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Stinging Intruders

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Stinging Intruders

Invasive jellyfish removed from Kaunakakai Wharf.   

By Melissa Kelsey

To protect themselves from the stinging cells, the workers wore protective body gear. Warnings were posted at the wharf for swimmers to beware even after the jellyfish were removed, due to the possibility of stinging cells still floating in the water. Throughout the project, the invasive species workers conducted public outreach by showing the jellyfish to children at the wharf and alerting them to the danger.

Scientifically known as Cassiopea sp., the jellyfish are not native to the Hawaiian Islands and were probably stowaways on a sailing vessel, according to Walsh. She said the species is unique because individuals freely expel stinging cells into the water as opposed to stinging only upon contact.

Kaunakakai Wharf is a popular swimming area for Molokai’s residents, and Buchanan said it is used even more frequently during paddling season in the summer months. As a result, DLNR and MoMISC made it top priority to remove the jellyfish from the water.

Walsh said the timing of the jellyfish removal was even more urgent because the jellyfish are an invasive species that reproduce during the summer months. Cassiopea sp. had previously been found on Molokai in 2006 in Puko`o Lagoon and Old Kamalo Wharf, according to a DLNR report describing their removal from a different habitat on the Big Island of Hawaii.

A Second Invader
The jellyfish are not the only invasive species on the target list for removal from Molokai’s waters. An invasive algae commonly known as gorilla ogo is threatening coral reefs on Molokai, according to a DLNR document. Scientifically called Gracilaria salicornia, the algae is spreading on coral reefs and culturally significant fishponds along southern Molokai. At areas such as Kaunakakai Harbor, Keawanui, Ualapue and Kaloko`eli, gorilla ogo could smother coral reef habitats on Molokai if its growth is not stopped, according to the DLNR.

For a project that will continue through April of 2010, DLNR employees are undergoing a formal process to remove the algae and develop a bio-secure processing and recycling system to prevent future growth. Last week, the same team that removed the jellyfish from Kaunakakai Wharf also began the first stage of the algae project by doing survey research at invasion sites, according to Walsh.   

Sust-`AINA-bility Kicks Off

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

Sust-`AINA-bility Kicks OffBy Melissa Kelsey

At a ho`olaulea to celebrate the upcoming Sust-`AINA-ble Molokai: Future of a Hawaiian Island Conference, community members confronted ideas of what Molokai’s future could hold.

“For so long we have been saying what we do not want, but what do we want?” said Malia Akutagawa, one of the event’s organizers. She explained that while Molokai has been protesting development for a long time, the island has been less vigilant about verbalizing its positive goals.    

“We do not have to look elsewhere,” said event organizer Matt Yamashita, on learning how to live a sustainable lifestyle. “We can learn so much from our neighbors.”

Activist Walter Ritte, one of the event’s speakers, explained that the two goals of the ho`olaulea were to announce the July 17-18 Sust-`AINA-ble Molokai conference and to start a discussion about what a sustainable Molokai means.   

Community hula dancers shared the stage with Brother Nolan to provide the night’s entertainment.

While the event attracted a broad range of people, organizers say they will be targeting an increase in Hawaiian representation at the upcoming conference in July.  




Royal Pageant

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

Royal Pageant

Ashley Ponce crowned Miss Molokai Filipina 2009.  

By Melissa Kelsey

Molokai is a melting pot of world traditions, and the Miss Molokai Filipina 2009 pageant was a chance to celebrate Filipino culture with a local twist. As she danced the hula in graceful, delicate motions, Ashley Ponce charmed the audience at her coronation ceremony held at Home Pumehana Hall last Saturday. After Maui County Council Chairman Danny Mateo placed the silver crown on her head, three of her cousins presented her with gifts of flowers.

“I will try my very best to represent Molokai at the Hawaii state pageant,” said Ponce, who will travel to Oahu to compete for the Miss Hawaii Filipina 2009 crown on July 18.

Aunties and uncles gathered on the dance floor to dance ballroom, Filipino folk and the Electric Slide. Danny Mateo danced with emcee Starlet Luczon for one number, and Aunty Moana’s hula halau performed two dances.  

“This is how it used to be,” said emcee Eugene Santiago, reminiscing about pineapple plantation era dances held at the Maunaloa and Kualapu`u community centers.

Formerly crowned Miss Molokai Filipina 2007 Deisha Pico made an appearance at the coronation ceremony and performed a final walk. The audience tried their luck for luxury raffle prizes, including a roundtrip ticket on Island Air, MP3 players and pearl jewelry. Auction items up for bid were a gift basket and a live goat. All proceeds went to Ponce to help fund her upcoming Oahu travels.  

