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Community

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

Buy Local for Last Minute Gifts

Wednesday, December 9th, 2020

Buy Local for Last Minute Gifts

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff

Need last minute Christmas gifts? Shop local and support our community! Whether it’s food items, gift certificates, crafts, clothing, toys, or just like these gift hampers, you’ll find something perfect for everyone on your list right here on Molokai. A kids stepping stones is also a perfect gift for your little ones who enjoy playing outdoors. It encourages active play and helps develop coordination and balance as they navigate their way from one stone to another. You may also consider getting a new crib for your baby. Check out mini crib vs. standard crib comparison here.…

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Two New Molokai Cases

Wednesday, December 9th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Two new COVID-19 cases on Molokai last week brought the island’s total cases to 19 since the pandemic began, as of Sunday. A case was confirmed by the Dept. of Health on Monday, Nov. 30, with another on Saturday, Dec. 5. Contact tracing took place and there were no further details available.

On Dec. 4, the DOH announced that it is reducing the mandatory quarantine period for those exposed to COVID-19 from 14 days to 10 days. The Department said this is to improve compliance without significantly increasing the risk of transmission in the community, based on updated recommendations from the CDC last week.…

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Shearwaters Return to Mokio

Wednesday, December 9th, 2020

Shearwaters Return to Mokio

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

For the first time in years — maybe decades, maybe centuries, no one’s quite sure — fuzzy Uʻau kani, or Wedgetailed Shearwater, chicks hatched in the Anapuka area within Mokio Preserve. The successful nesting of the indigenous seabirds indicates that the past 12 years of work of the Molokai Land Trust is paying off and the native ecosystem is recovering, as crews clear acres of dense kiawe and remove deer, cats and mongoose.

Adult Uʻau kani have gray-brown and white feathers, a long, hooked beak and a wingspan of more than three feet. Clumsy on land, the birds live most of their lives on the wing at sea, and come onshore only to breed.…

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Art of Trash

Wednesday, December 9th, 2020

Malama Maui Nui News Release

The Art of Trash Virtual Exhibition is an annual juried exhibition that includes an Art Gallery and a Trashion Show, which inspires people to reimagine our resources, such as previously used materials, as elements for creative inspiration. Malama Maui Nui, an environmental nonprofit, is excited to announce that The Art of Trash 2021 Virtual Exhibition will be live in April at MalamaMauiNui.org/ArtOfTrash!

Start creating now so that you’re ready to virtually submit your pieces in early 2021! Residents of Molokai, Lanai and Maui are invited to create art pieces for the Art Gallery and/or fashion pieces for the Trashion Show.…

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Visitor Industry Gives Rice

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020

MHLA News Release

The Maui Hotel and Lodging Association (MHLA) distributed 25,000 pounds of rice throughout Maui County in November.

The annual “Rice for the Holidays” program began in 2009 when MHLA partnered with Jim Coon of Trilogy Excursions in their annual giveaway of turkeys to the residents of Lanai by adding a five-pound bag of rice with the turkey.

Since then the program has expanded to provide rice for food distributions on Maui and Molokai. In 2011, Hana was added to the distribution. The rice was distributed on Lanai and Molokai Saturday, Nov. 21; and will be distributed in Hana on Friday, Dec.…

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Golf Aces to Play Off

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020

Golf Aces to Play Off

By Rick Schonely, Sports Reporter

Molokai High School Athletic Director Lee DeRouin is the December Ace for the Hui O Kukui Golf Club. DeRouin shot 39-39 for a gross total of 78 and with his 10 handicap his net 68 got him the victory.

He is the last qualifier for the clubs Ace of Aces Tournament on Dec. 5 at iconic Ironwood Hills Golf Course. All 12 Ace winners from this year will play off for the club championship.…

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My Pledge

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020

As a settler here in Hawaii,
I pledge my allegiance to this land, these waters, and this community.
I pledge to conduct myself with the utmost respect for the Hawaiian people whose land I am on, and for the land itself.
I pledge to not exploit the resources or people of Hawaii.
I pledge to not forget that I am a guest of the Hawaiian people.
I pledge to learn about the true history of Hawaii and it’s present from the Hawaiian people themselves and not from American books.
I pledge to use my privilege and the resources at my disposal because of that privilege to help uplift those around me.…

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Chess League Seeking Molokai Members

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020

My name is Louis Tomsic. I am a Tournament Director in Hawaii for the U.S. Chess Federation. I have a chess club on chess.com called the Molokai Chess Club. We will be competing in the Hawaii Chess Federations, Hawaii Chess League starting in mid December 2020.

The Molokai Chess Club on chess.com needs you as a member so we can compete with other teams from Hawaii on chess.com. It is free to join chess.com and play online chess. You can make friends from all over the world. Pick a user name and password and sign up for free.

Chess.com gives you one free chess lesson a week, three free chess puzzles a week to solve and unlimited free chess games to play.…

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Census Followup

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020

My name is Napua Burke and I served as minister to the Hawaiian Congregational churches (Topside Molokai UCC Churches) from 2013 to 2016. At the end of 2016, I returned to Hilo to care for my mother and I continue to be grateful for the kind words and messages I received at the time of her passing.

My husband and I have continued to maintain a home in Molokai because we love this island and its people. We have not visited Molokai since the beginning of the pandemic for obvious reasons. Recently though, I began working for the Census and I have volunteered to come over to Molokai in December to conduct what are called Post Enumeration Surveys, which is basically a method of verifying that accuracy of the information received during the census.…

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Uechi Promoted to Leadership at Maui News

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Former Molokai Dispatch reporter Colleen Uechi has been named to the top editorial leadership role at The Maui News. Uechi began her journalism career as an intern with The Molokai Dispatch in 2014, and worked on staff until the end of 2015, when she joined The Maui News team as a reporter. She was promoted to assistant city editor last year. She now replaces Lee Imada as managing editor, who worked at the publication for 40 years.

Originally from Oahu, Uechi is originally from Oahu and graduated from Hawaiian Mission Academy in Honolulu. She studied intercultural communications and Spanish at Pacific Union College in California and after her 2013 graduation, taught English in Kazakhstan for five months.…

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