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Author Archives: layout@themolokaidispatch.com

M2O Brings Racers, Competition, Controversy

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

M2O Brings Racers, Competition, Controversy

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

More than 200 athletes representing over 20 countries pushed off the sandy shores of Kepuhi Beach last Sunday to compete in the Molokai 2 Oahu (M2O) paddle board world championships. Competing on standup paddles, prone boards, hydrofoils and more, the athletes were joined by escort boats on their 32-mile journey across the notorious Ka’iwi Channel. As the last of the boats disappeared into the blue horizon, many Molokai residents were left with questions, concerns, and, in some cases, trash to contend with. 

The return of the 24th annual M2O after a three-year pandemic break caught many Molokai residents by surprise. …

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Podcast Highlights Sustainability on Molokai

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

By Jack Kiyonaga | Editor  

Hawaii Public Radio (HPR) launched a new podcast last month called “O ko makou Hawaii keia: This Is Our Hawaii.” It is HPR’s premiere “digital-first” podcast.

Episode four in the series is called, “On Molokai, sovereignty starts with food” and examines Molokai’s efforts to establish local food and resource sustainability. The episode features interviews with Molokai’s own Todd Yamashita and Malia Akutagawa. 

“Molokai’s story is a vital piece of this podcast because of how the tight-knit community has come together to focus on food sustainability and resource sovereignty — efforts that can be an example to the rest of the state of how Hawaiians and locals can have more of a say in the future of our ʻaina,” said Russell Subiono, host of “This Is Our Hawaii.” …

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Milestone in Renewable Energy Planning

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

Molokai Clean Energy Hui News Release 

The Clean Energy Hui, a community-based volunteer group, submitted the Molokai Community Energy Resilience Action Plan (CERAP) 1.0 report to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on July 14. It marks another step towards Molokai meeting the 2045 state commitment for 100 percent renewable energy. 

The CERAP journey started in July 2021, when the Hui requested a PUC status conference to place on hold a Hawaiian Electric-proposed project at Pala’au and provide time for Molokai to develop their own community-based renewable energy plan. The unprecedented status conference request was successful, and the Hui began developing and executing the community-initiated and led renewable energy planning process in partnership with the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute which are the renewable energy technical advisors.…

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Senate Committee Visits Molokai

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

State Senate News Release 

Between July 26-28, members of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means visited multiple venues on Maui and Molokai, where they were met by state officials and community members who delivered presentations on their plans for a range of both Governor’s and Senate priorities, including economic and workforce development, investments in infrastructure, the coalescing of a food innovation network, and the future of Kahoʻolawe and Kalaupapa.

Hawaiian community priorities were also a focus of the Maui County site visits, taking the members from Maui to Molokai and ending in Kalaupapa. Chair Watson provided a progress report on the historic $600 million appropriation in 2022, with the encumbrance of the $200 million in Fiscal Year 2023 and the remaining $400 million expected by the end of Fiscal Year 2024 for homestead and infrastructure development statewide.…

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County Grants Available

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

Maui County News Release 

Nonprofit and for-profit organizations in Maui County, including Molokai, that offer or plan to offer programs or services in social welfare, youth services, alcohol and substance abuse, homelessness, youth centers or animal management are encouraged to apply for county Department of Housing and Human Concerns Fiscal Year 2025-26 grants.

The grant proposal application period opened Aug. 1 and continues until 4:30 p.m. Aug. 31. No late submissions will be accepted. Funding periods will be for fiscal years 2025 (July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025) and 2026 (July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026).

Application forms and instructions are found on the Department of Housing and Human Concerns’ Grant Management Division website, mauicounty.gov/252/Grants-Management-Division…

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Kupuna ‘Ai Program

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

Sust’ainable Molokai News Release

Help us continue to provide fresh, locally grown foods to our island’s kupuna!

We’re thrilled to announce the ongoing pursuit of our Kupuna ‘Ai program, which allows community members to purchase fresh, locally grown food boxes and donate them for delivery to local kupuna in need. We’re collaborating with organizations such as the Molokai Rural Health Community Association, which has active kupuna programs, to deliver weekly community supported agriculture (CSA) boxes containing locally grown foods like kalo pa’a, bananas, papaya, and eggs via the Sustʻainable Molokai Mobile Market completely free of charge to our island’s kupuna. 

The Kupuna ‘Ai program was launched in March and is a way for us to give back to the community and support our kupuna, who have played such a vital role in shaping our island’s culture and history.…

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Kanikapila Group Schedule Change

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

Kanikapila Group Therapy News Release

Effective August, 2023, Kanikapila Group Therapy (KGT) will be meeting every Wednesday at the Kualapuu Recreation Center (Park) from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. KGT is no longer at the Congregation Church Pavilion in Ho’olehua.

What do we do? We play music! All are welcome to come and join in or just sit back and enjoy the music.  You can follow KGT on Facebook at bit.ly/kanikapilaGT.

This is a free event open to the public.…

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Reflections from a Dispatch Board Member

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

Reflections from a Dispatch Board Member

The history of newspapers on Molokai is a colorful one. Often times it revolves around the individuals behind the scenes who keep the tenets of journalism alive in our far off-the-grid community.  

I don’t think Catherine Cluett Pactol of New Hampshire, fresh out of college in 2008, had any idea that she would become one of these central figures. Or that she would go on to elevate Molokai further by expanding coverage of Maui County through a job she envisioned for herself at Hawaii Public Radio.

 Fifteen years ago, the responsibilities of editor, publisher and layout artist were burning me out.…

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Molokai History Project

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

Following the passing of Dr. Aluli late last year, there was a groundswell of support to establish a place on Molokai to share our collective histories and cultural objects. Over the past few months, a group of 15 plus individuals have met to brainstorm ways to make this possible. Most recently, our group met with Pulama Lima, the executive director of Ka Ipu Makani Cultural Heritage Center, a local nonprofit already doing heritage preservation work on Molokai. As a curator, Lima emphasized the importance of keeping and preserving our history on island, and the need for these artifacts to be cared for as required by conservation standards.…

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Sheila Loretta Polena Awai

Wednesday, August 9th, 2023

Sheila Loretta Polena Awai

Sheila Loretta Polena Awai, a cherished kupuna, passed victoriously at age 86. Aunty Sheila exemplified her belief of unconditionally loving her Molokai island community. She was a beloved preschool teacher, an advocate towards foster care, education, mental health, and sexual and drug abuse services. She dedicated her life to God and was a faithful member of the Molokai Seventh-Day Adventist Church. 

Our mom passed away peacefully with God’s grace on July 3, 2023, at her home in Kalamaula, Molokai, surrounded by her ‘ohana. She was born on Feb. 26, 1937, in Kalihi, Oahu. She is survived by her four children Candace W.…

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