Author Archives: Jessica Ahles

Swinging Into Spring Sports, Part II

Wednesday, March 19th, 2014

Swinging Into Spring Sports, Part II

After a school year of Farmer athletics, spring sports are serving to ace the 2013-14 school year and represent the green and white all the way to the finish line.

Tennis
As MHS tennis returns for a second season under Head Coach Dean Chow, some are gaining their first court experience while others are returing to the team with high expectations to win “game, set, match” at the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) Championships in April.

Last year’s dynamic duo, Pono Chow and Kamanu Pascua, earned the MIL doubles title, and received a spot in the Hawaii High School Athletics Association [HHSAA] Championships.…

Molokai Parks Community Meeting

Wednesday, March 19th, 2014

Maui County News Release

A Molokai community meeting organized by the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) this week will include a presentation on the department’s proposed permitting and scheduling improvements for the use of County facilities. Parks officials also hope to gather input from individuals and organizations regarding improvement ideas for a stronger working relationship and partnership with DPR.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, March 20. The meeting had originally been scheduled earlier in the week. It will begin at 5 p.m. at Coffees of Hawaii, located in Kualapu`u.

Special event coordinators, tournament organizers and officials of adult sports organizations who utilize DPR facilities for their events on Molokai are encouraged to attend.…

Molokai USDA Employee Awarded

Wednesday, March 19th, 2014

Molokai USDA Employee Awarded

Hawaii Invasive Species Council News Release

During Hawaii Invasive Species Awareness week that started on Monday, March 3, Molokai U.S. Department of Agriculture employee Chevalier “Chevy” Levasa was recognized as the Maui Nui MVP for 2014. State representatives and senators presented a variety of awards to those who lead the fight against invasive species, including 2013 Community Hero, 2013 Hottest Hotline Report to 643-PEST, 2013 Business Leader, Greatest Hit of 2013 and MVPS’s from each county in the state. Declaring that “invasive species pose the single greatest threat to Hawaii’s health, environment, economy, and people” Governor Neil Abercrombie praised the award recipients for their dedication to protecting Hawaii.…

Red Cross Volunteer Honored

Wednesday, March 19th, 2014

Molokai’s Lester Keanini has traveled across the country, dedicated thousands of volunteer hours and even moved to Maui — all to support the Red Cross. For this dedication, he was recently awarded the honor of Maui County Volunteer of the Year.

The award is based on nominations, said Michele Liberty, Red Cross Maui director, and Keanini got the most nominations. Final selection was made by the Maui Advisory Council. March is Red Cross month, and Liberty said it’s also a time to honor the organization’s many volunteers — and “Lester’s humble humanitarian, spirit embodies that of the Red Cross mission.”

For the past year, she said, Keanini’s been volunteering every day, full time, at Maui Red Cross office.…

Middle School Robotics Going to World Competition

Wednesday, March 19th, 2014

Middle School Robotics Going to World Competition

Community Contributed

By Kaeo Kawaa

After starting a robotics program on a trial basis this year, students of Molokai Middle School (MMS) have swept the competition, placing first and third in the state. That qualifies them to compete in the 2014 VEX Robotics World Championship VEX IQ Challenge Division in California next month as well as the International VEX Summer Games in Honolulu.

“Making it to the World Tournament is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said MMS boys team member Ilima Ka’awa-Richardson. “Since we started at the bottom, this makes things so much sweeter!”

In Hawaii’s inaugural year of VEX IQ Robotics, students use science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills to maneuver their robots to score points.…

Konane

Friday, March 14th, 2014

Konane

A Game Played, Value Won

“It’s your move!” said Hiwa Ritte, urging her opponent, Ko`i Davis, who was carefully peering over a finely-made koa konane board. “I’m thinking!”  Ko`i said, scratching her head, pondering which `ili `ele `ele, or black piece, to move in rows of alternating white and black stones.

Described as a test of strategy and intellect, the ancient Hawaiian game of konane, played by ali`i and commoners alike, was considered a favorite pastime to socialize and to even settle disputes, according to Kauai cultural practitioner Sean Chun. Resembling the rules of checkers, it was said a konane tournament could last days and was a regular feature in every household.…

‘I Am Loved’ Project

Friday, March 14th, 2014

‘I Am Loved’ Project

MMS News Release

Do you want to be a part of Molokai Middle School’s “I Am Loved” campaign? The I Am Loved (IAL) project helps build relationships and expresses through visual pictures the message of love. The IAL project is part of a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports pilot program created and initiated by MMS Behavioral Specialist Kim Lani. She says the intent is to “strengthen bonds between students, loved ones and the community.” According to Lani, the IAL project boldly proclaims that everyone is loved and teaches youth that feeling and showing love is a normal, healthy and an expected positive behavior.…

Tips from the Vet for Your Pet: Tick Diseases

Friday, March 14th, 2014

Community Contributed

By Stewart Morgan Ph.D., D.V.M.

On Molokai, there are two common diseases that you and your pets can catch from ticks. The two diseases are ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. In people, ehrlichiosis can be fatal almost two percent of the time. Signs in people include fever, muscle pains, headache, fever, vomiting, diarrhea and signs similar to that seen with the flu, according to the Center for Disease Control. Anaplasmosis has similar effects in people, with a one percent mortality (death) rate.

The brown dog tick is the tick species that carries and spreads the diseases ehrlichiosis (ehrlichia) and anaplasmosis (anaplasma) on Molokai.…

Energy Education with Big Goals

Friday, March 14th, 2014

Energy Education with Big Goals

Molokai High junior Sarah Jenkins hopes that her senior project will take an island-wide trend of energy awareness and conservation to the next level. She said she thinks teaching Molokai’s youth about energy literacy is a good place to start, and on March 1, teachers from around the island participated in an energy education workshop with that very goal.

In a series of workshops offered statewide in collaboration between Hawaii Energy, a ratepayer-funded energy conservation and efficiency program, and National Energy Education Development (NEED), nearly 20 Molokai teachers from elementary through high school levels learned how to better educate their students on energy topics.…

Working to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse

Thursday, March 13th, 2014

Working to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse

Molokai is a strong, tight-knit community with close family and neighborhood ties. However, issues such as child sexual abuse are often avoided in conversation and swept under the rug for fear of damaging those relationships, according to a statewide study conducted in 2011.

“About sexual abuse, there are generations of it [on Molokai],” said an anonymous participant in the study lead by the University of Hawaii School of Social Work. “Everyone knows but no one talks about it cause it is a small community.”

Yet Molokai women broke the silence last Wednesday at the first women’s group meeting to address child sexual abuse on the island.…