Community

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

Lahaina E Ola

Wednesday, September 4th, 2024

Lahaina is alive forever, with the happy, positive energy and spirit of the past and now. Hope and faith will keep Lahaina alive forever as reborn voices for all our families, friends, neighbors that didn’t survive the wildfire disaster. Reborn with their happy energy and spirit forever, again and again. Rest in peace. We love you all, from all of us. 

Always remember that every day is important and special. In 1970, I came back home after serving our beautiful USA with love and pride for three years. My Hawaiian brothers and sisters told me we were going camping on Maui for a long time.…

Michael “Mike” Preston Everett

Wednesday, September 4th, 2024

Michael “Mike” Preston Everett

Michael “Mike” Preston Everett, 85, of Mountain View, HI passed away on Monday, July 22, 2024 at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home in Hilo, HI.  He was born in Mooney Creek, Kansas on May 1, 1939.  Mike joined the U.S. Navy in 1958 and traveled the world until he was stationed in Honolulu in the 1970s.  In 1972, he married a Molokai girl, Ivonne I Tengan, and lived in Honolulu until he retired from the U.S. Navy in July of 1977 after 20 years of service. They moved to Littleton, CO where he worked at Sheplers, a western wear and cowboy boot store.…

Stephen Petro

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

Stephen Petro

Stephen Petro was born Nov. 13, 1940 to Lily and Paul Petro on the island of Maui. On
July 22, 2024, after 83 wonderful years on this earth, he left us to join his beloved wife, Pearl
Petro, in heaven.
As principal of Kilohana School, Stephen was well-loved by students and staff alike, and under
his leadership, Kilohana received the national honor of being named a blue-ribbon school.
Stephen was also active in his church and community, serving on several boards and playing an
integral role in raising funds to build the Father Damien Catholic Church on Molokai. But above
all, he was a family man.…

Book Sale Donations

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

The Friends of the Molokai Public Library

We hold a book sale quarterly to raise funds to fill needs the library has that are not covered by state library funds. Your purchases are so important and appreciated.

We happily accept donations of books from the public for these sales, but the following are items we cannot use and they will be discarded.

Please do not donate these items: cassette and VHS tapes, damaged materials, broken spines, loose pages, hi-lighted, written in or torn materials with excessive discoloration, moldy, dirty or insect-infested items, magazines, textbooks, encyclopedias, medical and law books over five years old, government reports, pamphlets or binders.…

$78k in HTA Funding for Molokai Organizations

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

HTA News Release

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) is proud to announce the selection of organizations for its Community Stewardship and Regenerative Experiences programs, two key initiatives under the Community Tourism Collaboratives.

A 2024 technical needs assessment completed by HTA revealed key capacity-building activities that HTA could focus on to advance a regenerative tourism model for Hawaii. Following a highly competitive application and rigorous evaluation process, 24 organizations have been chosen to participate in these transformative capacity-building programs aimed at fostering regenerative tourism and preserving Hawaii’s cultural and natural resources.

“The selection of these remarkable organizations marks a significant step forward in our efforts to create a more regenerative and culturally respectful tourism model in Hawaii,” said Mufi Hannemann, HTA Board Chair.…

Local Students Named to Pacific University Dean’s List

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

Pacific University News Release

Several Molokai students have been named to the spring 2024 Dean’s List at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. The Dean’s List recognizes undergraduate students in Pacific’s colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business and Education who earn a grade-point average of at least 3.70 and complete 12 or more graded hours.

Saije Aiana, Kamalu Kaawa Richardson and Reese Raguindin are all on the spring 2024 Dean’s List.

Celebrating 175 years of purpose, Pacific University is Washington County, Oregon’s only comprehensive university. With undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, health professions and optometry, Pacific inspires its 3,600 students to think, care, create, and pursue justice in the world.…

Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month

Dept. of Health News Release

This year is the inaugural designation of September as “Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month” for the state of Hawaii. This recent enactment coincides with the globally recognized World Suicide Prevention Day, observed each year on Sept. 10.

“We must do more as a state to build more connection and more resilience in our communities, as we know these protect us from severe mental health challenges and prevent suicide,” said Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, M.D. “This is a personal issue for me and my family, as we’ve lost loved ones to suicide. There are too many families who have a similar experience and none of us wants to see another family go through the same heartbreak and loss.”…

MHS Football Embarks on A New Challenge

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

MHS Football Embarks on A New Challenge

Practice for the Molokai Farmers’ football team borders on exuberant. The air is punctuated by the sharp voices of coaches, music to which the players subtly head nod, and a palpable excitement at what is a new and present challenge: 11-man football. Since 2010, Molokai High School (MHS) has dominated the eight-player Maui Interscholastic League (MIL), winning seven straight titles. Now, the Farmers and Head Coach Mike Kahale are focusing on conquering 11-man and the opportunity to compete for a Division II state championship. Gain a deeper understanding of the game and make smarter picks by learning How to Read College Football Betting Lines for expert insights.…

Mokulele Temporarily Grounded, Wins Lanai EAS Bid

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

Mokulele Temporarily Grounded, Wins Lanai EAS Bid

Last weekend, Mokulele Airlines grounded most of its fleet of planes, canceling flights for up to four days and stranding passengers across Hawaii. On Aug. 17, a letter to customers from Louis Saint-Cyr, president of Hawaii operations for Mokulele’s new managing company Surf Air Mobility, explained the cause of the service disruption as due to “potential discrepancies in the documentation of a recent landing gear servicing on one of our aircraft.”

A precautionary decision was made on Aug. 17 to halt most of its flights across the state while Mokulele conducted “thorough inspections” of its fleet. As the flights slowed, Molokai social media buzzed with residents desperately looking for flights and seeking boat rides to or from Maui – an increasingly popular method of transportation for increasingly frustrated Molokai residents.…

Molokai Kumu Shares Trip Aboard Exploration Vessel

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

Molokai Kumu Shares Trip Aboard Exploration Vessel

Molokai educator Gandharva Mahina Hou Ross was selected as the only science communication fellow from Hawaii this year for a voyage of deep sea discovery. The trip aboard the Nautilus exploration vessel earlier this month was planned to last a few weeks to explore the depths of the ocean between Hawaii and American Samoa. However, the trip was unexpectedly cut short.
“We had to make some changes to the plans,” said Ross. “We had some problems with the crane, and then there was a hole in the hydraulic tank that kind of controls the thrusters for the ship.”
They were scheduled to leave on July 20 but instead, the 220-foot vessel sat at the dock in Honolulu awaiting repairs for about two weeks.…