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Community

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

Arce Confirmed as County’s First Ag Director

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

Arce Confirmed as County’s First Ag Director

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

Molokai’s Rogerene “Kali” Arce received unanimous approval from the Maui County Council last week when she was confirmed as the first director of the new county Department of Agriculture. After an application and selection process earlier this year, she was named the appointee for the position, pending the council’s confirmation, and has already begun her role for the department, which was launched on July 1. 

“Mahalo to Councilmembers for their unanimous approval of Kali Arce. Her leadership of this important department is crucial in advancing Maui County’s self-reliance and economic diversification,” Victorino said in a press release.…

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Ka‘auwai ‘Ohana Aim for Food Security

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

Ka‘auwai ‘Ohana Aim for Food Security

By Paul Hanley | Community Reporter

“Our goal is to help increase our family’s and our island’s food security by inspiring others to start growing more of their own food,” says Fina Ka’auwai. Fina and her husband Wayne, who grew up living and working on farms on Molokai, are slowly increasing food production for their family of six on their one-acre plot in Ho’olehua.

In addition to hunting, fishing, and growing traditional crops, they have expanded into chickens, aquaculture, and “rainbow” fruits and vegetables. Part of their formula for success has been diversifying their diet. Their lush gardens are bursting with variety.…

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Farmers Sports Round-Up

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

By Sage Yamashita | Intern Reporter 

Molokai High School’s Farmers took strides with athletic wins throughout the weekend. The Lady Farmers Volleyball team traveled to Maui to play against Haleakala Waldorf while boys and girls Cross Country ran at Baldwin. On the neighboring island of Lanai, Farmers Football took on the Pinelads in an 8-man game. 

On Friday night, Sep. 23, Molokai High’s Volleyball team dominated the game. They took the win in four sets, 3-1 over Haleakala Waldorf. The first set landed with the Lady Farmers winning 25-14. Waldorf took on the second set with a score of 20-25. Then pulling through, the Farmers stole the game in the last two sets, 25-13 and 25-19.…

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Catch the Reading Wave

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

Friends of Molokai Public Library News Release 

The Molokai Public Library, working with all the island elementary schools and homeschoolers, is challenging all Molokai third graders to “Catch the Reading Wave.”

When they join the challenge, each third grade student will be given a bag of books to take home to build a personal library. Activities online and in classrooms will involve reading and thinking about what they have read, to build their reading skills. Challenging activities include identifying if a book is fiction or nonfiction, finding main ideas, defining words by using the dictionary that comes with the bag, and treasure hunts within the books.…

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Reef-Toxic Sunscreen Blocked

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

Reef-Toxic Sunscreen Blocked

By Jack Kiyonaga | Community Reporter

Starting Oct. 1, Maui County is banning the sale, usage and distribution of nonmineral sunscreen. Only sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide as active ingredients will be allowed. The ordinance, which was passed last year, is an effort to lead actions to protect reefs from environmental degradation. A historically significant move, this sunscreen ban is the first of its kind in the U.S. 

The chemicals found in many mainstream sunscreens can wash off our bodies and into the ocean, causing bleaching to coral, decreased reproduction to fish and accumulation in the tissues of many kinds of marine life, according to scientists.…

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Fall Break Youth Theatre Class

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

MAC News Release 

This Fall Intersession, Oct. 3-7, the Molokai Arts Center (MAC), in collaboration with Kualapu’u School and FilCom CARES, will bring in Honolulu Theatre for Youth for a five-day theatre/drama class for students enrolled in grades 2 to 6. Limit is 35 students and registration has already begun.

The class will be face-to-face at Kualapu’u School Cafeteria from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. No transportation will be provided. Students must bring their own water bottle, snack, and lunch. The enrollment form can be found at forms.gle/1kQ8BMtdZe2wWS7LA. Complete one form per child.

Instructor Lily Crumpton is a teaching artist and the Assistant Director of Drama Education for Honolulu Theatre for Youth and a director of HTY’s Saturday youth acting group, Primary Players and their summer drama program, ‘Tween Scene. …

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Water Catchment

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

I just read Sept. 14 article on Molokai’s energy future and here are some of my thoughts for the future, mostly involving water. What about the Permaculture idea of water catchment from rooftops? People can build their own for very little money. 

There are many thousands of square feet in Ranch Camp and coming down the hill to the police station, Kaunakakai gym, county offices, the elementary school, etc. Along with it could be water hyacinths, a plant used to purify water and protect fish. Guppies can eat any mosquito larvae. Cardboard, pallets and six mil plastic is almost all you need.…

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Clifford Makoto Horita

Friday, September 23rd, 2022

Clifford Makoto Horita

Clifford Makoto Horita, 85, of Makakilo, Hawaii, passed away peacefully on August 17, 2022 at the Queen’s Medical Center.

Clifford was born on August 5, 1937 in Haina, Hawaii to Takeyoshi and Jane Horita and was raised in Honokaa on the Big Island.

He attended Honokaa High School where he lettered in football, baseball and basketball. After graduating, he went on to Northern Colorado College where he earned a masters degree in Education. While attending college, he earned a spot on the tennis team and his proudest moment came when he and his partner went on to win the Colorado state doubles title.…

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Conservation Land Acquisition

Wednesday, September 21st, 2022

Conservation Land Acquisition

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

Five parcels in the Mākolelau ahupua’a of Molokai, totaling 1,045 acres, have been purchased for land conservation and restoration. The acquisition was made by DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), using funding from a $1.8 million grant from USFWS and more than $600,000 in private donations to TNC. 

The area represents part of Molokai’s Sole Source Aquifer, designated by the State Commission on Water Resource Management (CWRM) as a Priority 1 Watershed, according to DLNR. The ahupua‘a’s higher elevations contain intact native forests, the protection of which contributes to generation of fresh water supplies and reduction of erosion that damages the South shore coral reefs. …

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Fr. Guerrini Departs Molokai Catholic Parish

Wednesday, September 21st, 2022

Fr. Guerrini Departs Molokai Catholic Parish

By Jack Kiyonaga | Community Reporter

Father Brian Guerrini has served as the Catholic priest for Molokai’s St. Damien Catholic Parish for the past three years. Now, his time on Molokai is drawing to a close, with his departure scheduled for Oct. 1. 

Guerrini of the Priests of the Sacred Hearts, the same order as St. Damien, has been on Molokai since the fall of 2019. His time on the island has been marked heavily by the COVID pandemic. 

“The last three years have been rough still trying to come out of the pandemic,” said Guerrini. 

As the only Catholic priest on topside Molokai, Guerrini is responsible for all four Catholic topside churches – St.…

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