A 2007 graduate of Molokai High School, Ponce was active in the Student Council and Aunty Moana’s hula halau. She is currently working on a liberal arts associate’s degree at Maui Community College, and hopes to attend a university in Las Vegas. The Miss Molokai Filipina pageant was sponsored by the Molokai Filipino Community Council.   







National Park Service Announces Date for Kalaupapa Barge

Monday, June 15th, 2009

National Park Service Announces Date for Kalaupapa Barge

By Melissa Kelsey


For Kalaupapa residents waiting to hear if and when this year’s barge delivery would be made to the peninsula, an announcement last Friday assuring their life-line delivery came as a relief to many. The settlement’s annual barge that delivers fuel, food and equipment will sail on August 1 from Honolulu to Kalaupapa, according to Kalaupapa National Park Service (NPS) Superintendent Steve Prokop. Because of a shortage in the fuel supply delivered last year, the settlement has already been observing strict fuel rations since last winter.

For the first time in Kalaupapa’s history, Prokop said the NPS secured a five-year contract with Young Brothers to manage a barge delivery to Kalaupapa every summer through 2014. Before this year, the NPS has negotiated a barge delivery contract and sailing date on an annual basis.

Normally set in the spring, the announcement of the sailing date was delayed this year because the extended five-year contract needed special approval from solicitors at the NPS regional headquarters, according to Prokop. Over the next four years, Prokop said the barge sailing date will be determined earlier in the year, probably in the fall.

Choosing the Boat

The five-year contract is between the NPS and Young Brothers to manage the annual barge delivery. However, Prokop said Young Brothers has not had a barge small enough to fit inside Kalaupapa’s narrow harbor since 2007. Last year, Young Brothers subcontracted a company called American Marine to supply the barge itself. American Marine won the subcontract again this year after at least three vendors competed to supply the barge. Young Brothers will still have to negotiate a vendor to provide the barge on an annual basis for the next four years.

“Young Brothers will tow the barge, but not their barge,” said Prokop.

Securing the Future

Prokop said American Marine is the only company located in the State of Hawaii that has a barge small enough for the Kalaupapa harbor. The other vendors who bid on the contract are out-of-state companies. To secure reliable barge service for the future, Prokop said the NPS is working with Hawaii Senator J. Kalani English to determine if there is a legal route for the State of Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to require Young Brothers to provide barge service to Kalaupapa.

“We are seeing if there is some way a state agency can require safe and reliable barge service for the Kalaupapa community,” said Prokop. 

Last April, the NPS conducted a series of public scoping meetings to discuss the possibility of Kalaupapa harbor improvements, including dredging. The dredging caused environmental concerns, but would increase the width of the harbor, allowing larger barges to service the peninsula to increase delivery reliability.

Prokop said the extended contract “solves the dredging problem for five years.” While the contract does not solve the long-term problem of the dwindling availability of barges for Kalaupapa, there is now no immediate need to widen the harbor’s channel.

Hyper-Local News, Moloka`i Style

Friday, June 12th, 2009

Akaku Press Release

Akaku: Maui Community Television Hosts Todd Yamashita, Owner/Editor of The Moloka`i Dispatch Discusses News for the Friendly Isle on
Friday, June 26 at 6pm


Kahului, June 8- Akaku: Maui Community Television (Akaku) will host Todd Yamashita, owner and editor of The Molokai Dispatch on Friday, June 26 from 6-8pm at its digital lounge at 333 Dairy Road, Kahului. Independent community producers and attendees will be able to ask questions and “talk-story” with Yamashita after a brief presentation on the theme: “News for the People of Molokai.” The event is open to the public and a suggested donation of $5 to cover food and beverage costs is welcomed. Interested individuals should R.S.V.P to reserve a seat, as space will be limited.

Branded as “News for the people of Molokai,” the Molokai Dispatch advocates Hawaiian culture, family values, education, community dialogue, accountability in leadership, and sustainable practices.

New Fire Station for Airport

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

New Fire Station for Airport

Federal grant promises safety upgrades and housing.   

By Melissa Kelsey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Molokai Airport Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Station in Ho`olehua will receive improvements this year, funded by a $6.8 million United States Department of Transportation grant released last Tuesday. The station will be rebuilt so it will comply with national fire safety regulations for airports.  

The current airport fire station does not have enough space to store all of the equipment it is legally required to have, including surplus fire-fighting foam, which environmental regulations prohibit from storing outdoors, according to Molokai Airport Operations and Maintenance Supervisor Carl Brito. Among other shortcomings, the roll-up doors of the current station’s garage are always left open because they do not open fast enough to comply with safety guidelines and there is no space to clean contaminated equipment.   

The new station will be built in a safer location, farther away from the airport and closer to the traffic control center, according to Brito. Firefighter William Prince said it will include a decontamination room to clean gear that has been exposed to bio-hazardous substances. The station will also feature a bunk room, showers, kitchen and fitness area for improved quality of life for the firefighters.

