Community

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

Construction Begins on New Public Works Baseyard

Thursday, October 25th, 2012

Construction Begins on New Public Works Baseyard

A new county Department of Public Works baseyard will bring upgrades for both the department and Molokai’s emergency response capabilities. The current facility is located on state property next to Rawlin’s Chevron in Kaunakakai– which is also a flood zone, according to David Goode, Maui County director of Public Works. That means in the event of an emergency such as a tsunami, employees may not be able to access equipment. While the materials are always available since getting your supplies is easier now by using outdoor warehouses to store everything.

“We needed to move out of the flood zone — we’re typically the first responders,” said Goode.…

Master Blasters: Fun for the Young at Heart

Wednesday, October 24th, 2012

Master Blasters: Fun for the Young at Heart

Whoever said it’s all downhill after age 50 has never paddled in Molokai’s annual Master Blasters Race. Participants say the event is just as much about making friends as it is about the paddling competition, the costumes and the drinking. With this year’s festivities featuring a crew of Jack Sparrow-lookalikes in one canoe, Spartan soldiers in the next and afro-wearing Amazonian women in another, there was fun to be had by all last Saturday in the 27th annual event.

“We did our best, we drank our beers and we had a lot of fun,” said Lea Giddens, who paddled with the Wildcat Witches from Maui.…

Halloqueen 2012

Wednesday, October 24th, 2012

Halloqueen 2012

In the spirit of good Halloween fun, many dressed up in their own costumes to attend the second annual Halloqueen event hosted at Paddlers Inn last Saturday.  Pictured here are the evening’s seven performers who came from all across the state.…

A Not-So-Little League

Sunday, October 21st, 2012

A Not-So-Little League

More than 70 young T-ballers aged 4 to 8 gathered at Kaunakakai ball field early Saturday morning to officially bat off the start of this year’s Little League season. Before any games commenced, all five teams stood for the opening ceremony, which featured the national and Hawaiian anthem, guest speakers and a pule.

“There’s not too much on Molokai for little ones,” said Minky Young, president of Molokai Little League. “Little League offers not only baseball, but unity, community involvement, health and wellness.”

Little League has been present on Molokai for over 35 years, and many parents and coaches remember playing in the league themselves as keiki.…

Investing in Community

Sunday, October 21st, 2012

Mayoral Budget Office visits Molokai to gather testimony

When Mayor Alan Arakawa and his team of county officials visited Molokai last week, they did what many Molokai residents do every day–they waited for a ride from the Maui Economic Opportunities (MEO) bus.

That’s an example of ways in which the county is limiting their own spending to make more funds available for community needs, explained Arakawa as he discussed the county’s upcoming budget with Molokai residents last week.

The budget for the current fiscal year was $549.9 million, and Arakawa expects around the same numbers for 2013 to 2014. In a time of budget cuts across the board, Arakawa said his office has managed to maintain a consistent budget due in large part to limiting excessive spending within his departmental administration.…

Hawaiian Airlines to Start Molokai Service Next Year

Sunday, October 21st, 2012

Hawaiian Airlines to Start Molokai Service Next Year

Hawaiian Airlines announced last week that their parent company, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., will begin service to Molokai and Lanai sometime next year. The company has already purchased one turboprop aircraft (powered by propeller rather than jet engine) to service the routes, and has a purchase agreement for a second, according to a Hawaiian Airlines press release.

The ATR 42 twin-turboprop aircraft will be configured to carry 44 to 50 passengers.

“These are the ideal aircraft for service to the less populated islands in our state,” said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian Holdings. “This new service will complement the B717 jet service offered by Hawaiian Airlines as well as provide the additional service that Molokai and Lanai residents have been requesting.”…

Caring for Koheo

Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

Caring for Koheo

Wetland serves as learning grounds for community

At the end of Seaside Place in Kaunakakai, tucked behind a string of houses along Molokai’s southern shoreline, is what might appear to be a large, vacant lot. For years, this site was used as a dump, but through the efforts of Nene O Molokai, a nonprofit organization led by wildlife biologist Arleone Dibben-Young, the area has been cleaned up over the past 10 years and restored to what it is today –the Koheo Wetland. It is now home to dozens of species of native shorebirds, including one of the rarest shorebirds in the world and Kaunakakai’s official bird, the kioea, also known as the bristle-thighed curlew.…

Corps Values in Health

Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

Molokai is one of 12,000 communities in the country – over 10 million people –that are considered medically underserved, according to the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). Every year, the NHSC enlists medical, dental, mental and behavioral healthcare providers to these communities to provide primary health care to those who may not be able to afford it. Last Thursday marked Corps Community Day that recognizes the efforts of almost 10,000 NHSC members nationwide who are caring for underserved communities — four of whom serve on Molokai, according to Catherine Sorenson of the Hawaii Department of Health.

One of those members is Dr.…

Photo Slideshow –Festivals of Aloha 2012

Sunday, October 14th, 2012

Photo Slideshow –Festivals of Aloha 2012

Another eventful year of culture, fun and festivities as Molokai celebrated the 2012 Festivals of Aloha this weekend.  For the full story, visit here. Photos by Catherine Cluett and Laura Pilz.…

Monsanto Fund Donates $20,000 for Molokai Watershed Protection

Sunday, October 14th, 2012

Monsanto Molokai News Release

The Monsanto Fund awarded a $20,000 grant to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) of Hawaii for watershed protection at Kamakou Preserve on Molokai. Since 2006, the Monsanto Fund has contributed a total of $130,000 to TNC’s protection and restoration efforts of critical watershed and fragile ecosystems on Molokai.

Located high in the mountains of East Molokai, the 2,774-acre Kamakou Preserve is a rainforest like no other on the planet. This magnificent natural treasure not only shelters hundreds of native plants and animals, but also serves as an important source of water for the island and its people.

TNC’s work at Kamakou Preserve, in collaboration with the public and private landowners of the East Molokai Watershed Partnership, is focused on invasive animal and weed control.…