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Community

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

A Legacy of Love’s

Wednesday, March 24th, 2021

A Legacy of Love’s

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Love’s Bakery has held a special place in Hawaii’s history for nearly 170 years as the business closes at the end of this month. Love’s legacy on Molokai began in the mid-1900s and the bakery’s closure also brings the end of an era for its Molokai employees and customers.

Details are scarce on the early employees of Love’s on Molokai — Francis Yuen and Sadao Otsuka, who have both passed away — but most sources agree Love’s began distributing on Molokai in the 1950s. More recently, Dickie Linkee, George Kahinu and Mike Kahinu drove the Love’s trucks.…

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Two New Cases, Vaccine Clinic This Week

Wednesday, March 24th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

There were four active COVID-19 cases on Molokai as of Sunday, with the addition of two new cases logged by the Dept. of Health on March 16 and one on March 19, bringing the island’s total cases to 31.

Last week also brought a spike of cases on Maui, which raised concern among officials.

Mayor Michael Victorino expressed frustration on March 18 after receiving the DOH report of 41 new COVID cases in Maui County.

“After reviewing today’s cluster report, it appears the majority of cases are attributed to a new cluster of 24 in a place of worship, eight new cases in an educational setting, additional infections in a cleaning company cluster and two new clusters from bars and nightclubs,” said Victorino.…

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Tiny Home Community Proposal Terminated

Wednesday, March 24th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

A Seattle couple who recently bought property in Kawela Plantation caused an explosive social media stir among Molokai residents last week when their website, which appeared to promote plans for an “intentional community” of tiny homes that would be built on their property, became widely shared locally.

Their website, theblifemovement.com, has since been taken down, with an apology from the couple and a confirmation that the project is “dead.”

“Molokai has experienced a long history with people coming to our shores, falling in love with our island, and imposing their projects upon our community without first consulting with us, as stewards of our island home,” County Councilmember and Molokai resident Keani Rawlins-Fernandez told The Molokai Dispatch.…

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Flag Football Starts for Middle School

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

By Rick Schonely, Sports Reporter

Molokai Middle School is hosting a flag football season, creating an intra-school league to keep competitions safe.

This past February, the Maui Middle Schools Athletics Initiative, sponsored by the REACH Program, approved outdoor sports and Molokai Middle School is a participating member.

Coach Mike Kahale said instead of traveling to Maui to compete against other middle schools as they have done in the past, MMS launched the intra-school league.

“Normally, we would have just one team travel off-island to compete,” said Kahale, who is also the MHS head football coach. “Now we have four teams with over 40 student-athletes competing against one another here on Molokai.”…

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Athletics Dept. Plans for Resumed Sports

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

By Rick Schonely, Sports Reporter

Molokai High School athletics leadership is excited to be able to resume athletic workouts and practices with COVID-19 safety guidelines and protocols set forth by the Department of Education and Department of Health. Six sports can begin by the end of this month, with exact start dates to be announced.

“We highly encourage our spring sport student-athletes to update their current physical form and consent form during this time to be eligible to practice,” said Athletic Director Lee DeRouin. “Student athletes can pick up these forms at school during the day from [myself] or Athletic Trainer and at milsports.org…

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MEO Rides for Maunaloa Post Office Customers

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

MEO News Release

The temporary closure of the Maunaloa Post Office prompted Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) to establish bus runs to help Molokai West End residents collect their mail from the Ho’olehua Post Office.

The U.S. Postal Service announced the temporary closure of the post office at 2 Maunaloa Road, Building 2, due to structural and vector control issues on Feb. 24. The leased structure, which had been open weekdays, houses post office boxes for about 240 customers; the post office does not offer street mail delivery, USPS said in a news release.

Maunaloa Post Office mail can be picked up at the back door of the Ho’olehua Post Office, 69-2 Puupeelua Ave.…

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Suzanne O’Connell

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

Suzanne O’Connell

Aloha to Suzanne O’Connell, Molokai’s Rock Star Realtor for over 30 years. Suzanne was 80 and passed very peacefully on Feb. 25, 2021 at 7:17 p.m. Her family, including son Joseph, daughter Pam, granddaughter Sammy and cousin Mickey came to see her often at Queens Hospital on Oahu in the last few days of her time on Earth.

The family will plan a celebration of life at Wavecrest Resort later this year, hopefully. We will keep you posted.

Suzanne is survived by a son and daughter, two step sons, nine grand children, one great granddaughter and cousin Mickey O’Connell. The family would like to thank all the wonderful people at Wavecrest, as well as others, that helped Suzanne the last few years.…

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Glory-Ann Kehaulani Kaili

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

Glory-Ann Kehaulani Kaili

Glory-Ann Kehaulani Kaili was born on July 10, 1954 to the late Edmund Unea Lima, Sr. and Barbara Jean Pua Mersberg and went home to be with the Lord on Feb. 22, 2021. She is survived by her ex-husband Edward Kaili, her loving children Camey Kaina of Maui, Esther-Jean “Kēhau” (Kimo) Orlando, and Jerome (Teri-Lee) Kaili of Molokai; grandchildren Sydney, Ainsley, Shekinah, Kilakila, Nakoa, Kamehana, and Kia`i; great grandchildren Kanoa, Kala`i, and Talyn; siblings Edmund “Boy” (llima) Lima, Barbara (Blue) Poepoe, Vashti Lima, Deedee (Herman) Coelho and Minnie (Dino) Lima; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Celebration of life visitation will be held on Saturday, April 3, 2021 at Kingʻs Molokai.…

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Give Input as Energy Coop Proposal Takes Shape

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

Hoʻahu Energy Coop News Release

Hoʻahu Energy Cooperative Molokai, a new local entity formed to support community-owned energy projects, invites you to join us for our next virtual workshop on Saturday, March 20, from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

At this workshop, weʻll discuss the coop’s potential microgrid project and our progress in designing a solar and battery storage project for Hawaiian Electric’s upcoming Community Based Renewable Energy (CBRE) Request for Proposals (RFP). We need your input on important upcoming decisions about our project proposal including designing a workforce development and training program for Molokai residents in solar development, installation and maintenance; subscription model benefits for the CBRE project; and land use decisions.…

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Molokai Nears General Public Vaccine Phase

Wednesday, March 17th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Molokai is poised to potentially have its entire eligible population vaccinated, but healthcare providers say they’re waiting for the green light from the Dept. of Health to move forward with vaccinating.

“We’re waiting for confirmation from DOH that we can begin to inoculate everyone on Molokai,” said Janice Kalanihuia, president of Molokai General Hospital (MGH). “There will probably be ad-equate doses here in the next couple of weeks to do that.”

In a March 10 press conference, Josiah Nishita Maui County Deputy Managing Director said vaccine eligibility on Lanai and Molokai will open to residents as young as 16 later this month.…

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