“It is going to dramatically upgrade our lifestyle,” said firefighter Timothy Wayer, who explained that until they were provided with temporary housing last year, the airport firefighters had to sleep in tents or their own cars between shifts. Most airport fire crew members commute from off-island.

Brito explained that these amenities will allow the firefighters to live at the station and would give the option of keeping the station open 24 hours per day instead of the 12 hours per day it is currently open. However, scheduled flights coming to Molokai only arrive within a 12-hour timeframe. Prince said state officials are still working on the specifications of the building plans to make sure all the federal regulations are met.    

Because the airport fire station is a federally funded state facility instead of a county fire station, state engineers working on the project can apply for exemptions from county building permits because of their own stringent guidelines. As a result, Brito estimates that the building will be built within the next two years. He said construction is scheduled to begin this summer. An environmental impact statement has already been filed.   

The Molokai Airport fire station employs three firefighters, and requires a minimum of one on duty at all times. The firefighters practice a three-minute emergency response using foam to stop fire from going through an airplane’s fuselage in case of fire. As a backup, the firefighters have a sophisticated communications coordination system with organizations such as the county fire stations on Molokai and the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.   

Brito said it is routine for airports like Molokai’s to receive funding to meet safety guidelines. Other federally funded airports nationwide received similar grants.

 

Wisely Chosen Words

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

Wisely Chosen Words

Molokai students recognized for writing contest entries.      

By Melissa Kelsey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Molokai is a place where keiki can reach their potential. Kaunakakai Elementary School fourth graders Kanani Ah Van and Lily Jenkins were recognized at the Hawaii State Library in Honolulu for writing samples they submitted to the nationally known Letters about Literature contest.

“It was cool and it was really big,” said Lily, on visiting the library. “They even had an outside area for plants.”    

For the annual contest, which is sponsored by the Library of Congress in Washington D.C., students across the nation write letters to authors, living or dead, whose books personally impacted their life, according to Kaunakakai Elementary School librarian Siri Anderson.   

Kanani wrote a letter to Lisa Chang, author of “The Ch'i-Lin Purse,” a collection of ancient Chinese stories translated into English. Lily wrote a letter to Pamela Dell, author of “Nelson Mandela: Freedom for South Africa,” a biography of Nelson Mandela’s life.

The two students were among 70 Hawaii students from grades four through 12 selected by state judges to be recognized for their writing at the Hawaii State Library on April 25. The only student from a Hawaii public school to receive one of the top six awards, Kanani received the Honorable Mention for the fourth through sixth grade category. The students who received the other five awards were from prestigious private schools, including Punahou School and Iolani School.

Last Thursday, Kanani and Lily read their letters at the Molokai Public Library for an audience of fellow students, school officials, librarians and library patrons.

“The language of the letters was rich and there was a strong sense of the child’s voice,” said Anderson.   

Anderson collaborated with teacher Heidi Jenkins to help Kaunakakai Elementary School fourth graders enter the contest last fall.

Jenkins said she participated in the University of Hawaii at Manoa Hawaii Writing Project, a program that trains teachers to teach writing in the classroom. As a result, she said the class did a unit on figurative language, emphasizing word choice and the use of metaphors and alliteration.   

Lily describes herself as an athletic girl with aspirations to be a helicopter pilot, singer and snowboarder. Kanani said she likes to cook and hopes to attend culinary arts school someday.

“As long as I have something to write about, I will write,” said Kanani.





Paddlers Shuts Its Doors

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

Paddlers Shuts Its Doors

Owners put business up for sale.     

By Melissa Kelsey

From relaxing and playing pool with friends to savoring a tasty burger and a cold beer, Paddlers Inn Restaurant and Bar has been a favorite hangout for Molokai residents for the past four years. It was also one of only two bars on the island.

Last week, owners Robert and Sharon Spruiell of Arizona announced their decision to shut down Paddlers and put the restaurant up for sale. The eatery stayed open through last Friday and hosted a graduation party. The Spruiells hope to sell the business to a buyer who will re-open the space as a restaurant.

“It is sad for Molokai because it is one less place to eat and have some drinks with friends,” said employee Michael Helm, who worked there from day one.

Mrs. Spruiell said she and her husband decided to close Paddlers because it was too difficult to operate from the mainland. She also cited the economy and dwindling clientele as contributing factors to the decision.

Paddlers employed 26 employees on its regular payroll, in addition to artists and contractors hired for individual events, according to Mrs. Spruiell. Manager Curtis Akiona said he will miss the regular customers, his co-workers and the owners.    

Helm said the employees were given very short notice about the closing.

Robert and Sharon Spruiell inherited Paddlers last year after their son Robert Spruiell Jr., known on Molokai as Kamuela Kamakana, died in Florida.   



