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Community

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

Wet Winter Likely to Bring Drought Relief

Wednesday, October 28th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

As the western half of Molokai continues to experience extreme drought conditions, weather forecasters are predicting above average rainfall to bring some relief this wet season.

Kevin Kodama of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Honolulu office said though many parts of the state began the summer drought-free due to extra wet conditions early this year, parts of Maui County, including Molokai, were an exception to that. Maui County had a drier-than-normal wet season last winter, worsening the current drought conditions.

“[Maui County] got a head start as far as drought,” Kodama said. “By the end of September, they ended up with the worst drought conditions across the state.…

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COVID Spreads to Lanai, State Prepares for Vaccines

Wednesday, October 28th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

There are no new recent COVID-19 cases on Molokai, with the island’s total remaining at 19. However, Lanai, which had previously been COVID-free, had 49 confirmed cases last week, 15 of which are students at Lanai High and Elementary School, as of last Friday.

The source of the cases is unclear. Dept. of Health identified a couple of large social gatherings on Lanai that likely contributed to the outbreak. Some are also attributed to household transmission. One case had a history of travel to Oahu, but there is no clear tie to the other cases, according to DOH.…

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$1M in Small Business Mortgage and Rent Relief

Wednesday, October 28th, 2020

County of Maui News Release

Mayor Michael Victorino announced Wednesday the launch of a $1 million Small Business Mortgage and Relief direct payment program to provide a lifeline for businesses struggling to survive COVID-19 impacts. The County of Maui is partnering with the Maui Chamber of Commerce, which is administering the mortgage and rent relief program.

“Commercial rent and mortgage relief is a top priority for most businesses,” Mayor Victorino said. “This CARES Act funding provides a lifeline to help businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic and recession. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, providing goods and services to our community and jobs that keep food on the table for local families.…

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Workshop for Renewable Energy Cooperative

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020

Shake Energy News Release

On Saturday, Oct. 24, from 9 to 11 a.m., Shake Energy will host another virtual public meeting to further our progress on designing renewable energy projects on Molokai to be locally owned and operated. This follows in a series of community workshops hosted on Molokai about Community-Based Renewable Energy (CBRE). These meetings are held regularly every two weeks to continue the effort to formalize this energy cooperative and design the projects it will own and operate.

At the meeting this weekend, we will be hosting interviews from energy development companies that are interested in partnering with us to submit our bids to Hawaiian Electricʻs Request for Proposals (RFP) for Phase II CBRE projects on Molokai.…

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What Happened to the MHS Farm?

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020

Many Molokai High graduates who loved FFA, The Molokai Farm, and the Ag curriculum at MHS have been and are still surprised, if not exasperated, that the High School administration, the Hawaii Department of Education, and the citizens of Molokai would let the program just die, go away and literally be plowed and grassed over, seemingly with no remorse or need.

Those of us who are grads, who were in this great program in the 50s and 60s, and who have since moved or passed away do not know what really brought about the end of Molokai High Ag Program. So we do not really know who, how or what budgets got cut, but the abandonment of the Ag Program was short sighted and a great loss for the Island.…

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True Conservative Values

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020

To me, voting only because stimulus, stimulus checks, unemployment, etc. are the wrong reasons to vote. $1200 checks and unemployments helps a lot but it can never make us happy. It’s just like giving candy to a bunch of kids, only temporary. Money is not everything. The things we value the most are our families, our neighbors, our communities especially in small islands like Molokai and Lanai.

One little disruption to our essential services like the suspension of ‘Ohana flights affects our residents. People will soon be without work and people especially our kupuna or those are wheel chair bound will have difficulty getting to their medical appointments.…

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Aerial Electric Line Inspections

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020

Hawaiian Electric News Release

As part of efforts to maintain reliable service, Hawaiian Electric will be using a helicopter to perform routine power line inspections on Molokai on Thursday, Oct. 29 and Maui on Friday, Oct. 30, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. Dates and locations are subject to change depending on weather.

Routine aerial inspections of Hawaiian Electric’s equipment, including electrical lines, poles and substations, are necessary to maintain stable and reliable electrical service for the Maui County community.

For questions about this work, the public can contact Hawaiian Electric’s Customer Service Center at 871-9777.…

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Quarantine Exemption for Medical Travel

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020

County of Maui News Release

Mayor Michael Victorino announced that Maui County residents traveling for medical purposes will be exempt from quarantine and will not need to take a pre-departure test for COVID-19.

“We know many of our residents in Maui County need to travel briefly to Oahu for medical purposes or to undergo medical procedures or treatment that’s not available here at home,” Mayor Victorino said. “This exemption allows for same day or overnight travel for patients get their needed treatment. Hopefully, it will reduce the amount of anxiety they experience in an already stressful situation.”

This exemption is available only to those not subject to any other quarantine.…

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Molokai Voter Service Center Now Open

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Voting looks a little different this year. Instead of seeing the ballot for the first time at the polls, Molokai residents can study their political choices in the comfort of their homes and drop their ballot in the mail when completed. But Hawaii’s mail-only voting system this year means General Election Day on Nov. 3 is coming a lot sooner for those planning to return their ballot by mail. The Hawaii Elections office is advising ballots be postmarked no later than Oct. 27 to ensure they will arrive in time, as ballots must be received by Nov.…

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Understanding New Travel Requirements

Wednesday, October 21st, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Now that many travel rules have recently changed, are you looking to finally leave Molokai and confused about where you can and can’t fly, if you need a test and whether you have to still quarantine? We’ll break down the new rules for you here.

Travel to Maui or Lanai: If you’re traveling within Maui County without a stopover in any other county, you don’t need to take a COVID-19 test or quarantine. You just need to fill out the state’s Safe Travels Health Screening to get a QR code for quicker airport screening. Similarly, for those planning a California getaway, hotels Laguna Beach offer a relaxing escape with easy access to local attractions and outdoor activities, perfect for a safe and enjoyable trip.…

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