Community

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

Saturday Market Returns to Kaunakakai

Friday, July 19th, 2024

Saturday Market Returns to Kaunakakai

For many years, the Saturday Market in Kaunakakai was a gathering place for the community. Vendors sold produce, food, clothing, art, crafts and much more – until the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to the market in early 2020. It might have taken four years for the market to return to town, but it has officially kicked off last Saturday.
“This is very exciting,” ceramic artist Kim Markham said. “After COVID, we stopped going to people’s houses, we stopped doing a lot of things, so coming to the Saturday Market every week I get to meet a lot of people, and I get to see a lot of people I haven’t seen a long time.…

Disaster Preparedness Workshops and Resources

Friday, July 12th, 2024

UH CTAHR News Release

In response to recent challenges posed by COVID-19 and wildfires, Maui County residents are invited to participate in a series of comprehensive workshops aimed at enhancing community resilience and preparedness. Organized by UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) Maui County Cooperative Extension Services on Maui and Molokai, these workshops will equip attendees with essential skills such as CPR, first aid, and fire suppression techniques. Participants will also learn how to assemble emergency kits and adopt firewise landscaping practices to mitigate the risk of fires.

Registration is now open to adults, families up to four members, and youth who are year-round residents of Maui County.…

NOAA to Survey Coral Reefs and Ocean Conditions

Friday, July 12th, 2024

This summer, residents and visitors may see a large white ship sailing around Molokai and other Hawaiian Islands. This ship will be launching small orange boats carrying teams of scientific divers to conduct noninvasive underwater surveys close to shore. The ship will be off the coast of Molokai from July 15 to July 19, but this schedule is weather dependent.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries and the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC) will be measuring and counting reef fish, assessing coral health, and collecting ocean temperature and condition data. In addition to recording biological and habitat data, they will also be taking images of the ocean floor.…

Free Concert

Friday, July 12th, 2024

Hawaii Youth Symphony News Release

The public is invited to a free afternoon of music in Kaunakakai at the Molokai Public Library from 3:30 to 4 p.m. on July 12, featuring the talents of renowned cellist Daniel Scoggins in a concert presented by Hawaii Youth Symphony and its Pacific Music Institute (PMI). Through Hawaii Youth Symphony’s partnership with the National Orchestral Institute and Festival, Scoggins will return to Hawaii as a teaching fellow for this year’s PMI: an annual summer music camp connecting students with celebrated soloists, players from major symphony orchestras, and educators from leading music institutions. In addition to the public performance, Scoggins will teach a private workshop for the string students of the Molokai Instrumental Music Education Program, led by Lauren Fischer.…

Multiple Raised Crosswalks to be Installed

Friday, July 12th, 2024

Multiple Raised Crosswalks to be Installed

HDOT News Release

The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) will be completing nine raised crosswalks planned for Molokai in July. The raised crosswalks are planned for several locations due to proximity to schools and pedestrian destinations: mile post 0.01 on Kamehameha V Highway, near the intersection of Ala Malama Avenue; mile post 0.27 on Kamehameha V Highway, near the intersection with ʻAiloa Street and fronting Kaunakakai Elementary School; mile post 0.34 on Kamehameha V Highway, near the intersection with Oki Place; mile post 13.25 and 13.32 on Kamehameha V Highway, at the entrance of Kilohana Elementary School; mile post 1.35 on Maunaloa Highway, near the intersection of Kahiwa Street.…

Learn the Art of ‘Nothing’ with Zazen Meditation

Friday, July 12th, 2024

Learn the Art of ‘Nothing’ with Zazen Meditation

“Just sitting” or “sitting Zen” is the English translation of the word “Zazen.” Zazen meditation comes from the Buddhist tradition and allows for the transformation of the mind in a simple, seated posture.

Molokai residents have an opportunity to experience Zazen meditation at weekly classes by Koko Kawauchi Johnson and monthly instruction from Flint Sparks at the Guzeiji Soto Mission in Kaunakakai.

“The temple is a pu’uhonua,” explained Johnson, who is from Japan, and introduced weekly classes to a small but growing group of participants back in January. “Anybody can come and we’ll be open for everybody.”

The primary principle of this Japanese meditation technique is establishing a comfortability and eventual fulfillment with nothingness, according to longtime Zazen teacher Sparks.…

Keiki and Kupuna Mo’olelo Project

Friday, July 12th, 2024

Keiki and Kupuna Mo’olelo Project

Kalia Purdy-Avelino showed the circle of keiki and kupuna gathered at Home Pumehana some of Molokai’s most famous books of mo’olelo, including “Tales from the Night Rainbow” and “Tales of Molokai: the Voice of Harriet Ne.” As she flipped through the books, Purdy-Avelino described what they all had in common: stories of Molokai’s past heroes, descriptions of natural phenomenon and historic events, and not many pictures for kids to enjoy.

Part of the goal of Hokulani Children’s Theater of Molokai’s Keiki and Kupuna Writing Project is to engage young people in the telling and recording of mo’olelo. Taught by Purdy-Avelino, the program aspires to bridge the gap between older history and today’s stories of Molokai, as well as reinforce stylistic aspects of Hawaiian storytelling.…

Celebrating the Youth Cadets

Friday, July 12th, 2024

Celebrating the Youth Cadets

Twelve Molokai young adults started their summers a little differently: early mornings, endless push-ups, miles of running, ocean rescue training and more. As part of the third class of the Maui Police Dept.’s Youth Cadet Leadership Program, these Molokai high schoolers were honored on Friday, June 28 for completing the challenging course.

The four-week program was led by Molokai police officers. From 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every day, the cadets were put through various physical and mental challenges, focusing on “mind over matter,” explained one of the program organizers, Officer Lani Caparida.

At Friday’s graduation ceremony, Caparida explained that he was proud of how the Molokai cadets “just put their heads down and didn’t quit” during the program.…

William Robert Keating

Friday, June 28th, 2024

William Robert Keating

William Robert Keating was born Oct. 16, 1940, in Columbus, Ohio and passed away April 25, 2024, in Honoka’a, Hawaii. He is predeceased by his parents Robert A Keating, MD., and Harriet Steele Keating. He is survived by his sister Karen Keating Moody Bierly, nieces Merry Troper, Molly Moody, Megan Moody Dininger, and nephew Scott Moody. William was a graduate of Worthington HS and Ohio State University, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.

Billy ran The Jerome Wheelers Public House in Aspen for many years. He loved Aspen and his companion wolf/husky, Tugboat. Billy took up bull riding in local rodeos – never managing a winning eight seconds, but plenty of time in the hospital.…

New Deputy Superintendent for Kalaupapa

Friday, June 28th, 2024

New Deputy Superintendent for Kalaupapa

National Park Service News Release

Please join us in welcoming Linh Anh Cat as Kalaupapa’s new deputy superintendent. We are looking forward to exercising her skills to enhance the park’s management capacity at this critical time.
Linh Anh Cat started in her new role as deputy superintendent at Kalaupapa National Historical Park earlier this month. She was the integrated resources management lead at Cabrillo National Monument before joining Kalaupapa National Historical Park as the natural resource management division lead in July 2022. Within the National Park Service, Linh Anh has worked on furthering diversity, equity, and inclusion goals at park, network, regional, and service wide levels.…