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Community

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

Report Surf Damage Online

Wednesday, July 27th, 2022

Maui County News Release 

Maui County residents are urged to report significant property damage inflicted by large surf and swells that impacted the coastlines of Maui, Molokai and Lanai earlier this month, the Maui Emergency Management Agency announced.

Residents can use an online form to document and report large surf damage. The form can be found at crisistrack.com/public/mauiHI/request.html. 

“Maui County needs this information from our residents to make the best case possible for federal assistance to help pay for property and infrastructure damage caused by large surf and swells,” said Mayor Michael Victorino. “The Maui Emergency Management Agency will use the information to complete a damage assessment for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to determine whether the County is eligible to receive federal funding.”…

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Progress on Water Policy in Maui County

Wednesday, July 27th, 2022

Community Contributed

Opinion by Keani Rawlins-Fernandez

Shortly after joining the council, I noticed unfairness in the structure of our county’s potable water rates.

A hotel or resort using over 35,000 gallons of water was charged a lower rate than a single-family dwelling using the same amount. This disparity was based on a technical defect in the rate structure: single-family dwellings had four tiers while the other category of all other general users each had only three. 

Hotels and resorts are used by visitors for the profit of offshore investors. Single-family dwellings are where our local residents raise their families. 

I have presented twice to the Board of Water Supply, with the intention of working with them and the Department of Water Supply to balance important policy goals—conservation and revenue generation—in addition to equity in rates. …

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Golf Ace

Wednesday, July 27th, 2022

Golf Ace

Community Contributed

By Rick Schonely

Ponciano Raguindin is the July Ace for the Hui O Kukui Golf Club. Raguindin, one of Molokai’s elite golfers and a long -time PE teacher and alumni at Molokai High, shot an impressive 36-37 for a gross total of 73. With his 10 handicap his net 63 got him the victory.

The Hui O Kukui Golf Club would like to thank the staff and management of Ironwood Hills Golf Course for helping to perpetuate the game of golf on Molokai.…

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Make a Difference Internationally

Wednesday, July 27th, 2022

The International Hospitality Center (IHC) is still in urgent need of finding volunteer host families for foreign exchange students in the upcoming academic year.  This is an opportunity to build long lasting international connections and share new cultural experiences in your home.  Any assistance you can give in placing students on Molokai would greatly benefit these student’s lives and expand the island’s cultural diversity.  Students are aged 15 to 17 and will be attending public school.  Molokai has hosted students in recent past that count their time on Molokai as one of the greatest highlights of their lives.  

Volunteer hosts are asked to provide bed and meals taken with the family for carefully selected high school exchange students who are fully covered by health, accident and liability insurance and have their own personal spending money. …

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Candidate’s Long Support of Molokai Athletics

Wednesday, July 27th, 2022

I am not one to get political, but in the race for Lt. Governor for Hawaii, most of you probably don’t know much about any of the candidates. But if any of you have a chance to vote for the Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor for the State of Hawaii, please consider Keith Amemiya as your candidate of choice. 

I don’t know much about the other three candidates or if any of them may have had any impact on our Molokai community, but I want to share with you a few things that Keith has done for Molokai High School that maybe not too many of you know about or may have forgotten about.…

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Congratulations, Hiros

Wednesday, July 27th, 2022

Congratulations to Hiro’s Ohana Grill for your family’s five years of serving delicious kaukau for our community and visitors that are coming to enjoy the beauty of our Molokai happy, rich, simple lifestyle. We want to keep it that way. I enjoyed the wonderful music and sweet sound of all the musicians at the anniversary event. Great to see Makaha Sons again, beautiful memories. Food, broke da mouth. Staff and all the workers did a very fantastic job to welcome everybody, serve with a beautiful smile of aloha. What a great way to celebrate our own five years having fun at Hiro’s.…

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Kalaupapa Seal Gets Life-Saving Surgery

Wednesday, July 20th, 2022

Kalaupapa Seal Gets Life-Saving Surgery

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

A young Hawaiian monk seal from Kalaupapa got critical surgery to remove a hook lodged in his throat and has been returned safely to the  shores of the remote settlement. 

The juvenile male seal, known as RP92, was spotted by National Park Service employees at Kalaupapa during a routine survey with fishing gear trailing from his mouth, according to NOAA Fisheries report. 

“We consulted with response partners from the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, The Marine Mammal Center, and NPS and determined that the seal was most likely suffering from an ingested hook,” stated the NOAA release.…

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DOH Says School Masking Now Optional

Wednesday, July 20th, 2022

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

State Dept. of Health officials announced last week that masks will not be mandatory in indoor settings at public schools this year. COVID-19 vaccines will also not be required for students. 

At a news conference last Tuesday, State Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble said wearing masks will be up to individual teachers and students, but the DOH “will strongly encourage indoor mask use when COVID levels are high or medium.”

According to CDC criteria, COVID-19 community level for Maui County is currently listed as high, as of July 14. The CDC uses a combination of three metrics such as new COVID cases in the past seven days, and hospital beds occupied by COVID patients, to determine a community’s level as low, medium or high. …

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Making Reading Fun

Wednesday, July 20th, 2022

Making Reading Fun

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff

Youth had a blast reading books and enjoying the entertainment of special guest Mr. Kneel at the library earlier this month. The presentation was part of a book sale fundraiser for the Friends of Molokai Public Library, and keiki took home prizes, books and good memories. For more, click here.…

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Hawaii Youth Symphony Concert

Wednesday, July 20th, 2022

Hawaii Youth Symphony News Release

The public is invited to a free evening of music featuring the talents of cellist Daniel Scoggins and violinist Jordan Watt in a concert on Molokai presented by Hawaii Youth Symphony and its Pacific Music Institute (PMI). Through Hawaii Youth Symphony’s partnership with the National Orchestral Institute and Festival, both Scoggins and Watt have travelled to Hawaii as Teaching Fellows for this year’s PMI, an annual summer music camp connecting students with acclaimed soloists, players from major symphony orchestras, and educators from leading music institutions.

Free one-hour public concert on Thursday, July 21 at Saint Damien Catholic Church starts at 6 p.m. 

A recent graduate of Manhattan School of Music and Oberlin Conservatory with a degree in Cello Performance, Daniel Scoggins is Teaching Artist at Bronx Arts Ensemble. Jordan Watt is finishing…

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