Author Archives: Colleen Uechi

Veterans Corner

Friday, April 10th, 2015

Community Contribute

By Jesse Church

Aloha all my fellow veterans and residents of Molokai, old Jesse here with all the veterans news and upcoming events. The new Choice Card program has left bad taste in the mouths of many veterans, and they are extremely angered by the situation. The program was supposed to get veterans to see doctors outside the VA. It was designed for veterans in remote areas or facing long wait times to give them a chance to see care providers, but the program is not working as advertised.

Since the VA started mailing out the cards in late October, about half a million veterans have inquired about the program but only around 30,000 have been able to receive private care appointments through the program.…

Workshop for Small Business Owners

Friday, April 10th, 2015

KBC News Release

We, as small business owners, are going to have some of “those days.” What keeps many small business people from succeeding? What are some doubts and limiting beliefs people starting out in business may face?  How “smart” do we have to be to really succeed?

To answer these questions ONABEN — Our Native American Business Network — in partnership with Kuha`o Business Center and MEO Business Development Center will offer a Small Business Workshop for Molokai Business Owners and Entrepreneurs on Tuesday, April 14 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the OHA/DHHL Conference Room at Kulana `Oiwi building D. …

Free Dental Services at Kualapu`u School

Friday, April 10th, 2015

Kualapu`u School News Release

Ho`o Mino`aka means “to create smile,” and the Ho`o Mino`aka Program is coming to Kualapu`u Public Conversion Charter School.  Through a partnership with the Molokai Community Health Center, Na Pu`uwai, UH John A Burns School of Medicine Department of Native Hawaiian Health, and the DentaQuest Foundation, all Kualapu`u School students will be able to have free preventive oral health care.

Treatment includes a dental exam, brushing education, protective sealant, fluoride varnish, and therapeutic fillings (no drillings).  A dentist, dental hygienist, and dental assistant will be on campus during the week of April 13-17.  Parental consent forms have been sent home with students, and are due to the school office by April 8.  …

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Friday, April 10th, 2015

Community Contributed

By Father Pat Killilea, St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa

It was time for my evening walk and Bailey accompanied me as is his custom. We walked past the Care Home where a nurse is always on duty to tend to any patient who is in need of care. We passed the Visitors’ Quarters and the Wilcox House, both of which accommodate visitors who come to experience this special settlement for a few days. We passed the Bayiew Home which now serves as offices for some of the National Park personnel as well as sleeping accommodations for others. When we got to the next intersection, we paused at the memorial Celtic Cross erected by the English in 1893 to the memory of Fr.…

Molokai at NSSA Championships

Friday, April 10th, 2015

Molokai at NSSA Championships

Community Contributed

By Clare Seeger Mawae

Alex Mawae recently competed at the regional event of the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) surfing competition in the Stand Up Paddle (SUP) Division at Kewalo’s, Oahu on March 16 and placed third in his division. This was an awesome experience for young Alex as he got a chance to see the incredible talent of the future Hawaii surfing generation. SUP has recently been added into the NSSA and slowly growing with the young competitors.

Twelve-year-old Alex’s strengths lie in long distance paddling when he first came on the Stand Up Paddling scene at 9 years competing in the Molokai Holokai and then onto the famous Maliko run on Maui’s north shore.…

Molokai Participates in STEM Conference

Friday, April 10th, 2015

Molokai Participates in STEM Conference

MEDB News Release

The sixth Annual Hawaii STEM Conference attracts state’s brightest STEM stars and prominent event partners Microsoft, NASA and other prestigious local, national partners join the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) for an empowering STEM event.

April 17-18, hundreds of students and educators throughout the state and industry professionals, offering some of the most innovative technologies in the world, will converge on the island of Maui. Held at the Wailea Marriott Resort, this popular event empowers students and educators with first-hand exposure to advanced technologies, the latest software training, and real world challenges in the form of fun, hands-on team competitions.…

Record Roi Round-Up

Wednesday, April 8th, 2015

Record Roi Round-Up

Molokai divers joined forces last month for a cause – to save native fish species by ridding the island of about 1,000 pounds of invasive roi.

“Nowadays everyone is about malama this, malama that. This is really giving back to the reef,” said local diver Dicky Dowling, who organized the second annual Molokai Roi Tournament. “That’s the most invasive species… Somebody gotta do something, you cannot just stand on the side.”

In the 1950s, the Hawaii Department of Fish and Wildlife introduced roi as a game fish for food. However, they have now overtaken the reef and prey on native reef fish.…

Solar Applications in Limbo

Wednesday, April 8th, 2015

Solar Applications in Limbo

Sixty-five applications for rooftop solar on Molokai currently remain in limbo at the hands of Maui Electric Company (MECO), according to company Communications Director Kau`i Awai-Dickson.

Most rooftop solar panels in the state are installed under a program called Net Energy Metering (NEM), which pays customers the retail electric rate for excess energy generated from their panels.

At 51 percent, Molokai has the highest percentage in Hawaii of rooftop solar compared to the island’s peak demand.

“Hawaii leads the nation as far as rooftop [solar], and Molokai leads the state,” said Mat McNeff, MECO manager of engineering, at a meeting on Molokai last month.…

NextEra Energy Open House

Friday, April 3rd, 2015

NextEra Energy and Hawaiian Electric News Release

The public is invited to provide input, learn more about NextEra and how the proposed merger with Hawaiian Electric Industries will advance a more affordable clean energy future for Hawaii. The companies will be hosting a series of 13 open house informational meetings across Hawaii to introduce residents to NextEra Energy and the benefits of the companies’ pending merger as well as to provide members of the public with the opportunity to provide input directly to company officials.

On Molokai, the open house will take place on April 9 at Kaunakakai School Cafeteria from 5 to 8 p.m.…

Ha`aha`a, the Quality of Humility

Friday, April 3rd, 2015

Community Contributed

Opinion by Rick Baptiste

We are on the fourth phase of our joint efforts in renewing the “Aloha Spirit” in our community so we all can live blessed lives on Molokai. The fourth phase is the letter “H” in the acronym of “ALOHA” with “H” standing for Ha`aha`a, the quality of humility expressed with modesty.

The definition of humility taken from Webster’s Dictionary is, “The quality of not thinking you are better than other people.”  Before I go deeper, I hereby ask anyone reading this for forgiveness, in the event I have come across to you in a high makamaka attitude.  …