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Community

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

Mahalo for School Cooperation

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

Kaunakakai Elementary School would like to give a big mahalo to all of our parents, guardians, grandparents, aunties and uncles for all their support in this distance learning situation. It’s awesome to see so many adults helping their keiki with online learning; logging into virtual meetings, helping students follow daily schedules, contacting teachers for tech support, picking up meals at our grab-n-go, bringing students into school for assessments, picking up supplies and learning packets, and much, much more. Our families are doing a tremendous job at home and we are so grateful for the level of involvement, commitment, and patience from our families in this ordeal.…

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Molokai Drugs Celebrates 85 Years

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

Molokai Drugs Celebrates 85 Years

By Judy Mikami

It began in 1935…. While working at Benson-Smith, a large Honolulu drug store, a young pharmacist is asked if he would move to Molokai to become the island’s first pharmacist and also work with two plantation doctors,” Mikami writes. “It was a huge decision. Richard Sakata was supporting his widowed mother, but she encouraged him to move and to start a new life. Arriving when it was pitch-black on a cattle barge at the Kaunakakai harbor, one light shone away from the wharf. Richard thought, ‘What have I done? Did I make the right decision? Where will I live?’…

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Dr. Wong Now a Surgeon in Texas

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

Dr. Wong Now a Surgeon in Texas

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Texas has a new surgeon… and he comes all the way from Molokai. Molokai High School alumnus Dr. Dayton Wong has settled in Plainview, Texas with his wife and two young sons, working with Covenant Health Plainview doing general surgery. He said the area feels like home.

“I absolutely love it,” Wong said, via email. “The people of the region remind me so much of the people back home here on Molokai. I am hoping to build a practice in this region of west Texas and am fortunate to have several experienced practitioners who are dedicated to the region as well.…

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One New Molokai Case Last Week

Wednesday, September 30th, 2020

One New Molokai Case Last Week

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Molokai logged one new COVID-19 case last Wednesday, Sept. 23, bringing the island’s total case count to 17.

Despite requests to break down the island’s total and active cases, the Dept. of Health has not yet begun providing that information so it remains unclear how many of Molokai’s cases are active.

Last week, Gov. David Ige signed a proclamation extending the COVID-19 emergency period through Oct. 31, leaving in place the 14-day mandatory quarantine requirement for both out of state and interisland travelers. However, beginning Oct. 15, a pre-travel testing option will allow out of state travelers an alternative to the mandatory 14-day quarantine by providing a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to travel to Hawaii.…

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Brush Fire Burns 50 Acres Above Town

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020

Brush Fire Burns 50 Acres Above Town

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

A brushfire above Ranch Camp in Kaunakakai burned about 50 acres Sunday afternoon.
Ranch Camp residents reported their homes filling with smoke but no houses were damaged or evacuated.

The Fire Dept. got the alarm at 3 p.m. and responded with three engine companies, two tankers, two helicopters, two callback crews, and two county and state tanker trucks. As of 5 p.m. Sunday, efforts to fully extinguish the blaze were ongoing but considered 70 percent contained, according to the Maui Fire Dept.

“Helicopters did a great job… was getting close to Kupa Place culdesac and everyone [was out] with their hoses and sprinklers,” resident P.J.…

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Extreme Drought Conditions Continue

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020

Extreme Drought Conditions Continue

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

It comes as no surprise to many Molokai residents that the island is in a serious drought. With parts of Molokai suffering from conditions recently classified as extreme drought, farmers are and their crops are among those particularly affected.

According to the national U.S. Drought Monitor, with data updated on Sept. 15, the west end of Molokai is already indicated at D3, extreme drought category, and one of the only areas in Hawaii under than classification.

Those conditions will likely continue through the fall, stated an Aug. 20 outlook issued by NOAA Climate Prediction Center. Any rainfall that does occur will probably continue to favor the east-facing windward slopes, with leeward areas becoming drier.…

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Molokai Up 3 New Cases Last Week

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

After a surge of cases the previous week, Molokai had three new COVID-19 positives last week — two logged on Monday, Sept. 14 and one on Friday, bringing the island’s total to 16 since the pandemic began.

Requests have been made to the Dept. of Health to separate Molokai’s case count by total cases versus active cases but that breakdown is not yet available as of press deadline Sunday. Rep. Lynn DeCoite said the DOH told her “they are working on that” and should have it updated this week.

DeCoite said to her knowledge, none of the recent Molokai cases have required hospitalization.…

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Drive Thru Event Tests 150 Residents

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2020

Drive Thru Event Tests 150 Residents

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

 

A second recent drive thru testing event last week Tuesday held by Minit Medical Urgent Care tested about 150 Molokai residents at Mitchell Pauole Center. About 2,000 masks were also distributed to the public, according to the County of Maui.

The testing was open to those who were both symptomatic and asymptomatic who met certain criteria of exposure or need.

Minit Medical said it would call individuals with all results, within one to three days. If you were tested but did not receive results yet, call Minit Medical at (808) 667-6161.

“We thank Minit Medical for conducting the testing and sending its team to Molokai,” Mayor Michael Victorino said.…

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Molokai School Meal Changes

Wednesday, September 16th, 2020

DOE News Release

This is an announcement about precautions being taken due to a positive COVID-19 case involving a Molokai High School employee. The affected employee was last on the Molokai High School campus on Friday, Sept. 4, and had minimal interaction with staff and no interaction with students. Any impacted areas were professionally cleaned and disinfected over the weekend.

The case had the potential to indirectly affect meal service at multiple campuses.

We extend a sincere mahalo to Rep. Lynn DeCoite for her kokua in securing an alternative provider for student meals during this temporary period. This will allow for uninterrupted grab-and-go meal service for our students.…

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Molokai Still Coqui and Little Fire Ant Free

Wednesday, September 16th, 2020

MoMISC News Release

We hope everyone has heard of, read about or maybe even experienced first-hand, the impacts that coqui frogs and little fire ants (LFA) have had across our state. Maybe you know a farmer who has lost crops due to LFA infestation, or travelled to an area where the distinct and noisy call of coqui frog was heard from dusk to dawn? Perhaps you’ve seen stories in the media? Whatever your experience with these species, we at the Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee (MoMISC) know that the introduction of either species would be devastating on Molokai.

Little fire ant is nearly impossible to exterminate once introduced and established at a new site.…

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