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Community

General news which affects the Molokai community in one way or another.

On the Wings of the Wind

Thursday, May 28th, 2026

On the Wings of the Wind

By Pat Killilea, SS.CC. 

The engine roared and the small plane took off down the runway and, on the wings of the wind, took off into the Kalaupapa skies. All of us who could leave our posts had gathered at our friendly little airport to wave goodbye to Aunty Meli Watanuki whose body was on its way to Honolulu. 

On Sunday morning, I had brought her communion and given her the sacrament of the sick as I had done many times over the years. We spoke a few words then and I expected she would overcome this, her latest illness, but later on Sunday her soul flew to Heaven on the wings of angels.…

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DLNR Asking Residents to Fill Axis Deer Survey

Thursday, May 28th, 2026

DLNR News Release

The abundance of axis deer on Maui Nui continues to cause environmental, safety and economic challenges for its residents. The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is asking residents of Maui, Molokai and Lāna‘i to participate in a short survey describing how axis deer are impacting their lives.

DOFAW staff are gathering important community feedback to help identify the current status of axis deer on the three islands, any negative impacts the deer are causing and regional preferences to help guide management actions. The 15-question survey is online and anonymous, collecting only ZIP code information and taking an average of two minutes to complete.…

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Getting Creative with the Crown Flower Lei

Thursday, May 28th, 2026

Getting Creative with the Crown Flower Lei

By Dayanti Karunaratne

The crown flower lei is among the most common lei types, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t something new to learn. At last week’s Molokai Arts Center lei-making workshop, attendees learned to pull apart the petals and how to make patterns using the skirts, pods and crowns of the plant.

“To see the different styles is really amazing. When we were growing up, it was just one way; with the crowns of the flower. We didn’t do all these different styles,” MAC Executive Director Alice Kaʻahanui said.  

About 25 people attended the event at Hoʻolehua Homestead Makeke May 17.…

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Brass Quintet Rocks St. Damien Church

Thursday, May 28th, 2026

Brass Quintet Rocks St. Damien Church

By Léo Azambuja

Who goes to church on a Monday evening to listen in complete silence for an entire hour to five guys who are not even there to preach? To be fair, you could make some noise; you were allowed to clap. 

“We have the freedom to kind of play whatever we want, so a lot of the music that we’re going to play are arrangements for the Brass Quintet,” trumpet player Casey Tamahana said while comparing a quintet to a large ensemble led by a conductor, where “the notes on the page are dictated for you, the tempo is dictated for you and the style is pretty much dictated for you based on when it was written.”…

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Keep’m Wild — Rescued Seal Pup Returns to Molokai

Thursday, May 28th, 2026

Keep’m Wild — Rescued Seal Pup Returns to Molokai

By Léo Azambuja

A newborn Hawaiian monk seal abandoned by its mother on Molokai last summer was promptly rescued and flown to a rehabilitation facility on the Big Island. The seal was returned to Molokai’s coast nine months later, and its success in the wild leans on its care while in captivity, but also on help from island residents from now on.

Conservation workers are asking the public to avoid human interaction with the seal — named RU99 and later renamed Namakaʻeleʻōlino — despite its natural curiosity, and especially after it recently crashed a party in a Kaunakakai neighborhood. 

“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen a monk seal show up for a Mother’s Day celebration in someone’s garage,” said Todd Yamashita, operations manager on Molokai for the nonprofit organization Hawaiʻi Marine Animal Response.…

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State Officials to Residents: Review Insurance Policies Ahead of Hurricane Season

Thursday, May 21st, 2026

Hawaiʻi DCCA News Release

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division reminds consumers to evaluate their insurance policies before hurricane season, which begins June 1. Forecasters are indicating that El Niño conditions may develop heading into summer, which can increase hurricane activity in the Central Pacific Basin and heighten the potential for impacts to Hawaiʻi. 

“El Niño may cause more hurricane activity in the Pacific, so don’t wait to think about coverage,” said Insurance Commissioner Scott K. Saiki. “Once a hurricane or tropical storm is on the horizon, insurers may pause issuing new or expanded policies. Reviewing your coverage now helps ensure you’re protected when it matters most.”…

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Molokai High School Showcases Students’ Successes 

Thursday, May 21st, 2026

By Ric Ornellas

Molokai High School’s School Community Council celebrated 2025-2026 students’ successes in a 60-minute review at their recent May 13 meeting. In a wide-ranging Powerpoint of bulleted data, anecdotes, photos, and embedded video from three academies, six departments, and three schoolwide programs, accompanied by teacher and principal comments, the first-time SCC review reconfirmed the overarching vision and mission of the high school. 

The vision is, “Molokai High School graduates honor the past, embrace future innovation, and take personal responsibility for delivering excellence.” The mission is, “The mission of Molokai High School is to expand our horizons while utilizing Molokai’s unique resources and community.”…

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Grants Available for Student, Youth Travel Programs

Thursday, May 21st, 2026

Maui County News Release

Grant funding opportunities to support student and youth travel programs for Hāna, Lānaʻi and Molokai are now available, according to the County of Maui Department of Economic Development. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. June 15, 2026.

Eligible programs should provide meaningful travel experiences that expose participants to opportunities not readily available within their home communities. Travel funded through this program must directly serve students and youth from Hāna, Lānaʻi and Molokai. This travel blog highlights how meaningful educational journeys and cultural experiences can inspire young people to broaden their perspectives while strengthening connections to their home communities.…

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2nd Annual Malama Your Mama at Akaʻula Is a Success

Thursday, May 21st, 2026

2nd Annual Malama Your Mama at Akaʻula Is a Success

By Dayanti Karunaratne

Mamas are the best, and as such, they deserve a lavish brunch and all the spa treatments they can get on Mother’s Day. But despite all the pampering the mothers got at Akaʻula School’s 2nd Annual Malama Your Mama, who really benefitted were the students because the event was a fundraiser for the school.

“We depend on parent commitment and the generosity of private donors, and this fundraising event is an important part of that,” Akaʻula Principal and co-founder Vicki Newberry said. “The most exciting thing for me was watching the ownership the students took.”

The 2nd Annual Malama Your Mama at Molokai Community Health Center on Mother’s Day May 10 included a brunch buffet, a silent auction, mini spa treatments, a lei stand and live entertainment by local musicians. …

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‘We Are Polynesia’ Wraps Up May Day in Kaunakakai

Wednesday, May 20th, 2026

‘We Are Polynesia’ Wraps Up May Day in Kaunakakai

By Léo Azambuja

An impressive display of cuteness and cultural affirmation by kindergarteners and elementary school students from Kaunakakai Elementary School before hundreds of parents, relatives and friends closed this year’s May Day celebrations last week.

“Let us begin the dancing and excitement by traveling to Tahiti. The kindergarteners from kumu Tere Neuhart and Ms. Kini will begin the dancing. The kindergartners will entertain you with a fun number entitled Tahiti, Tahiti,” the emcee for the school’s 2026 May Day Program said before the first of 11 performances May 15.

This year’s theme for Kaunakakai School’s May Day, “We Are Polynesia,” took the audience through several Polynesian cultures, including Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand and, of course, Hawaii. …

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