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Author Archives: Jessica Ahles

Affordable Housing in Manila Camp

Thursday, August 22nd, 2013

A new apartment complex proposed for Manila Camp is in its initial planning stages and seeks to fulfill a need for affordable housing in central Molokai. The Chopra Hale apartments would consist of 16 units and occupy 1.04 acres located at 190 Makaena Place, according to project manager Luigi Manera.

The proposal was presented to the Molokai Planning Commission last week and commissioners voiced several concerns about its impact on the community. Some questioned the project’s goal itself.

Currently, the closest affordable housing options are in Kilohana and Maunaloa, Manera said. The apartments will provide more affordable housing closer to town; however Commissioner Billy Buchanan recommended that a study be conducted to ensure the apartment rates are reasonably priced for Molokai.…

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Safeguarding Kalaupapa’s Past

Thursday, August 22nd, 2013

Safeguarding Kalaupapa’s Past

The Kalaupapa peninsula’s long history of isolation makes it one of the most pristine cultural resources left in Hawaii, according to the National Park Service (NPS). Its 10,700-acre authorized park boundary keeps the landscape raw and untouchable from modern land developers but its overgrowth of invasive vegetation threatens to eat away the traces of ancient Hawaiian residents 1,000 years ago.

Though Kalaupapa is most commonly known for its Hansen’s disease residents that were exiled there in 1866 and the geographic and societal segregation that took place over 100 years, the peninsula hosted a dense Hawaiian population nearly 900 years prior. Their residency left a diverse wealth of sites, features and artifacts that researchers can use to reconstruct the past.…

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A Decade of Environmental Leadership

Thursday, August 22nd, 2013

A Decade of Environmental Leadership

As a child, Uncle Mac Poepoe fondly remembers fishing down at Mo`omomi Beach with family and friends, but as time passed, he began seeing the area increasingly populated with unfamiliar boats and people, over-fishing in its waters.

“I said, ‘Hey we’ve got to do something about this because if this continues, we’re not going to have many fish left for ourselves,’” said Poepoe.

He came together with a group of Molokai fishermen and community members who decided they needed more public input as to how environmental resources are managed.

Nearly 20 years later, his efforts have spread statewide. With the help of Kua`aina Ulu `Auamo (KUA)—formerly known as the Hawaiian Community Stewardship Network—a community-based management network formed incorporating more than 25 communities statewide dedicated to restore and sustain their environmental heritage.…

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Molokai Girl Excels in Neuroscience

Thursday, August 22nd, 2013

Molokai Girl Excels in Neuroscience

Community Contributed

By Robin and Dano Gorsich

Molokai girl Makalele Gorsich graduated with honors from UH Hilo on May 11.  She earned a BA in Psychology and an Educational Certificate in Early Childhood Elementary Education.  In four years at the University she achieved a cumulative grade point average of 4.0.  In her Junior and Senior years she was named as a UH Presidential Scholar, the only member of her graduating class to receive this honor.  This May she received the Outstanding Psychology Student of the Year Award, the first time this award had been bestowed in a number of years.

Makalele is the daughter of Robin and Daniel Gorsich of Waialua Valley, Molokai. …

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Talk Story with Sen. Schatz

Thursday, August 22nd, 2013

Talk Story with Sen. Schatz

Last week, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz made a visit to Molokai and talked story with business owners, farmers, advocates and residents. Schatz is former Hawaii Lt. Governor, and was elected by Gov. Abercrombie to serve out Daniel Inouye’s term until the 2014 special election, for which he is running. As a senator, Schatz sits on three Senate committees: Commerce, Energy and Natural Resources, and Indian Affairs. Here are some excerpted questions and answers — some from a conversation with the Dispatch and others from community members.

Question (Q): What do you love about Molokai?
Schatz’s answer (A): It’s the sense of people depending on each other and real aloha.…

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Propagating Breadfruit

Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

Community Contributed

By Joe Kennedy

Breadfruit is one of the easiest to grow, most abundant fruits for the amount of labor it takes to thrive. It can be prepared in endless ways for a starch or dessert. Propagation of this tree is key for many families to grow it successfully. The first two times I tried to propagate breadfruit were very successful. The next time was a failure but that was because I failed to maintain constant moisture. I think it’s pretty easy for most people to do this.

First, get the site ready where you want to grow your new breadfruit trees.…

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Intro to Drawing

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

UHMC Molokai News Release

ART 113 Intro to Drawing is being offered at University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC) Molokai campus this fall semester. It is structured as a beginning level class and focused on exploring a variety of media from charcoal to marker, pencil to pastel, ink to conte crayon.  You will discover more techniques and styles for how to draw what you see three dimensionally as well as how to express your feelings, culture and knowledge visually. Most importantly, you will learn how to see as an artist and realize that everyone can learn to draw.

The class is held on Tuesday and Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m.…

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Controlling Rats

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

Community Contributed

By Joe Kennedy

The rats and mice are back again in Ho`olehua. But never fear, we can control them or make the best of it no matter what.

Controlling or manipulating rats’ physical environment is the way to keep them away from your house.  Getting to the cause or the root of the problem — understanding what they like and what they don’t like — is the way to begin solving the problem.

Rats are concerned mostly with food and cover. The cover thing is all about them wanting protection from predators along pathways that can be long and complex.…

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New Measures for Student Success

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

New Measures for Student Success

Academic achievements and growth will be looked at differently this school year, leaving the Department of Education and Hawaii teachers with extra homework but optimistic predicted outcomes on Molokai.

The state Department of Education (DOE) received federal approval to implement the Strive HI Performance Strategy this 2013 school year. In May, Hawaii and two other states were granted federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waivers to follow their own school improvement plans. The strategy holds schools accountable to achieve new, multiple standards to measure growth and college and career preparedness, rather than relying solely on test scores to quantify achievement.

Hawaii parents, educators, community groups, and higher education representatives helped create the new standard, according to the DOE press release announcing the standard change.…

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Walking for a Cure

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

Walking for a Cure

Molokai families, friends, and coworkers came together last Friday at the Kaunakakai Ballpark to take part in the 2013 Relay for Life: Finish the Fight marking the 100th anniversary of the American Cancer Society. More than 200 participants walked the track honoring cancer survivors, remembering those that lost the battle, and helping fight for a cure.

“Molokai is one family—we are all ohana,” said event chair Avette Ponce. “We are one family and we’ll help each other no matter what.”

Emcee Kala Juario gave the opening speech.

“We’re here on our little island of Molokai doing what other relay-ers do in about 5,000 communities across America and in 20 other countries,” she said.…

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