Author Archives: Catherine Cluett Pactol

DMV Hires Two Employees from Molokai

Sunday, August 26th, 2012

DMV Hires Two Employees from Molokai

Those who are frustrated by long wait times at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office on Molokai to renew vehicle registration or drivers licenses may see improvement by the end of this year. The Department plans to extend hours of local operation, and hired two new employees who are residents of the island. Mahie McPherson and Candace Otsuka began training last month and are scheduled to begin work in November.

Training for the new employees at Fully-Verfied takes about three months at the Kahalui service center on Maui. A representative of the County Department of Motor Vehicle and Licensing (DMVL) said the new hires are expected to start their positions on Molokai beginning in early November, if not sooner.…

AARP Speaker Educated on Fraud

Friday, August 24th, 2012

AARP Speaker Educated on Fraud

AARP Molokai News Release

Adele Ching, representing the Senior Medicare Patrol, traveled from Oahu to tell AARP members on Molokai about their program at a well-attended meeting recently. They are part of the State Executive Office on Aging, and are charged with empowering seniors to prevent healthcare fraud. The program is federally funded and has been operating in Hawaii since 1997.

They have volunteers statewide and provide group presentations and one-on-one counseling in the basics of Medicare and Medicaid, fraud schemes, and how to combat errors, abuse and fraud.

If anyone is interested in the free training and certification to become a volunteer, call toll free 1-800-296-9422, or email laurel.paleka@doh.hawaii.gov.…

Kalaupapa Gets New Cardiac Monitors

Friday, August 24th, 2012

Hawaii Life Flight News Release

Hawaii Life Flight donated a LifePack Cardiac Monitor to the Kalaupapa community on Molokai. This vital instrument that administers patient care and cardiac outcomes was received on July 30.

“We understand how valuable it was to have access to a cardiac monitor particularly in a remote area of Molokai,” said Dawn Guillermo, Hawaii Life Flight program director. “We are especially happy to be able to provide this equipment to this community.”

The request came from Carol Franko, Kalaupapa Care Home Supervisor, stating that the two cardiac monitors they were using expired and needed to be replaced.…

Input Sought on County Budget

Friday, August 24th, 2012

County of Maui News Release

It’s that time of year when the County of Maui is proposing its budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year and looking for your input. Mayor Alan Arakawa and his administration will host a series of community meetings in September and October to take public testimony. Citizens with an interest in the county budget are encouraged to attend a meeting on Molokai Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 5:45 p.m. at the Mitchell Pauole Center.

Residents are invited to offer testimony, either as individuals or on behalf of an organization. Both written and verbal testimonies will be accepted.

The community meetings are designed to provide an opportunity for members of the community to present what they believe is needed for their area.…

Applications Invited for Molokai Community Plan Advisory Committee

Friday, August 24th, 2012

County of Maui News Release

Applications for a position on the Molokai Community Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) are now being accepted by the Council’s Policy Committee, Policy Committee Chair Riki Hokama announced last week.

According to Maui County Code, the CPAC is “charged with reviewing and recommending revisions to the community plan” regarding the proposed decennial update to its community plan area. The community plans are critical land use policy documents for the county.

The Molokai CPAC will probably begin meeting in the end of 2012. There will be one or more initial orientation sessions, followed by multiple working meetings.

Hokama noted that nine of the CPAC’s 13 members will be appointed by the Council, while four will be appointed by the Mayor.…

Athletics Workshops

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

Community Contributed

By Hoku Haliniak, MHS Athletic Director

Ever wanted to become a better athlete, coach or parent, but wasn’t sure how to take the next step? Workshops this weekend — the first of their kind on the island — hosted by the Molokai High School (MHS) Athletic Department and held by the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA), can help you learn how.

PCA is a national non-profit with the mission to provide all youth and high school athletes a positive, character-building youth sports experience. Since its 1998 launch at Stanford University by Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jim Thompson, PCA has impacted more than 4 million youth athletes.…

Over-the-Counter Medications and Keiki

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

Community Contributed

By Jon Mikami, RPh, and Kelly Go, RPh, Molokai Drugs, Inc.

Giving drugstore medications to your keiki is no big deal, right? Well, it shouldn’t be, as long as you use them the right way. But just because a medication is sold over the counter doesn’t mean it comes with a risk-free guarantee.

If your child has ever had a bad reaction to an over-the-counter (OTC) medication, stop giving the medication right away. Tell the doctor and pharmacy staff about it. Keep a record of its name, dosage directions, the illness it was used for, and the side effects it caused.…

Big Wind Environmental Impact Statement Meeting

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

Dept. of Energy News Release

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the State of Hawaii have established a long-term partnership to transform the way in which renewable energy and energy efficiency resources are planned and used in the state. In 2010, DOE announced its intent to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) with the state as a joint lead for wind energy development under the Hawaii Interisland Renewable Energy Program (HIREP). In response to public comments, as well as regulatory and policy developments, DOE has broadened the scope of the PEIS to now include energy efficiency, distributed renewables, utility-scale renewables, alternative transportation fuels and modes, and electrical transmission and distribution.…

Oceanic to Upgrade Molokai Broadband

Wednesday, August 15th, 2012

For years, Molokai has experienced some of the slowest broadband Internet service in the state, provided by Oceanic Time Warner Cable. For customers who struggle to stream Netflix movies or wrestle with buffering YouTube videos, good news may be on the way. With improved internet access, residents will soon be able to enjoy streaming services like tivimate without interruptions.

Oceanic’s cable television and broadband signals are currently sent to Molokai via microwave technology. Because Oceanic uses microwave to carry both TV and Internet signals, there is a lot of competition for bandwidth, causing slower speeds. But Oceanic President Bob Barlow said that will be changing soon.…

Moving Mountains of Metal

Sunday, August 12th, 2012

Moving Mountains of Metal

Molokai metals recycling event is now open.

If you’ve been collecting junk cars, appliances or scrap metal in your yard, now is the time to say goodbye to such lawn ornaments. A metals recycling collection event on Molokai, put on by the County of Maui, is going on right now until Sept. 8. The event allows residents to safely trash their scrap metal free of charge.

The current metals recycling program, which started three years ago, opens up once to three times per year. Located at the Molokai-Naiwa Landfill on Maunaloa Highway, the event is operated by Maui-based company Kitagawa’s Towing & Metals Recycling, which is contracted by the county to process the metals.…