Author Archives: Eileen Chao

Battle for the Belt

Sunday, September 9th, 2012

Battle for the Belt

Molokai cowboy and professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Sale Sproat came home from MMA event, Destiny: Na Koa, with the championship belt for the Pro Middleweight title around his waist. Sproat defeated Douglas Silva Moura, a student of famous Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Anderson Silva, who sat ringside for the fight on Saturday at the Blaisdell Arena on Oahu. Sproat, 185 pounds, won by technical knockout (TKO) within a minute and a half of the first round.

“This is the hardest I’ve ever trained in my life — I was well-prepared mentally and physically,” said Sproat. “I’m definitely happy with the way [the fight] went.”…

Lafaele Wedding Mahalos

Thursday, September 6th, 2012

Lafaele Wedding Mahalos

To our family and friends near and far, mahalo for celebrating our wedding day with us. We are blessed to have such fantastic people in our lives. Thank you for all the wonderful gifts and generous contributions.

Our parents, Simoi and Cynthia Luafalemana and Pele Lafaele for your unconditional love, support, hard work and devotion; our siblings Seanalle, Justin, Mahealani, Punahele, Leya-Justina and Michael, Tipo and Aneki we appreciate everything you’ve done for us throughout the year; beautiful Kalia, Nakili, Marina, Justice and handsome Kinohi for bringing us so much joy. Mahalo Kahu Leimana Naki; Shonelle Pawn-Kalilikane for the decorations; Gospel Shoes of Jesus Christ Church; Grandma Ruthie; Naki and Caparida Ohana, Ikaika Manu and decorators; Adolpho Ohana; Uncle Eddie Kaili; Uncle Bill Castor; John Keohula, Jr.…

`Aha Wahine Conference

Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

`Aha Wahine Conference

Community Contributed

By Lailani Kahn

`Aha Wahine Kuhinapapa, a two-day women’s conference held at Leeward Community College, is designed to “inspire, in quire, invest and invigorate each other with `ike, aloha and kuleana”. This year’s conference was held from Aug. 17 to 18, where 14 Molokai participants included kupuna, students, mothers, daughters, health professionals and community members. With the success of the ‘Aha Kane, the intent of this conference was to reconnect women to their Hawaiian heritage.

“Native Hawaiian women have been gathering in smaller groups around their particular practices, but [it is important] to have one on a grander scale that dealt with larger issues that all of us as native Hawaiian women deal with –social, economic, health, educational and so forth,” said Mehanaokala Hind, co-coordinator of this year’s conference.…

8th Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser

Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

8th Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser

MHS Girls Volleyball News Release

The quiet morning at Ironwood Hills Golf Course was interrupted by the familiar “ping” of metal on rubber as 42 eager golfers set out to win the 8th annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser, hosted by Molokai High School (MHS) Girls Volleyball Booster Club on Aug. 25. Great camaraderie was shared by all and participants and guests enjoyed awards, special prizes, lucky number and lunch served by MHS’ Lady Farmers. All proceeds go towards expenses for the upcoming season.

Blossom Poepoe, Keif Apo and Keith Hirashima net a score of 59.2, winning this year’s tournament. Friendly Market’s team –Jeff Egusa, Sty Falealii and Frances Magdarilla –came in a close second with a score of 59.3.…

Swimming the Seven Seas

Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

Swimming the Seven Seas

Swimmer from India aims to complete the Molokai-Lanai Channel

As inclined towards the water as islanders are, few Hawaiians can boast the ability to swim 10 hours non-stop. However, open water swimmer from East India, Amol Adhav, has swam the English Channel, the Bhagirathi River in India and the South African Channel to Robben Island. This week, he hopes to become the first man from India to swim the 9.3-mile-long Kalohi Channel between Molokai and Lanai.

The 32-year-old said it is his dream to swim in oceans all around the world. Originally from Bombay, India, Adhav has won endurance competitions in long-distance and marathon running as well as local swimming tournaments.…

Molokai Marine Receives High Honor

Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

Almost 70 years after he fought in World War II, Marine Corps veteran and Molokai resident William Harris Jr., 87, received the Congressional Gold Medal last week for his service.

Harris was among the first 20,000 African-American Marines in the 1940s, training at Montford Point Camp in Jacksonville, N.C. The Montford Point Marines, as they were called, served in a time of racial discrimination and segregation.

“We had people from different parts of the country who, if a black came in and sat down at the table with them, they would get up and leave without finishing their meal,” said veteran Robert Talmadge in an interview with KITV News.…

Protecting Public Lands

Sunday, September 2nd, 2012

Residents testify against the PLDC at public hearing

“It is dangerous to put public lands in private hands,” said Molokai resident Kauhane Adams. Yet it seems that this is exactly what legislature created the Public Land Development Corporation (PLDC) to do when they passed senate bill Act 55 in 2011 that established the corporation.

The PLDC’s intent to “generate additional revenues for the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) by developing under-utilized or unused public land,” according to a written statement circulated by the PLDC.

Homesteader Adolph Helm claimed that the PLDC would allow “fast-track boondoggle projects that benefit the private developer and the pockets of the well-connected [while] stripping Native Hawaiian beneficiaries of trust lands.”…

Renegotiating Oceanic’s Services

Sunday, September 2nd, 2012

Molokai residents are frustrated with Oceanic Time Warner Cable, the island’s only provider of cable television (CATV) and broadband Internet services. Many claim that though they pay the same price as on other islands for Internet, they get only half the speed.

As part of the process to renew Oceanic’s franchise, possibly for the next 20 years, the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), who regulates CATV statewide, is gathering community input across the islands on Oceanic’s services as well as public access services provided by Akaku Maui Community Television.

“We want feedback on the level of service being provided by both Oceanic and Akaku,” said Donn Yabusaki, administrator of the DCCA’s CATV division.…

Lunch with Mazie Hirono

Sunday, September 2nd, 2012

Lunch with Mazie Hirono

Congresswoman and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Mazie Hirono paid the Friendly Isle a visit on Thursday to talk story with members of the community. She hosted a question and answer (Q&A) luncheon with the Molokai Veterans held at Molokai Drive Inn.

At the Q&A session, Hirono discussed her commitment to provide benefits for veterans, her plans to introduce bills that would create jobs for Hawaii, her work with schools to promote sustainability and her ongoing crusade to protect middle class taxpayers. She stressed the need to “cut the fat”–or wasteful spending –from the budget to reduce the national deficit, not by increasing taxes for middle class families, but by eliminating the Bush tax breaks for big oil companies and the wealthiest two percent of the American population.…

Bio-Logical Capital Agrees to Buy Hana Ranch on Maui

Sunday, August 26th, 2012

Hana Ranch Partners signed a sale agreement last week to pass ownership of its cattle ranch on Maui to Bio-Logical Capital, the land development company that teamed up with Pattern Energy last year and formed joint venture Molokai Renewables to study the feasibility of developing a 200-megawatt wind farm on Molokai.

Guy Kaulukukui, Bio-Logical Capital’s senior vice president, said the company plans to preserve and possibly expand Hana Ranch’s cattle operations.

“We are truly humbled to take on the kuleana of this remarkable ranch,” said Kaulukukui in a news release. “It is at once a privilege and a great responsibility… [Hana has] the potential to become a model for sustainable ranching and farming practices in the state.”…