

As we celebrate Healthy Aging Month this September, Hawaiian Eye Center is advocating for proactive eye care, urging adults 50 and over to make vision health a top priority in their aging journey. 

“Vision is one of the most important senses we rely on every day, yet it’s often overlooked until problems arise,” says Dr. Steven Rhee, who has specialized in age-related eye conditions for over 15 years. “Healthy Aging Month is the perfect time to remind our communities that taking care of your eyes is a critical part of aging well.”

Age Gracefully — But Not Blindly

As we age, the risk of developing serious eye conditions increases significantly.…

Kalaupapa Visitor Tours Resume this Month

Sunday, September 21st, 2025

National Park Service New Release

Visitor tours are resuming at Kalaupapa National Historical Park with the launch of the Kalaupapa Saints Tour, founded by patient Meli Watanuki. The tour is the only park-authorized commercial operator and offers a respectful, accurate and personal perspective on Kalaupapa’s history. 

Located on the island of Molokaʻi, Kalaupapa preserves the stories of those who lived in isolation after being diagnosed with Hansen’s disease (leprosy). Since 1866, more than 8,000 people, mostly Native Hawaiians, died here. Today, the settlement remains home to a small number of cured patient-residents whose privacy is protected by restricting visitation to guided tours only. …

Join Kulāia Celebration, Molokai Canoe Festivals 

Sunday, September 21st, 2025

Kulaia Molokai News Release

Mark your calendars for the Kulāia Celebration — Molokai Canoe Festivals in downtown Kaunakakai, between Bank of Hawaii and Fish & Dive Sept. 26 from 5 to 10 p.m.

This free community event celebrates the spirit of Molokai and the Nā Wāhine o Ke Kai, bringing together paddlers, visitors, and locals for an evening filled with live Hawaiian music, ono food, Molokai artisans, cultural demonstrations, and free lomilomi.

Visit kulaia.wix.com/kulaiamolokai for more information.…

Make Molokai Beautiful

Thursday, September 11th, 2025

Molokai Bahá’í Community News Release
The Global Citizenship Speaker series resumes at the Molokai Public Library Sept.17 at 5:30 p.m. The first presentation features Molokai artist Kalaʻe Tangonan, who will share her passion for using the visual arts to make Molokai even more beautiful.
The program will feature moʻolelo behind the mammoth re-muraling project at Molokai High School and how multimedia arts can help make Molokai “the most beautiful island our hearts know is possible.”
Tangonan is a multi-media artist, a graduate of University of Hawaii, Hilo’s arts program, mother of nine children, and community arts activist, providing everything from face painting at keiki fairs to hair and makeup for proms, from decorating for parties to lei making for funerals.…

Molokai Boy is the Prince at the Aloha Festivals’ Royal Court

Thursday, September 11th, 2025

Hawaii Tourism Authority News Release

A Molokai boy is now the prince for the Royal Court for this year’s Aloha Festivals, the largest Hawaiian cultural celebration in the U.S. The 2025 Royal Court began their reign Sept. 6 during the Royal Court Investiture & Opening Ceremony in Honolulu.

The Royal Court, which consists of Mō‘ī Kāne (king), Mō‘ī Wahine (queen), Kamāli‘i Kāne (prince), Kamāli‘i Wahine (princess) and various court attendants, is an integral part of the festival’s perpetuation of the Hawaiian culture and is a visual reminder of the royal legacy of the Hawaiian people.

Sean Kaleohano Kekahuna Jr., of Hoʻolehua, Molokai, is the 2025 Kamāli‘i Kāne.…