Community

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

Molokai’s Energy Coop Selects Developer

Wednesday, January 20th, 2021

Ho‘ahu Energy Coop News Release

Ho‘ahu Energy Cooperative Molokai invites you to join us for our first virtual workshop of 2021 on Saturday, Jan. 23, 9 to 10:30 a.m.

At this workshop you’ll have a chance to hear about the coop’s two important milestones over the last month: applying for incorporation for the cooperative and selecting an additional energy development partner. We also need your input on important upcoming decisions about our project proposal including:

Subscription model: setting goals and guidelines for who can sign up to save money on their energy bills from the project and

Physical project design: deciding where the project will go and what it will look like.…

Participate in Affordable Housing Plan

Wednesday, January 20th, 2021

HCA News Release

Maui nonprofit Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA) will partner with Akaku: Maui Community Media to launch a months-long series of community meetings that will inform the County of Maui’s Comprehensive Affordable Housing Plan.

Community meetings will be held for residents in the County’s eight community plan areas with follow-up meetings in plan areas determined most suitable for the building of 5,000 units of affordable housing over the next five years. Meetings will be limited to 100 attendees and held via Zoom to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. Community area residents will be able to participate through online and phone call-in options with feedback managed through chat functions and facilitated discussion.…

Vaccine Distribution Continues, County Amends Rules

Wednesday, January 20th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

Molokai logged no new COVID-19 cases last week, as vaccine rollout continues, now including residents 75 years and older, along with healthcare and frontline essential workers.

Molokai General Hospital officials said they are “in the process of finalizing plans for immunization based on the Department of Health tier system.”

“At this time we will be focusing on anyone in Phase 1a and 1b,” read a statement from the hospital last week. “These phases are for health care personnel, adults 75 years or older, and frontline essential workers. We plan to quickly move to Phase 1c, Adults 65-74, persons aged 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions, and essential workers not recommended for vaccination in Phase 1b.”…

‘Ohana’s Last Flight

Wednesday, January 20th, 2021

‘Ohana’s Last Flight

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

It was a heartfelt farewell for ‘Ohana by Hawaiian last Thursday at Molokai’s airport as the airline departed on what may be its final flight from Molokai. Kupuna in wheelchairs held signs begging the airline to continue flying, while crew and Molokai ‘Ohana employees hugged and the airport fire department showered the plane with an arch of water as it taxied away.

The airline first announced last October it would suspend service to Molokai and Lanai on Nov. 1 after low travel demand caused by the pandemic “triggered a labor provision in Hawaiian’s pilot contract affecting the carrier’s ability to provide ‘Ohana by Hawaiian service.”…

‘Ohana by Hawaiian Halts Flights

Wednesday, January 13th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

‘Ohana by Hawaiian air service will indefinitely suspend flights to Molokai and Lanai on Jan. 14, the airline told employees in a letter from a company official last week. The move leaves Mokulele Airlines as the sole air carrier serving Molokai.

“Our low levels of inter-island flying, caused by depressed demand across our network due to travel restrictions, triggered a provision in our labor contracts that prevents us from offering this third-party passenger and all-cargo service,” wrote Executive Vice President and COO Jon Snook in the letter that employees received last Wednesday, Jan. 6.

In October, the airline announced it would suspend flights on Nov.…

4 Molokai Residents Join Fire Dept.

Wednesday, January 13th, 2021

4 Molokai Residents Join Fire Dept.

MFD News Release

Last month, the Department of Fire and Public Safety celebrated the graduation of its 36th Firefighter Recruit Class in Wailuku. The 19 firefighter recruits graduated from the Maui Fire Department’s 25 week Recruit Training Program, and four of them are from Molokai. The program is designed to train and evaluate fire recruits on the many skills and disciplines necessary to serve the public as a firefighter.

Fifteen firefighters will be joining the ranks with the Maui Fire Department and will be assigned to Maui County fire stations on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. They are: Mahonri Aiwohi, Kaikane Beam, Ross Bisera, Michael Carter, Joshua Galvan, Aaron Griffith, Cameron Layer, Ikaika Neizman, Daniel Place (of Molokai), Kenneth Puaa, Charles Puaa-Spencer (of Molokai), James Puaa Spencer (of Molokai), Daniel Silvestre, Matthew Wilburn, and Jacob Wolfson.…

Free After-School Program Teaches Watershed Learning Virtually

Wednesday, January 13th, 2021

Learning Endeavors News Release

A placed-based STEM watershed learning experience, called Champions of Coastal Resilience (CCR), is designed for after-school enrichment for grades 4-6 on Molokai. It is a virtual, seven-week action curriculum, facilitated by a Molokai-based instructor beginning on Monday, January 25, taking place from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. Registration is now open.

This is a free opportunity offered by Learning Endeavors, a Wailuku nonprofit organization offering innovative education program development, in partnership with the Molokai 21st Century Community Learning Centers. The Champions of Coastal Resilience initiative is its newest program, starting on Molokai and soon expanding statewide.…

3 New COVID Cases for Molokai Last Week

Wednesday, January 13th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

The new year brought new cases to the island, with an influx of three last week, bringing Molokai up to a total of 25 COVID-19 cases, as of Sunday, since the pandemic began.

One new case was reported by the Dept. of Health last Wednesday, Jan. 6, with two more joining the tally Friday.

Statewide, Thursday, Jan. 7 saw the highest number of cases in a single day since August, with 322 new cases across the state. In Maui County, numbers were also concerning to officials, with 56 new cases reported in the county last Thursday. Because the vast majority of cases are in households throughout all regions of Maui island, officials in the Maui District Health Office believe the spike stemmed from holiday gatherings.…

Golf Wins

Wednesday, January 13th, 2021

Golf Wins

By Rick Schonely, Sports Reporter

Two golf tournaments at the iconic Ironwood Hills Golf course got three residents wins recently.

The 2020 Molokai Teachers’ Winter Classic was held Dec. 21. Congratulations to Bob Danner for winning the low gross Horns Trophy and Jacket and Scott Hemenway for winning the low net Bowl Trophy. Big aloha to the leader of Farmer nation and the tournament organizer, Lee DeRouin!

David Spencer is the January 2021 monthly Ace winner for the Hui O Kukui Golf Club. After shooting 82 (42-40) and with his 19 handicap, his net 63 got him the first Ace of the new year!…

MPD Reflects on Blessings

Wednesday, December 30th, 2020

As 2020 comes to a close, let us not reflect on the challenges we faced but on the blessings we received. Many organizations, businesses, and neighbors on Molokai stepped in to assist those in need, evident by the many food distributions, PPE donations, free inter-island cargo shipping, as well as the countless people who offered assistance to those afflicted by COVID-19. We were able to keep our COVID count low, due to everyone doing their part in helping to stop the spread of this disease.

We appreciated those that kept traditions alive, like PK Enterprise and Misaki Store, spreading holiday cheer from their annual floats.…