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Author Archives: Catherine Cluett Pactol

Weather Stations Installed in High-Risk Fire Areas

Thursday, August 8th, 2024

Hawaiian Electric News Release

Hawaiian Electric has installed two weather stations on Molokai to provide key information about wind, temperature and humidity to help the company better predict and respond to fire weather conditions.

The project includes the installation of 52 weather stations across Molokai, Maui, Oahu and Hawaii Island. The weather stations, mounted on Hawaiian Electric utility poles, will provide meteorological data that will help the company to decide whether to activate and deactivate a public safety power shutoff, or PSPS. Under the PSPS program, launched July 1, Hawaiian Electric may preemptively shut off power in areas that are at high risk of wildfires during periods of forecasted high winds and dry conditions.…

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Homeowner Assistance Fund expands to $21M

Thursday, August 8th, 2024

Maui County News Release

Even more Molokai homeowners may be eligible for mortgage or other qualified housing expense assistance through the Maui County Homeowner Assistance Fund Program. Homeowners on Maui, Molokai and Lanai who were affected negatively by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for assistance and other resources to help avoid foreclosure.

Eligible homeowners may receive up to $60,000 in assistance through the program’s contracted service provider, Catholic Charities Hawaii (CCH).

The program started in May with an initial allocation of $7 million and recently received an additional $14 million. The additional funding will allow the program to serve between 240 and 570 more homeowners who experienced a financial hardship associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.…

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The Molokai Dispatch Wins 5 Awards

Thursday, August 8th, 2024

The Molokai Dispatch News Release

The Molokai Dispatch is honored to have won five Excellence in Journalism awards for its news coverage in 2023. The awards are held annually by the Society of Professional Journalism (SPJ) Hawaii Chapter and presented in newspaper, TV, radio and magazine categories. This year was the first time that the SPJ has combined all newspapers into the same category, rather than separating weekly and daily papers. Winners for 2023 were announced at an awards dinner last week in Honolulu.
Marissa Motas, the Molokai Dispatch’s graphic designer, was awarded second and third place in the News Page Design category for all newspapers statewide for her layouts of “Makahiki Worth the Wait” and “2023 Year in Review: January – June.”…

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Invasive Species Fishing Tournament

Thursday, August 8th, 2024

Invasive Species Fishing Tournament

The American Fisheries Society (AFS), in partnership with MyCatch by Angler’s Atlas, is hosting a Hawaii invasive species fishing tournament from Aug. 1 to Sept. 14. This is a free event with adult and youth categories and semi-monthly and grand prizes totaling $5,000. Anglers can fish anywhere in Hawaii using any method and are not required to disclose their locations, so your secret spots stay secret.

This tournament specifically targets four non-native species: Roi (Peacock Grouper), Ta’ape (Bluestripe Snapper), To’au (Blacktail Snapper), and Tilapia. Each species will have its own prizes in four categories: longest fish, shortest fish, hidden length, and keiki draws.…

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MAC Hosts Filmmaker

Thursday, August 8th, 2024

MAC Hosts Filmmaker

Last week, the Molokai Arts Center (MAC) held a private screening for a new short film set in Rapa Nui. Created by Sofia Rodrigues, the film “Marahoro” tells the story of a conflict between father and son, tradition and modernity.

Told through the simple beauty of old surfboards, laconic fishermen, Marlboro Reds and clock radios, the film connected with the substantial crowd gathered at the MAC on July 27.

“I thought it was beautifully done,” said audience member and longtime professional photographer Dewitt Jones.

Rodrigues used amateur actors from Rapa Nui, and a combination of Spanish and Rapa Nui to tell the story.…

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La Ho’i Ho’i Ea, ‘Sovereignty Restoration Day’

Thursday, August 8th, 2024

La Ho’i Ho’i Ea, ‘Sovereignty Restoration Day’

Molokai celebrated La Ho’i Ho’i Ea, or Sovereignty Restoration Day, on July 31 at the Molokai Public Library. A mini ho’olaule’a took place across the library lawn with booths and activities provided for keiki and their families. Native Hawaiian organizations Aina Momona and Ho’aka Mana brought activities like ‘ulu maika and konane for kids to check out, along with information on upcoming programs, Hawaiian language classes, books from Kamehameha Publishing and more.

Sovereignty Restoration Day honors the re-establishment of the Hawaiian Kingdom by Kamehameha III, following an illegal overthrow by a British officer in the 1843 Paulet Affair.

This year’s celebration attracted almost 100 Molokai residents.…

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Inaugural Dr. Aluli Scholarship at JABSOM

Thursday, August 8th, 2024

Inaugural Dr. Aluli Scholarship at JABSOM

As the newest class of aspiring doctors kick off the beginning of medical school at the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) at the University of Hawaii, one student in particular will carry with him the legacy of Molokai’s Dr. Emmet Aluli. Jordan Vedelli is the inaugural recipient of the full tuition scholarship in honor of Aluli.

Vedelli grew up in Waimea on Hawaii Island, before boarding at Kamehameha Schools Kapalama and then heading to Stanford for undergrad. Now, he’s poised to study his community’s health needs, and contribute to the future of medicine in Hawaii.

“Dr. Aluli was a graduate of our medical school’s very first class,” explained Matthew Campbell, director of communications at JABSOM.…

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Ferry Talks Amid Flight Shortage

Thursday, August 8th, 2024

Ferry Talks Amid Flight Shortage

The lack of reliable transportation to and from Molokai over the last several years has driven residents and Maui County officials to restart talks of bringing back the Molokai ferry. County officials and consultants made the trip over to Molokai for a preliminary feasibility study on the prospect of bringing back the ferry, with Maui County running it.

The ferry would operate “similar to how we have a bus system,” explained County Councilmember Keani Rawlins Fernandez at the Aug. 1 meeting at the Kualapu’u Rec Center.

Molokai residents offered opinions on the viability of bringing the ferry back, along with ideas for which wharf to run the ferry to on Maui and infrastructure upgrades.…

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History Project Receives Bayer Grant

Wednesday, July 31st, 2024

Molokai History Project News Release

The Molokai History Project, located in Kaunakakai, Molokai, received a $9,600 grant from the Bayer Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer in the U.S. This grant will be used to focus on education and encouraging students to learn the challenges and rewards of agriculture on Molokai, both in individual farming and large corporate farming. The mutual goals of Bayer Fund and the Molokai History Project are to see the communities we serve flourish. We will now work together in helping to educate, excite and encourage students to join in our effort to explore the history of agriculture from the earliest days so they can find their own pathway to success whatever they should decide.…

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Kupu ‘Aina Corps Calls for Molokai Participants

Wednesday, July 31st, 2024

Kupu News Release

Kupu, Hawaii’s leading conservation and youth education organization, today announced that applications are now open for the 2024-25 Kupu ʻAina Corps (KAC) program, which is actively seeking host sites and participants for paid opportunities in sustainability-focused sectors like renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and climate adaptation on Hawaii Island, Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Oahu.

KAC participants gain up to a year of paid experience in a sustainability-focused profession, while KAC host sites get the chance to train and grow future leaders for their organization. For participants, the fall Cohort 1 will start on Oct. 7, Cohort 2 will start on Nov.…

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