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Author Archives: Catherine Cluett Pactol

Lantern Ceremony Brings Grieving Families Together

Thursday, November 7th, 2019

Lantern Ceremony Brings Grieving Families Together

The Molokai community gathered last Saturday evening to remember the 20 lives lost 30 years ago when Aloha Island Air flight 1712 crashed in the mountains of east Molokai on Oct. 28, 1989. Family members and friends of the victims released glowing lanterns onto the water at twilight, joining other residents in remembering loved ones they’ve lost at the sixth annual Floating Lantern Ceremony.

“Sometimes in grief, you feel that if you push it away, it will make it easier, but in reality we need to remember their names, remember their faces, remember their lives and the ways that they impacted our lives,” said Barbara Helm of Hospice Hawaii Molokai, one of the event sponsors, along with Molokai’s Guzeiji Soto Mission.…

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Concerns Rise Over Community Health Center

Saturday, October 26th, 2019

Frustrations over staff shortages, concerns about a medical clinic closure in August and what has been called “gross mismanagement” by organization leadership have left a path of broken trust in Molokai’s federally funded Community Health Center. Tensions have recently come to a head, and many community members and politicians are calling for the resignation of Health Center leadership.

Patients and family members have recounted how a clinic closure for four days on Aug. 22, 23, 26 and 27, as well as failures to refill prescriptions, make timely appointments and other issues with the Health Center have left them and their families in challenging or potentially life threatening situations.…

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Gerry Anderson: ‘A Wonderful Life’

Thursday, September 5th, 2019

Gerry Anderson: ‘A Wonderful Life’

Longtime Molokai resident and former owner of The Molokai Dispatch, Gerry Anderson, has passed away at the age of 83, leaving a legacy of travel, science, kindness and a newspaper. He and his wife, Edie, lived in West Molokai since 1987, 18 years of which he battled lymphoma, while they pursued their love of world travel.

“When he was in the last few days, he looked at me and said, ‘You know, I’ve had a wonderful life,’” Edie recalled. “He meant it… He had a traumatic childhood but he didn’t dwell on it. Everything he did, he was self-made.”

Gerry was born in China in 1935 and grew up in New Jersey.…

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Halawa Church Has Collapsed

Thursday, September 5th, 2019

Halawa Church Has Collapsed

Portions of the iconic lerusalema Hou Church in Halawa Valley fell to the ground last week after sitting vacant since 2015. Tucked into the lush valley, the church was built in 1948 and at more than 70 years old, it had fallen into disrepair. The church’s Kahu Reynolds Ayau said in 2015 that the church was closing its doors for services because “dry rot and termites have made it a total hazard.”

Pilipo Solatorio of Halawa said he recalls helping to build the church when he was a kid. His grandparents, along with other families, worked to erect the structure and it had seen many services, celebrations and community losses in its 70 years.…

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Kalaupapa Pavilion Gets a Facelift

Thursday, January 17th, 2019

Kalaupapa Pavilion Gets a Facelift

For 53 years, a small building has stood at the edge of the ocean in Kalaupapa, holding many special occasions and happy memories for residents. The Ocean View Pavilion, built in 1965 by members of the Kalaupapa Lions Club, recently underwent long-awaited renovations and was reopened in a dedication ceremony on Dec. 19. “After years of sea spray, rain and trade winds, the building needed repairs, specifically a new roof, some structural beams and a painting,” stated a Kalaupapa Lions news release last year. “ [It] stands as a testimony to the strength and fortitude of the residents of this tiny settlement.”…

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Ho’olehua Veterans Center Stirs Controversy

Friday, November 30th, 2018

Ho’olehua Veterans Center Stirs Controversy

A proposed, controversial $4 million veterans center in Ho’olehua is moving forward, amid high emotions among veterans and confusion about the project’s origins. The proposed 7,000 square foot building to be located behind Lanikeha Community Center will house Veterans Affairs services, as well as a meeting room, classroom and office spaces, a kitchen and covered outdoor gathering area and serve as a joint facility with the Dept. of Hawaiian Homelands.

Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans (MVCV) board members say they sought $400,000 in funding a few years ago to complete the Kaunakakai Center parking lot and other remaining projects. The 3,000-square-foot structure on Wharf Road was finally completed in 2015 after a long struggle through permitting hoops and funding woes.…

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Casting Your Vote

Sunday, November 4th, 2018

What: General Election 2018

Why: There are so many reasons to vote in the election, and everyone may have a different one. Here are a few that might inspire you. Vote in the General Election for a better future for your children and grandchildren. Vote to put into action your vision for the island, county, state and country. Vote so you can complain with integrity. Vote to change Hawaii’s typically low turnout at the polls. Vote because your vote does matter.

When: Tuesday, Nov. 6. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Early walk-in voting is currently open until Nov.…

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GET Local Youth Cooking Contest

Sunday, September 9th, 2018

UHCES News Release

The University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service (UHCES) is launching a campaign to promote local growers in the community and encourage healthy eating by holding a GET Local Video Cooking Competition. GET local stands for Grow, Eat, Think Local. All students who are 12 to 18 years old are invited to submit a cooking video that highlights their cooking abilities, uses a local ingredient for their recipe, and includes information on the local farmer.

Prizes for winners include the chance for one recipe to be added to the menu of a top restaurant on Maui, an opportunity to film a live cooking show with a celebrity chef for a local television station, and $100 gift cards for video recording equipment.…

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Recalling Kulaia History

Sunday, September 9th, 2018

Molokai Canoe Festivals Committee News Release

Historical records dating back to 1865 note Hawaiian outrigger canoe race competitions as one of the many events our kupuna took part in during annual la kulaia, days of festivities honoring the Kingdom of Hawaii and especially honoring our beloved monarchy.  During that era, kulaia generally occurred once a year during a national holiday or birthday celebration of a mo’i (monarch). 

After the overthrow of our beloved Hawaiian Kingdom, kulaia festivities changed focus and no longer celebrated the Kingdom and monarchy.  In historical records, we see the shift from national celebration to simply canoe race competitions. …

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Funds for Student-Led Environmental Solutions

Sunday, September 9th, 2018

Kupu News Release

Molokai students who want to help their schools or communities go green now have a chance to earn funding to back their big ideas. Conservation and education nonprofit Kupu, in partnership with Kokua Hawaii Foundation, is launching its third annual Hawaii Youth Sustainability Challenge mini-grant program, which supports student-led environmental initiatives.

Applications are now open and due Oct. 19. Students in grades 6-12 from public, private, and charter schools statewide are encouraged to apply.

“We are so excited to host another Hawaii Youth Sustainability Challenge mini-grant opportunity,” says Kupu CEO John Leong. “Not only is this a great experience for Hawaii’s next generation of eco-preneurs and eco-engineers, but it’s also a win for the community at large.…

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