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Business

Unemployment Office Closing

Thursday, January 19th, 2017

Molokai’s Unemployment Insurance office is slated for closure at the end of this month because of federal budget cuts. The office has been open since the 1970s and has helped residents through the closure of many island industries. Now, officials say the community can still access services online and by calling the Maui office.

“All of the usual services and benefits of the Unemployment Insurance office will still be available to the residents of Molokai,” said Linda Chu Takayama, Director of the Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations.  “Face to face is always preferable but it has to be balanced with the economic situation.”…

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Students Intern with Local Businesses

Wednesday, October 5th, 2016

Students Intern with Local Businesses

 

Seven Molokai High students will have the opportunity to intern with some of Molokai’s 16 businesses that were selected to attend the Made in Maui County Festival (MIMCF) Nov. 4-5. The internship is a partnership between MHS’s Career and Technical Education and Fine Arts departments, the county’s Office of Economic Development, Kuha`o Business Center, and vendors that will be participating in the MIMCF. The program is being piloted for the county here on Molokai.

“This program has the potential to take our students to the next level in preparing for the business world,” said Jennifer Hawkins, small business specialist with the Kuha`o Business Center.…

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Cable Outage Caused by Water Leak

Saturday, March 12th, 2016

Oceanic Time Warner Cable customers on Molokai were without cable services for about 30 hours last week starting Wednesday evening. The outage was caused by a water leak in the east end building that houses Oceanic’s equipment, according to Norman Santos, vice president of engineering for Oceanic.

The company uses microwave signals to send cable and Internet signals from Lahaina, Maui to Molokai. A small building in east Molokai serves as the hub to receive those transmission signals. Santos said water started dripping into the building last Wednesday evening, March 9, and shorted out the two receivers for video signal. The third receiver for Internet remained operational, and Oceanic Internet did not fail during that time, according to Santos.…

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Ho`olehua Credit Union Closed

Friday, January 22nd, 2016

Ho`olehua Credit Union Closed

On Dec. 29, 2015, the First Hawaiian Homes Federal Credit Union (FHH FCU) closed its doors after being liquidated by the  National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). Located in Ho`olehua, the small building at the corner of Farrington and Pu`upe`elua Avenues served 1,379 members and had assets of nearly $3.2 million, according to the credit union’s most recent Call Report.

An NCUA press release said the national organization made the decision to liquidate the FHH FCU and close operations. They find an expert who has low-priced liquidation deals that can help them execute successful strategies. “after determining the credit union was insolvent and had no prospect of restoring viable operations.”…

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The Man Who Loves Christmas

Wednesday, December 16th, 2015

The Man Who Loves Christmas

Each year, a tent pops up on Molokai filled with the Christmas spirit. Step inside and you’ll find yourself in a wonderland of frosted decorations, festive wreaths, ribbons and lights. Spearheading the family operation, Del Gossert is known locally as the “Christmas man,” and for the least six years, has been spreading holiday cheer through discounted decorations under a tent near Hotel Molokai.

Gossert starts growing his full, white beard in October in preparation for Christmas. A self-proclaimed “Christmas fanatic,” Gossart admitted that at his former Maui residence, there was barely room for a bed amid the boxes of Christmas decorations he collected from different home decor stores.…

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Celebration Through Donation

Wednesday, November 25th, 2015

Celebration Through Donation

For 80 years, Molokai Drugs has doled out over-the-counter remedies to thousands of island residents. This year, however, the island’s only pharmacy is tending to the health of a unique customer: Molokai High’s ailing fleet of school buses.

To celebrate their milestone anniversary, the owners of Molokai Drugs donated a new 14-passenger bus to the high school, which spent nearly $15,000 last year in bus repairs alone.

The brand-new vehicle, which will be used on Maui, is a start to replacing a collection of buses that over the years have cost the school thousands of dollars, delayed numerous trips and limited the number of students and equipment that teams can take off island.…

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Hale Kealoha Unveils New Menu

Wednesday, November 18th, 2015

After debuting its pupus last month, Hotel Molokai’s recently restored restaurant expanded its menu to include breakfast, lunch and dinner last week.

Hale Kealoha, the first full restaurant service at the hotel in three years, is now open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Owners and siblings Tammy Smith and Kama Hoe called it the restaurant’s “soft opening,” a chance to get the staff comfortable and work out any kinks before the restaurant’s grand opening on Dec. 5.

“It’s a beautiful place, so come on back and create the memories of what used to be,” said Hoe.

Breakfast at Hale Kealoha now includes classics such as pancakes, French toast and oatmeal.…

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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.…

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12 Molokai Businesses at County Product Show

Friday, October 16th, 2015

KBC News Release

At this year’s second annual Made in Maui County Festival, we have 12 booths occupied by Molokai businesses. The Kuha`o Business Center (KBC) is excited to not only have businesses returning to the festival from last year, but to be adding to the list of Molokai businesses that will be represented. The festival takes place Nov. 6-7 at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in Kahului.

The event will boast a larger format with more products, more vendors, more food trucks, and more reasons to buy local. Nearly 140 product vendors and food trucks are confirmed for this year.…

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Molokai Joins Opposition to NextEra Merger

Wednesday, September 30th, 2015

Molokai residents voiced largely opposition two weeks ago to a proposed merger between Hawaiian Electric and NextEra, a Florida-based energy company. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is gathering public feedback on the proposed $4.3 million merger and will make a decision within the next six months. Molokai’s feedback, said Commission Chair Randall Iwase, has been in keeping with what they’ve heard so far around the state.

“The commission is not required to hold these sessions, but it was opinion of all three commissioners that it was important and appropriate to hear from the public,” said Iwase.

A majority of Molokai attendees testified that they opposed the merger.…

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