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Author Archives: Catherine Cluett Pactol

Kaunakakai Saturday Market Revival

Friday, June 28th, 2024

Residents and visitors fondly recall the vibrant Saturday morning outdoor market that was held in Kaunakakai, where vendors sold a variety of goods including fresh produce, art, jewelry, baked goods, and local delicacies like musubi, mochi and kulolo. This bustling market fostered a sense of community with impromptu reunions and shared connections. The COVID pandemic halted this weekly celebration of local products, and subsequent changes to Ala Malama’s sidewalks have made it impractical for the market to return there.

To revive this cherished tradition, the Molokai Arts Center (MAC) and the Molokai Community Health Center (MCHC) are teaming up. Moving the market from its current location in front of Grace Church in Ho’olehua to the large, grassy field at MCHC will make it more central for residents on the island, along with offering ample parking, restroom access and tent coverage.…

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Mo’olelo Exploration at the Library

Friday, June 28th, 2024

Mo’olelo Exploration at the Library

As Molokai residents settle into summer, the Molokai Public Library continues to offer compelling programming for kids and adults alike. Last Wednesday, June 19, the world-famous Taiko Center of the Pacific made the trip over to Molokai for a special performance.

The taiko performers explored the art of storytelling through drumming. In front of a crowd of 120 Molokai community members, which included the Kaunakakai Summer Pals program, the drummers enacted stories of snowy days, horseback arrow attacks and samurai invasions.

Made possible by the University of Hawaii’s statewide cultural expansion program and the Friends of the Library of Hawaii, the taiko drummers are just one part of the many experiences to be hosted by the library in conjunction with this year’s summer reading challenge.…

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Young Paniolo on to Nationals

Friday, June 28th, 2024

Young Paniolo on to Nationals

Cousins Bailey Sproat and Buzzy Sproat-Augustiro, both Molokai High School juniors, qualified last weekend for the National High School Rodeo Finals after a strong performance at the state finals. The duo placed third in the team roping event, earning a spot in the upcoming national tournament.

Even though Bailey is a defending champion in the event, she and Buzzy weren’t certain they would qualify, having not been able to compete in several rodeos leading up to the state finals.

“My teammate Buzzy and I missed our first two rodeos at the start of the season, and we were still able to place third in the state,” shared Bailey in a social media post.…

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Summer’s First Regatta

Friday, June 28th, 2024

Summer’s First Regatta

Hundreds of Molokai residents cheered from the wharf as they watched the first home regatta of the paddling season last Saturday. Molokai athletes from keiki to kupuna from the island’s canoe clubs lined up against each other in quarter and half-mile races. Calm winds and quiet waters made for competitive racing across the field. The next regattas will be held on July 6 and July 20 in the lead up to the state championships, which will be held Aug. 3 in Ke’ehi, Oahu and will be hosted by the Molokai Canoe Racing Association this year.   …

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2025 County Budget Includes Funds for Puko’o Fire Station

Thursday, June 20th, 2024

Maui County News Release

Alongside Maui County Council Chair Alice Lee and Council Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Mayor Richard Bissen signed into law an approximately $1.263 billion fiscal year 2025 budget that boosts housing for residents, especially those who were displaced after the 2023 August wildfires, supports wildfire recovery and resiliency, bolsters social service programs and delivers core County of Maui services.
For Molokai specifically, the budget included $2.25 million in funding for the Puko’o fire station.
The budget was signed into law a week after it was unanimously passed by the Maui County Council on June 5.…

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Kamaka Air Resumes Flights

Thursday, June 20th, 2024

Kamaka Air News Release

Kamaka Air, Hawaii’s premier inter-island air cargo company, is proud to announce it has resumed full flight operations servicing all islands in the state once again. Due to recent personnel transitions, Kamaka temporarily halted its flights on June 5 but ensured continued deliveries through a partnership with a third-party airline.
“At Kamaka Air, we understand the essential role our services play in delivering products, medications, and mail to residents across every Hawaiian island. We deeply regret any disruption caused by the events of last week,” said David Hinderland, CEO of Kamaka Air. “Today, our planes are flying again, our teams are excited to be in the air, servicing our great Kamaka Air customers who depend on our deliveries for their everyday needs.…

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Public Safety Power Shutoff Program

Thursday, June 20th, 2024

Hawaiian Electric News Release

With the dry summer months ahead, Hawaiian Electric is expanding its wildfire safety strategy by launching a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program. Starting July 1, Hawaiian Electric may preemptively shut off power in areas that appear at high risk of wildfire during periods of forecast high winds and dry conditions to help reduce the risk of wildfires.
For Molokai, approximately 1,300 residents in Kaunakakai and Kualapuu would be potentially impacted by the PSPS.
This program is our last line of defense to keep communities safe and may result in extended power outages. The program will start in areas that Hawaiian Electric has determined present higher wildfire risk factors.…

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An Invitation to all Students

Thursday, June 20th, 2024

An Invitation to all Students

Molokai History Project News Release

Summer is here. School is out. Looking for something interesting? The Molokai History Project welcomes students to come to the museum, take on the responsibility of looking after it for a two hour shift one day a week. You can meet new people and learn a lot of facts about our Molokai history that you might not know. It’s a rewarding task, and one we think you would enjoy. We just honored all those who do this job, called a docent, with a delicious luncheon. There could be another one at the end of the summer if you come and help us plan it.…

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Workforce Boost for Solar Energy

Thursday, June 20th, 2024

Workforce Boost for Solar Energy

Molokai has a new batch of home-grown solar sales graduates.

“There’s a lot more to come, a lot more to build upon, but the goal is for everyone to seize this vision and make the commitment to renewable energy,” said Liliana Napoleon, Ho’ahu Energy Cooperative Molokai’s (HECM) project coordinator.

After completing a spring term course in collaboration with HECM, the ten graduates of the Clean Energy Solar Sales Training Course were recognized for the skills and knowledge they acquired at their graduation on June 10. The course focused on understanding the marketability and economics of solar systems as well as the technical features of solar installation.…

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STEM Day for Molokai Students

Thursday, June 20th, 2024

STEM Day for Molokai Students

Beneath a starlit sky, Molokai students observed the rising constellations, set to navigate the Hokule’a canoe through the night. That is, until they took off the virtual reality goggles and realized they were still at Kaunakakai Elementary School’s STEM Day.

More than 120 Molokai students from third to sixth grade participated in the inaugural STEM Day. Run by the Maui Economic Development Board STEMworks program, STEM Day focused on creative and critical thinking in fields of science, technology, engineering and math.

Throughout the daylong workshop, which took place on May 22, students were walked through sessions involving artificial intelligence, virtual reality, video game design and more.…

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