Author Archives: Colleen Uechi

November Events for Veterans

Thursday, November 5th, 2015

Community Contributed

By Longie Dudoit, MVCV Vice Commander

Our Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans (MVCV) have a lot of activities for our veterans and community for the month of November.  On Thursday, Nov. 5, our state VA Counselor, John Condello, will be at our center from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for appointments only by calling (808) 433-0420.

On Friday, Nov. 6, at our center will be holding our general membership meeting from 10 a.m. to noon for election of board officers and directors for the next two years.  Our nomination committee chairperson, Jeanette Kahalehoe, is currently accepting interested veterans for all positions. …

Homesteaders Remember their Roots

Wednesday, November 4th, 2015

Homesteaders Remember their Roots

When homesteaders first took up residence on Molokai lands, they had to start from the ground up. Families worked hard together to put in roads and set up large wooden tanks to catch the rainwater for drinking and farming. They combined labor and resources to sow crops and purchase farming equipment.

Ninety years later, Ho`olehua’s fertile lands are inhabited by their thriving descendants, who own homes, grow crops and use the infrastructure put in place by their ancestors.

Last week, the Ho`olehua Homestead Association remembered its history at the homestead’s 90th anniversary celebration. For three days at the Lanikeha Community Center, hundreds of homesteaders gathered to share generations of stories and snapshots of the first families who got the chance to restore both the land and their people.…

Curbing Molokai’s Cat Population

Wednesday, November 4th, 2015

Curbing Molokai’s Cat Population

In Molokai’s backyards, business stoops and street corners, hundreds of cats roam wild. Last week, in an effort to keep the island’s feral feline population in check, the Molokai Humane Society (MoHS) hosted a free, week-long spay and neuter clinic.

Staff and volunteers caught feral cats by night, performed spay and neuter surgeries by day and released 248 sterile cats.

“Whether we want them to be or not, the cats are part of our environment,” said MoHS Executive Director Hoala Davis. “It’s a matter of trying to control the population that’s here.”

MoHS partnered with Animal Balance, a nonprofit organization of veterinarians and volunteers that bring animal sterilization programs to islands around the world.…

Farmers Become First-Time Football Champs

Wednesday, November 4th, 2015

Farmers Become First-Time Football Champs

Running through the tunnel at war Memorial Stadium in Kahului, Maui, is a young football player’s dream. Running through that tunnel and then winning in the championship game against an archrival is a Molokai football player’s dream come true.

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon on the big stage, the Molokai Farmers football team won their first eight-man Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) championship by defeating Seabury Hall 55-16.

“We came out and scored on our first two possessions, then we lost our way a little bit at the end of the first quarter,” said Head Coach Mike Kahale. “But in the second quarter we played better and it’s how you respond to adversity.…

Runners Reach Season’s Finish Line

Wednesday, November 4th, 2015

Runners Reach Season’s Finish Line

After posting their best times of the season at the league championships, Molokai cross country runners Keao Ross and Juaquin “Jake” Samaniego represented Molokai at the state championships last Saturday.

On Seabury Hall’s three-mile course, Ross finished 78th out of 200 in 18 minutes and 28.5 seconds, while his teammate Samaniego came in 105th, posting a time of 18:43.5, as reported by The Maui News.

Despite only traveling to a handful of meets this season due to limited funding, Molokai’s boys had strong showings when they did get the chance to compete. The Farmers finished in the top four of Division II teams at every meet they attended.…

Farmers Shoot Season Highs at States

Wednesday, November 4th, 2015

Molokai’s boys all bested their league championship scores and shooter Keaa Davis reached her goal of competing at the state level at last week’s air riflery championships on Maui.

Out of 50 boys shooters, Molokai’s Josh Cabreros tied for 22nd with 512 points, Jershon Kaalekahi tied for 29th with 506 points and Cody Nip was 40th with 492 points. Davis finished 49th out of 60 girls shooters with 467 points.

“The main person who wanted to improve his score was Josh,” said air riflery coach Chinky Hubbard, after Cabreros was dissatisfied with his league score. “… [The boys] were super happy and stoked.…

Community Planning Continues This Month

Wednesday, November 4th, 2015

After seven months of many six-hour-long meetings and much debate and community testimony, the first phase of the Molokai Community Plan Update process has come to a close. The volunteer board of Community Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC) members wrapped up their duties of review last month, though the updated plan is still a year and a half away from being completed and the opportunities for public feedback are far from over.

County Senior Planner Jennifer Maydan said the Molokai Planning Commission (MoPC) will begin its review of the draft plan on Nov. 12 during the group’s regular meeting.

“At the meeting they will decide if they will continue to review the draft plan during their regular meetings or in a separate track,” said Maydan, via email.…

Volleyball Closes Season in No. 3

Wednesday, October 28th, 2015

It was a long week of volleyball for the Molokai High School Lady Farmers at the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) Division II Championships at Seabury last week. On Tuesday, Molokai claimed the No. 3 seed for the MIL D-II tournament by beating Lanai 25-22, 25-16, 25-12. The Farmers and Pine Lasses both finished the regular season at 5-5, forcing a playoff to determine third and fourth place in the standings.

The rest of the tournament brought mixed success for the Farmers.

On Wednesday in the quarterfinal, Molokai defeated Maui Prep 25-7, 25-8, 22-25, 25-8 to advance to the semifinals against Hana.…

Veterans Corner: Sen. Hirono talks with vets

Friday, October 23rd, 2015

Community Contributed

By Jesse Church

Aloha all my fellow veterans and residents of Molokai, old Jesse here with all the veterans news and upcoming events. U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono conducted a town hall meeting at our Veterans Center on Tuesday, Oct. 13. She was well-received by more than 60 veterans and family members in attendance. The biggest issue was timely health care for veterans on Molokai. There was a 30-minute informal discussion on the veterans Choice Card program by Dr. Sarah Kistler, Dept. of Veterans Affairs, and Karl Kiyokawa of TriWest Healthcare Alliance. They explained the choice card program and answered questions.…

Wellhead Protection Project

Friday, October 23rd, 2015

County Dept. of Water Supply News Release

The Maui County Department of Water (DOW) Supply initiated the “Wellhead Protection Project” in order to protect the quality of our community’s drinking water wells. The land areas that could contribute water and pollutants to our drinking water sources have been mapped as “Wellhead Protection Areas.” If pollutants are spilled or discharged in these land areas, they could filter through the soil to the groundwater and be drawn into a drinking water well. The DOW, in collaboration with the community, developed a protection strategy and drafted a Wellhead Protection Overlay District Ordinance.

The DOW will hold an informational meeting on this project and the proposed ordinance on Tuesday, Nov.…