Our Community Never Closed

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

Our Community Never Closed

Grand opening at new Maunaloa Community Center   

By Melissa Kelsey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kristina Cacpal of Maunaloa was in kindergarten at Maunaloa Elementary School 14 years ago when she and her classmates wrote letters and drew pictures to Molokai Ranch, depicting their dreams for a new community center for Maunaloa. Some of the children wanted a place to take ukulele lessons, and others wanted a place to play games.

Two years ago, when Cacpal and her classmates graduated from Molokai High School, she and several of her classmates gathered with shovels to break ground for the new community center, which had been making slow progress over the years.

Last Wednesday, the wishes voiced in the letters years ago came to fruition as community members from keiki to kupuna gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Maunaloa Community Center. Former Molokai Ranch employee Reverend Jimmy Duvauchelle spoke the blessing.

In addition to activities for children and seniors, the Maunaloa Community Center will be used for parties, meetings and gatherings, according to Maunaloa resident Janice Pele. And for a town where major businesses were boarded up after Molokai Ranch shut down last year, the community center’s opening symbolizes a bright new beginning.  

“This center is bringing life into the community after the closing of Molokai Ranch,” said community member Kehau Pule. “Even though things closed down, our community never closed.”

Cacpal reminisced about a trend she has observed over the years of families moving away from Maunaloa, especially since the closing of Molokai Ranch. However, she hopes the opening of the new center will be a magnet to help the community grow.   

“With the new center and new homes being built, I think people will start coming back,” said Cacpal.    

Maui County Mayor Charmaine Tavares, who attended the opening event, said the building of Maunaloa Community Center was a cooperative effort between Maui County and Molokai Ranch. The County gave the Ranch funds to hire contractors to construct the building, and the Ranch donated the land and the building back to the County.   

Current Molokai Ranch employee Raymond Hiro, who worked closely with the project, explained that Maunaloa needed a new community center after an old recreation center in the same location was torn down as a result of structural rotting and termites. The building that housed this first recreation center had originally been built as a central meeting location for pineapple plantation workers, according to Hiro. One of the original center’s rooms had been the plantation cafeteria.   

Pele remembered kupuna who had advocated not only for the center, but for the entire community, who passed away before they could see the center open. Josephine Espaniola (Jojo), Mercedes Espaniola, Joseph Pele, Angie Garces and Joanna Ramos were some she mentioned by name.       


    

Hammering Together a Home

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

Hammering Together a Home

Molokai women volunteer at Habitat for Humanity construction site.       

By Melissa Kelsey

For many women on Molokai, helping each other is a way of life. And for some, building what they need is second nature. An enthusiastic group of women gathered last Saturday morning, ready to do both. After responding to the non-profit’s call for National Women Build Week volunteers, women of all ages and construction experience levels spent the day learning building techniques and working at a Ho`olehua homestead Molokai Habitat for Humanity construction site.

“I wanted to give something back to the community,” said Chevy Levasa, Molokai resident and volunteer.

The future home of the Dudoit-Temahaga `ohana is a four bedroom, two bathroom single-family dwelling. The home had already been under construction for the last few weeks, and is expected to take approximately four more months to complete.

National Women Build Week is an initiative organized by Habitat for Humanity and sponsored by Lowe’s, which provided $5000 grants for the project to 175 Habitat for Humanity branches, including the Molokai chapter, according to a Molokai Habitat for Humanity press release. For the initiative, Habitat for Humanity plans projects in order to train and involve more women in construction so Habitat for Humanity can increase its national volunteer force. The Molokai chapter intends to use most of the grant for tools, according to Emillia Noordhoek, a local spokesperson for the project. The second annual National Women Build Week nation-wide, it was Molokai’s first year to participate in the event, thanks to the grant.                   

For the participating women on Molokai, the all-day event began with an orientation to operating several types of power tools, as well as a review of general safe construction practices. Then volunteers split into groups. One group of women measured and sawed rafters for the house’s roof using electric saws. When the rafters were completed, they were lifted to other women on the roof, who nailed them in place with electric guns. Another group of volunteers painted window trimming, which was later cut and nailed to the outside of the windows.   

“You start out and there is this apprehension and fear of power tools,” explained Levasa.  “After trying the power tools a few times, the fear is removed,” she said, adding that she donated time to the event on behalf of her employer, the United States Department of Agriculture.

Community member Keri Zacher learned about the event as a result of a presentation at Coffees of Hawaii last week.

“I thought, ‘it is women, I can do that!’” she said, adding that everyone at the volunteer day was patient with people who did not have previous construction experience.   

For lunch, participants enjoyed an ono meal of food donated by Pu`u Hoku, Kumu Farms and community supporters.