Business

Monsanto Hawaii Offers Two Scholarships

Wednesday, February 13th, 2013

Monsanto Hawaii Offers Two Scholarships

Monsanto Hawaii News Release


Applications are now being accepted for Monsanto Hawaii’s two scholarship programs – the Monsanto Hawaii Life Sciences Scholarship and the Monsanto Hawaii Agricultural Scholarship.

High school seniors interested in a life sciences degree are invited to apply for the Monsanto Hawaii Life Sciences Scholarship. As many as 10 scholarships of $1,000 each will be awarded in 2013. This scholarship is open to graduating seniors of all high schools in Hawaii who will be attending an accredited college or university to pursue a discipline related to the life sciences (including agriculture, agronomy, biology, botany, genetics, horticulture, plant physiology, chemistry, crop science and soil science).…

Hamakua Coffee Bubbles With Success

Wednesday, February 13th, 2013

Hamakua Coffee Bubbles With Success

Acid-free coffee and bubble drinks were modern ideas on Molokai, but the family behind Hamakua Coffee had a modern approach to business. There wasn’t a coffee bar in Kaunakakai last January, so the Hamakua ohana sold drinks at the 2012 Alternative Energy Festival and began a business that would serve the community and keep the family close.

Now the innovative business offers hot coffee and refreshing frozen drinks underneath their portable tent. They set up Tuesday through Thursday afternoons at UH Maui College Molokai campus. Friday and Saturdays the Hamakua tent is pitched in the empty lot between Kalele Bookstore and American Savings Bank.…

`Ohana by Hawaiian: Air Service Coming Soon to Molokai

Monday, February 11th, 2013

Hawaiian Airlines News Release

A kapa pattern symbolizing ancestry, family and transportation will mark the turboprop aircraft flown by Hawaii’s newest interisland operation when `Ohana by Hawaiian inaugurates service to Molokai and Lanai this summer.

The name and brand identity of the new service, as well as the aircraft design by renowned artist and designer Sig Zane and his son Kuha`o, were unveiled this morning at Honolulu International Airport.

“The name `Ohana perfectly captures the idea behind this service and the role it will play in our community. This new service has always been about making it easier for friends and families throughout the islands and from overseas to share time together,” said Mark Dunkerley, President and CEO of Hawaiian Holdings, Inc.…

Seed Company Provides Local Plants

Wednesday, February 6th, 2013

 

Molokai Seed Company News Release

Established in 2008, Molokai Seed Company provides high quality seed and planting material. We sell products to the homeowner, farmer, and home gardener with sustainable agriculture in mind. Our motto is “seed for conservation and sustainable agriculture.”

Currently we have two products available: “Sunshine” Vetiver and “Tropic Sun” sunn hemp. Check our website, molokaiseedcompany.com, as we expand our product base into other seed crops. We are also planning to have additional products like Fu Man Chews, which are of premium quality.

“Sunshine” Vetiver may be the single best method to control soil erosion and provide slope stabilization.…

Fish and Dive Refreshes Business

Sunday, February 3rd, 2013

Fish and Dive Refreshes Business

 

After 40 years in the same location, Molokai Fish and Dive is being moved into the gas station next door in a process that will bring several changes to the popular ocean gear and tour provider. Tim and Susan Forsberg, who have owned the shop for 12 years, said it was time to do something different, so they took on the challenge of adding fuel and food to their services for locals and tourists.

When the Forsbergs noticed Hayaku, the gas station next door, was often closed last December, they feared that Molokai would soon have only one gas station again.…

Island Air’s New Ownership

Wednesday, January 30th, 2013

Island Air — Molokai’s largest air carrier — is changing ownership, the airline announced Jan. 10. The company has not yet disclosed any details, including the buyer and how the sale may affect its employees and routes.
One week after the announcement, however, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported the buyer as billionaire Larry Ellison, the new owner of Lanai. The newspaper cited two anonymous sources “familiar with the situation.”

“Yes, we are in the midst of a potential sale,” Cindy Vanairsdale Island Air’s corporate secretary, told The Molokai Dispatch last week. “Amidst all the media speculations, from our end, it is still an unnamed entity during this due diligence period, and anything can happen.”…

Molokai Ranch Returns to Ranching Roots

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

Molokai Ranch Returns to Ranching Roots

Community Contributed

By Clay R. Rumbaoa, Molokai Ranch CEO

Editor’s note: This is a letter reprinted with permission from the winter issue of Molokai Ranch’s quarterly newsletter.

Aloha & Comosta Molokai, These last few months have been a whirlwind of activity at Molokai Ranch, as we move forward with many of the initiatives I outlined in our last newsletter [the four pillars: animal husbandry, sustainable farming, renewable energy and green improvements]. First and foremost, we officially returned to our ranching and agricultural roots with the reintroduction of cattle operations.

Our intention is to raise and breed high-quality grass-fed and finished cattle for consumption in Hawaii.…

Reggae Concert Rocks New Paddlers Lanai

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

Reggae Concert Rocks New Paddlers Lanai

 

British-born reggae sensation Pato Banton and The Now Generation brought a Molokai crowd to its feet at Paddlers Inn last Friday. The concert marked the first event in Paddlers new lanai space, completed just two days earlier.

Paddlers part owner Jerry Johnson said the new lanai will allow the bar to host events in all kinds of weather. The space was formerly covered with tarp and screening material, providing poor protection from the elements. After an aggressive construction period of only 12 working days, a permanent roof, along with other upgrades such as a new stage, lighting and décor are now complete.…

Mayor’s Small Business Awards

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

County of Maui News Release
Is there a Maui County business you believe is exceptional? Nominate it for the 2013 Mayor’s Small Business Awards. The awards honor outstanding small businesses with 50 or fewer employees, and that have had a Hawaii General Excise Tax (GET) license for no fewer than two years. The program is designed to recognize businesses that demonstrate leadership in a changing economic environment, create a quality work environment for their employees, exhibit the Aloha Spirit and exemplary customer service, develop partnerships with other sectors of the community, and demonstrate other exceptional qualities or traits. The program is being held in partnership with the Maui Chamber of Commerce.…

Unemployement Rates: The Story Behind the Numbers

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

Unemployement Rates: The Story Behind the Numbers

So, the unemployment numbers are in. Things are looking bright for the statewide average, with 5.2 percent unemployment ringing in the lowest rates since October 2008. But the numbers on Molokai are dismal, with a percentage of 12.7 doubling that of the rest of the state. And numbers can’t lie, right? Well, that’s not always true. We wondered why Molokai was such an outlier in the stats and contacted the state Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR), which released the recent data, to find out. It turns out there are a couple of explanations. Phyllis Dayao of the DLIR’s research and statistics office offered us an enlightening explanation as to why the numbers don’t tell the whole story for Molokai.…