Community

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

Free Community Concert

Thursday, April 11th, 2024

Free Community Concert

Molokai Arts Center News Release

Join us for a free concert on Monday, April 22 at the St. Damien Catholic Church in Kaunakakai. Dive into the vibrant world of brass quintets and unlock the secrets of their melodious magic with the Honolulu Brass Quintet. This program offers an exciting exploration of the instruments that form this ensemble, blending classical elegance with the toe-tapping rhythms of jazz, the breezy charm of Hawaiian tunes, and the infectious energy of New Orleans brass bands. Get ready for a musical journey like no other, where learning meets fun in a harmonious fusion of genres!

Since its inception in 1976, the Honolulu Brass Quintet has been in demand throughout Honolulu and the state of Hawaii for all kinds of special occasions ranging from church services to private parties, from graduations to in-school performances.…

Body Found in Kaunakakai

Thursday, April 11th, 2024

Molokai residents have more questions than answers since the discovery of human remains at a Kaunakakai residence on March 22.

“There is no confirmation on the identity or cause of death,” explained Molokai Police Captain Jamie Winfrey. “We are still waiting on testing results which could take several weeks.”

Captain Winfrey confirmed that a female was arrested on theft charges in connection to the investigation. However, the woman was released pending further investigation.

“We understand there may be concerns about this discovery and we’ll continue to work diligently to gather all the facts,” said Winfrey. “More information will be provided once we have updates.”…

Softball Senior Day, Volleyball Clinches Title

Thursday, April 11th, 2024

Softball Senior Day, Volleyball Clinches Title

The Lady Farmers took on Hana in two games this past weekend. As the last home games of the season, the Molokai seniors were celebrated after Saturday’s game. On Friday, the Farmers’ offense exploded for a 25-10 win. Natalia Pastrana hit a grand slam, with Pi’i Victorino launching two home runs and earning the win for the pitching staff.

Saturday’s game featured more of the same, with the Farmers securing a 23-7 win over Hana and a 3-1 division record. Victorino smashed two more home runs in the emphatic victory.

On March 29 and 30, the Farmers boys volleyball team defeated Seabury Hall 3-0 and 3-2, capping off a perfect 6-0 record for the season.…

Alaska-Hawaiian Merger Won’t Solve Molokai Flight Issues

Thursday, April 11th, 2024

Molokai residents who were hoping the proposed Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines merger could help the flight crisis on Molokai, will unfortunately be disappointed. Representatives from Alaska Airlines were clear that they will not be flying to Molokai, officially partnering with Mokulele or bringing in an additional Molokai airline.

“We knew this was going to be a little bit of an unusual visit…We knew we didn’t have a solution,” explained Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines regional president of Hawaii, at a meeting with representatives from Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines, the U.S. Congress and Molokai community members on March 28.

Airline representatives sighted “significant airport limitations” of the Ho’olehua airport for their current decision.…

Molokai at Merrie Monarch

Thursday, April 11th, 2024

Molokai at Merrie Monarch

The 61st Merrie Monarch Festival kicked off on March 31 in Hilo. A hui of Molokai small businesses made the trip over to join in on the celebration of Hawaiian arts. Supported by a $30,000 grant from the Maui County Office of Economic Development, Ho’aka Mana and the second cohort of the Pulauhala small business accelerator program were some of the Molokai businesses who set up shop at the festival. This group included Ishay Kaholoaa of Kahului Designs and Taste of Molokai, Mokihana Paleka of Po’o Hala, Karlie Rose Kalama of Little Learning Keiki, Aulani Herrod of Pailolo Designs, Keoni Perkins of KP Artwork, Courtney Galam of Da Greenthumb, Kauluna’e Hamakua of Kaulu Farms, and Kanoe Davis of PoMahina Designs.…

Proposed Research Activities at Saint Joseph’s

Friday, April 5th, 2024

National Science Foundation News Release

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is conducting consultation under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act related to NSF funding to the University of Hawaii for research entitled “Unmarked Burials at a Molokai Cemetery: Building and Broadening Community Engaged Research Methods, Faculty Networks, and Student STEM Opportunities.”

The research is in response to a request made by the Saint Damien Cemetery Committee for identification of unmarked burials at a cemetery located on Molokai, which would allow the Cemetery Committee to place commemorative markers where appropriate, to identify space for future burials, and to document who is buried at unmarked burials, to the extent that those are known, based on archival and ethnographic research.…

Water Conservation Request From Kawela to Kaunakakai

Friday, April 5th, 2024

Maui Water Dept. News Release

The Department of Water Supply requests residents and tourists of Molokai from Kawela to Kaunakakai to conserve water until further notice. The request is due to an inoperable well pump.…

Speaker Series: Empowering Our Youth

Friday, April 5th, 2024

Molokai Bahá’í Community News Release

The Global Citizenship Speaker Series at the Molokai Public Library continues Wednesday, April 10 at 5:30 p.m. with a presentation by U’ileiuluwehi Pimental from Kona, Hawaii Island. Her talk is titled “Empowering Youth: Reflections on its implications for individuals and communities.”
The period of youth is full of potential as young people apply themselves to developing their capacity to serve their communities. U’ilei Pimental’s passion is empowering these young people. She has experienced first-hand the impact moral empowerment programs have had on the lives of youth, their family, and the well-being of their community.
U’ilei spent fifteen years leading and training non-profit organizations.…

Victory for Youth Soccer

Friday, April 5th, 2024

Victory for Youth Soccer

Molokai keiki athletes can now compete off-island in soccer thanks to the establishment of travel teams for both girls and boys.

On March 23-24, Molokai girls competed in the 12 and under Kirk Banks Tournament on Oahu. The team, coached by Kathy Puhi and Naomi Bicoy, dominated their opposition, winning 7-0, 6-0, 6-0 in tournament play against West Oahu and Pearl City. They went on to win the championship game by a score of 4-1. Kaiolohia Puhi, Qarah Torres Umi Napoleon and Zoey Place led the offensive charge for the girls with multiple goals over the four games.

The other Molokai travel team, a new 12 and under team made up of boys and girls coached by Sam Westcoat, Andrew Valyo and Ryan Link, also had a chance to show their talents off-island.…

Seaglider Speculation

Friday, April 5th, 2024

Seaglider Speculation

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a hydrofoil, floating boat?

The Hawaii Seaglider Initiative made waves back in January when they proposed interisland transportation on seagliders as a reality. Now, Molokai residents and representatives are pushing for details on the project.

The seagliders are being developed by Regent, an East Coast-based company promising to deliver 100 percent electric, zero-emission, high-speed gliders, projected to be operational by 2026. With partners such as Hawaiian Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Southern Airways, Regent already has a $7.9 billion backlog for their product. Southern Airways, owner and operator of Mokulele Airlines, is slated to be the first customer worldwide to receive the seagliders, according to David Uchiyama, a community and government representative for Regent.…