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Community

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

Land Managers Receive Climate Change Resilience Funds

Wednesday, February 26th, 2025

Dept. of Land and Natural Resources News Release

Funds have been awarded to land managers from Hawaii County to Molokai and Oahu. These include Puʻu O Hoku Operations; MALA ʻOiwi with Waiʻanae Community Redevelopment Corporation; OCR INC., dba Small Kine Farm; Healing Mountain Homestead, LLC; Living Life Source Foundation; The Kohala Center; Maluhia Fields, LLC; Mililani Agricultural Park, LLC; Protect and Preserve Hawaii; and Kuilima Farm with Pono Pacific, LLC.

The Carbon Smart Program has awarded a total of $1,000,000 to 10 grantees to develop and implement plans for regenerative sustainable practices, particularly carbon sequestration, which is capturing, securing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.…

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Senate Bill Proposes Airport Runway Expansion

Wednesday, February 26th, 2025

Senate Bill Proposes Airport Runway Expansion

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

A new bill, SB1570, introduced to the Hawaii State Legislature this year is looking at options for securing more reliable flight transportation for Molokai primarily via an expansion of Molokai airport’s runway.

The bill explains that “the legislature further finds that there has been urgent and growing concern regarding ongoing issues with Mokulele Airlines, including frequent delays and cancellations, which are forcing residents to resort to unsafe, makeshift transportation options.”

Specifically referencing the most recent Mokulele service shutdown, the bill describes Molokai residents rushed to Oahu on boats for emergency medical care.

“The legislature believes that Mokulele Airlines’ unreliability and lack of alternative air carrier options put lives and livelihoods at risk,” explains the bill.…

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Maui Humane Society Takes on Animal Control Services

Wednesday, February 26th, 2025

Maui Humane Society Takes on Animal Control Services

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

For Molokai residents, the challenges of unreliable off-island transportation have affected not only human healthcare, but also veterinary care. Now, the Maui Humane Society has stepped in to fulfill some of that need as animal enforcement officers on Molokai.

“You will be seeing a lot of me on-island,” explained Moani Makaiwi, the first resource officer for Molokai as part of Maui Humane Society.

Right now, Maui Humane Society said that their focus will be only on dog control, due to budget constraints. As the head of animal enforcement, Makaiwi will work with a team to make sure that lost dogs are reunited with owners and humanely cared for.…

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New Nail Bar Highlights a Family’s Resilience 

Wednesday, February 26th, 2025

New Nail Bar Highlights a Family’s Resilience 

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor 

 

For Chisa Kalani, Molokai represented a new start. After having “pretty much lost everything” in the 2023 Lahaina fires, Chisa and her husband Eha decided to send their kids over to stay with Eha’s family in Ho’olehua to start the school year. 

 

Like many affected Lahaina families, the Kalanis ended up living in a hotel post-fires, but weren’t happy with it. 

 

“We were living in a hotel room,” explained Chisa. “It was really bad. The vibe was so bad.” 

 

So, the Kalanis packed up their lives in Lahaina, and followed their kids to Molokai. …

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E Ola Mau ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi: Honoring Hawaiian Language Month

Thursday, February 13th, 2025

Molokai Education Center News Release 

Hawaiiana. Hawaiian. ʻŌlelo Makuahine. ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. These are just a few of the names for the native language of this island archipelago and its people. Throughout the month of Pepeluali (February), we celebrate Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi—Hawaiian Language Month—a time to recognize, honor, and perpetuate the language and culture of Hawaiʻi.

At the Molokai Education Center, we are committed to fostering a deeper connection to ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and Hawaiian culture. To commemorate Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, we have launched a Hua ʻŌlelo o ka Lā (Word of the Day) initiative, sharing Hawaiian words daily through our social media platforms and digital display board on campus.…

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Basketball Takes Second at MILs

Thursday, February 13th, 2025

Basketball Takes Second at MILs

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff 

Molokai High School (MHS) boys basketball travelled to Lanai to compete in the Maui Interscholastic League DII tournament last week. In their first game, the Farmers prevailed against Maui Prep, beating them by a score of 65-56. Kaizen Torres-Umi Napoleon led the scoring with 28 points, with Tyshonn Harper following with 11. The Farmers next took on Seabury Hall in the finals, with Seabury taking the 82-38 win. The Farmers will continue their season at home on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 1 p.m. at the Barn against a to-be-determined opponent. 

Girls basketball was likewise in action, competing in the state tournament over on Oahu.…

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Bill Plans for Future of Kalaupapa and Kalawao County 

Thursday, February 13th, 2025

Bill Plans for Future of Kalaupapa and Kalawao County 

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor 

A new bill being heard in the Hawaii Senate looks at the impending future of Kalaupapa along with that of Kalawao County. With seven patient residents all between the ages of 83 and 100 remaining, four of whom call Kalaupapa their full-time home, state and federal agencies with responsibilities in Kalaupapa are preparing for the day when the settlement is without patients. 

Currently, the Department of Health (DOH) is charged with most elements of patient care, with the National Park Service (NPS) running utilities, waste management and the maintenance of certain areas like the trail, cemeteries and other archeological sites.…

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E Ola Ka ‘Olelo Hawaii 

Thursday, February 13th, 2025

E Ola Ka ‘Olelo Hawaii 

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor 

“If a culture has its language, the culture will live on. Once the language dies, the culture dies,” explained Kilia Purdy-Avelino. As a longtime kumu of ‘Olelo Hawaii currently teaching ‘olelo in a Hawaiian focused charter school, Purdy-Avelino has helped many students participate in this lifeline of language. Last week though, she sat in a slightly different role as a judge at the annual ‘Aha Ho’okuku ‘Olelo Hawaiian Language Competition. 

Molokai students of the Hawaiian language from preschoolers at Punana Leo to high schoolers and even some post-grad young adults gathered at Kulana ‘Oiwi Halau on Tuesday, Feb.…

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Sage Heart Workshop Series

Thursday, February 6th, 2025

UH-CTAHR Molokai Cooperative Extension News Release

Herbs and spices play an important role in history, culture, cooking, beverages, flavorings, and medicine. By definition, an herb or spice is a plant derived substance used in food or beverage preparation for seasoning, coloration, preservation, or medicine. Although herbs and spices have similar uses, there is a distinct difference between them.

Herbs are considered temperate, herbaceous, and are derived from leaves of a plant. Spices are considered tropical, from woody plants, and are made from the roots, bark, fruit, seeds, or parts of the plant other than the leaves.

Herbs can be a healthy alternative to salt in adding flavor and aroma when cooking meals or preparing beverages.…

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Juan “Johnny” Visoria Trinidad – The Youngest Sakada

Thursday, February 6th, 2025

Juan “Johnny” Visoria Trinidad – The Youngest Sakada

Juan “Johnny” Trinidad was born to Leoncio Rodrigues Trinidad and Lucia Visoria on Feb. 8, 1928 in Ilocos Sur, Philippines. He was the oldest of eight children.

He was only 18 years old when he was recruited by the Hawaii Sugar Plantation Association, where his compadres averaged 10 years older than him. He boarded the USS Maunawili, on April 3, 1946, to arrive in Hawaii in October. Thus, he became known as the “Youngest Sakada.”

Juan worked for California Packing Company (CPC) and Del Monte Corporation for a total of 51 years, starting off as a pineapple laborer, and then a truck and harvester driver, a luna and lastly, as a welder in the Kualapuu Shop.…

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