Author Archives: Catherine Cluett Pactol

Ka Hula Piko 2012

Sunday, May 6th, 2012

Ka Hula Piko 2012

The annual three-day Ka Hula Piko festival brought locals and visitors together to celebrate the birth place of hula on Molokai. This year’s theme was “Lei `ia Molokai ke aloha hulu mamo,” or “Molokai wreath in the love of the ancestors.” In honor of the kupuna, this year’s first Creative Keiki Contest featured posters, poems and essays expressing what their kupuna means to them. Check later this week for contest winners.

Saturday’s event, held at Mitchell Pauole Center, showcased a variety of halau and traditions.

Dancers of Oahu-based Hula Halau Kukunaokala performed ancient hula centering around Molokai. The halau was founded in 1977 by the late Kumu Hula John Kaimikaua to carry on the hula traditions of this island.…

IAM Launches International Petition to Stop Undersea Cable

Thursday, May 3rd, 2012

I Aloha Molokai News Release

I Aloha Molokai (IAM) has launched a worldwide petition to stop Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s multi-billion-dollar Big Wind Interisland Cable boondoggle. Gov. Abercrombie, Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) and some House and Senate members are now finalizing legislation that would allow the project to fast-track without sufficient environmental analysis or public review.

Noting the project’s huge potential impacts on whales and “critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals – one of the rarest marine mammals in the world – as well as five species of sea turtles, three species of dolphins, and hundreds of other marine species,” the petition adds that the project “will be rubber-stamped without due process – without public input from residents of Hawaii and, not to mention, everyone worldwide who wants to protect whales, sea turtles, seals, and dolphins.”…

Free Spays in May

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

Free Spays in May

Molokai Humane Society News Release

The Molokai Humane Society is pleased to announce that for the month of May, all wahine cat and dog spays will be offered free of charge (additional fees for vaccines and pain medications may apply.) This procedure normally costs $20 for cats and $30 for dogs.

This operation can safely be performed on animals as early as eight weeks of age. Molokai does not have an animal shelter, and spaying and neutering is the only way to end overpopulation.

Call 558-0000 to make an appointment. All feral cats must come in a humane trap.…

Local Produce, Fresh Menus

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

Local Produce, Fresh Menus

Hotel Molokai upgrading food service

A farm to table approach is coming alive at Hotel Molokai’s Hula Shores restaurant under the leadership of Kitchen Manager and Oahu native Gene Pike. With Kumu Farms vegetables, Keawanui shrimp, Kaupu Farms fresh poi and many other Molokai-grown ingredients, patrons can now enjoy fresh, new favorites, while local farmers have an outlet to showcase their products.

“I want to integrate more Molokai products into our menu, and we can do that on an almost daily basis,” said Pike, who has lived in San Diego for the past 20 years and worked in the restaurant industry his whole life.…

Rockin’ It Out

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

Rockin’ It Out

Community Contributed

By Kalei “Pumpkin” Moss

On most days after school on the Kaunakakai Elementary School campus, sounds of a music band can be heard in the air. If you listen to the music you may think it was a “professional” band, but if you were to take a look, you would see that the bands are made up of various school age students. The 21st Century grant program is offering the School of Rock, band classes that teach students how to play various instruments and how to play different modern songs.

There are two different School of Rock groups – the elementary group made up of students in grades four through six, and a middle school age group.…

Ironwood Pro Receives Golf Award

Friday, April 27th, 2012

Ironwood Pro Receives Golf Award

Community Contributed

By Donna Brash

Darrell Rego, PGA Pro at Ironwood Hills Golf Course, was recently awarded the First Tee of Hawaii Coach of the Year for 2011. The prestigious state-wide award was presented to him on Oahu earlier this year. Approximately 48 young people on Molokai grades five through 11 participated in the program in 2011 and were coached by Rego.

The World Golf Foundation created First Tee as a way to bring golf to young people that otherwise would not be exposed to the game and its positive values. First Tee’s mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.…

Molokai Senior Earns Citizenship Award

Friday, April 27th, 2012

Molokai Senior Earns Citizenship Award

Mufi Hannemann News Release

Forty-two seniors, one from every public high school in Hawaii, received Citizenship
Awards on April 12 in recognition of their service to school and community. Molokai’s Charisse Manley of Molokai High School received the award, sponsored by Chelsea Group Limited.

The Citizenship Award, which marked its eighth year, is a collaboration between the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and the Department of Education.

A $1,000 scholarship was awarded to a top senior from each school. Recipients are standouts among their classmates, though not necessarily by dint of their scholastic achievements or other traditional yardsticks. The award honors those young people who have contributed to making Hawaii a better place and who best exemplify the Department of Education’s vision of a model public high school graduate who, among other things, exercises the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.…

What’s New at Maunaloa Elementary School

Friday, April 27th, 2012

Community Contributed

By Kalei “Pumpkin” Moss

Programs through the 21st Century grant are available to all communities on Molokai from the east end to Maunaloa, and Maunaloa has just added a couple new programs for its children to be involved in.

Maunaloa Elementary School has already been providing after-school academic support for children in grades third through sixth. Children are able to attend tutoring support, which gives extra help with homework, and skills support, which is a computer-based learning system for reading and math enrichment. This semester, Maunaloa Elementary School is now able to offer the same after school academic support programs for children in grades kindergarten through second, but the younger children will be able to also participate in crafts during the skills support class.…

Ka Hula Piko Festival 2012

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Ka Hula Piko Festival 2012

Halau Hula O Kukunaokala News Release

This year’s Molokai Ka Hula Piko festival will be held Thursday May 3 to Saturday May 5. This year’s theme celebrates our kupuna and is “Lei `ia Molokai ke aloha hulu mamo,” or “Molokai wreath in the love of the ancestors.” We honor our kupuna both living and of old who have perpetuated and preserved the traditions and knowledge of our culture that we have today.

Thursday’s festivities include two on-site excursions and an evening lecture. Friday we will be showing a documentary film titled “The Hidden,” featuring the late Kumu Hula John Kaimikaua, with a short Q&A to follow.…

Kudos for Kumu Farms

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Kudos for Kumu Farms

Molokai farm commended for business and service.

As one of Molokai’s longest-standing and most successful farms, Kumu Farms knew they were headed in the right direction. Over the past 30 years, they have become the largest exporter of organic papaya to the U.S. mainland, according to owner Grant Schule. About four years ago, they expanded their market to serve the local community, offering residents and visitors of Molokai a variety of organic produce fresh from the fields of the 120 acre-farm in Ho`olehua.

Their efforts were confirmed last month, when Kumu Farm’s commitment to agriculture and the community won them two awards — Edible Hawaiian Islands Magazine’s Local Heroes farm category, and the County of Maui’s Exceptional Small Business Award.…