Community

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

Long Legacy of Service

Sunday, August 19th, 2012

Long Legacy of Service

Mr. Nip moving from Molokai

Over 50 years ago, Kenneth Nip, known to many as Mr. Nip, came to Molokai to teach at the Mission School, which used to be held outside Kaunakakai. Since then, he has become not only an integral part of the community, but an example of service and volunteerism. This month, Mr. Nip is moving to Oahu to be closer to his family and medical services.

Mr. Nip grew up in Honolulu, where the site of his childhood home is now a freeway, he said. As a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Mr. Nip started teaching at mission schools on Maui and Kauai after he graduated from La Sierra University in California.…

Oceanic to Upgrade Molokai Broadband

Wednesday, August 15th, 2012

For years, Molokai has experienced some of the slowest broadband Internet service in the state, provided by Oceanic Time Warner Cable. For customers who struggle to stream Netflix movies or wrestle with buffering YouTube videos, good news may be on the way. With improved internet access, residents will soon be able to enjoy streaming services like tivimate without interruptions.

Oceanic’s cable television and broadband signals are currently sent to Molokai via microwave technology. Because Oceanic uses microwave to carry both TV and Internet signals, there is a lot of competition for bandwidth, causing slower speeds. But Oceanic President Bob Barlow said that will be changing soon.…

Moving Mountains of Metal

Sunday, August 12th, 2012

Moving Mountains of Metal

Molokai metals recycling event is now open.

If you’ve been collecting junk cars, appliances or scrap metal in your yard, now is the time to say goodbye to such lawn ornaments. A metals recycling collection event on Molokai, put on by the County of Maui, is going on right now until Sept. 8. The event allows residents to safely trash their scrap metal free of charge.

The current metals recycling program, which started three years ago, opens up once to three times per year. Located at the Molokai-Naiwa Landfill on Maunaloa Highway, the event is operated by Maui-based company Kitagawa’s Towing & Metals Recycling, which is contracted by the county to process the metals.…

Mo`omomi to be Gated Soon

Sunday, August 12th, 2012

In an effort to prevent further overfishing, vandalism and overall neglect of natural resources of Mo`omomi Beach, a gate will be installed to restrict vehicle access to the area, according to Halealoha Ayau, Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL) acting district supervisor for Molokai. DHHL hopes to have it installed by the end of the month, but because there is only one person on staff who has the skill to build the gate, it may take longer, according to Ayau

“We’re hoping the gate will help promote responsible behavior, because there has been such a high level of vandalism, cutting through fences and fence posts and really irresponsible behavior, at the pavilion especially,” said Ayau.…

Kanemitsu Bakery Looks at the Options

Sunday, August 12th, 2012

Kanemitsu Bakery Looks at the Options

The ovens of Kanemitsu Bakery remain cold since June, when the Department of Health (DOH) suspended their permit after a complaint was filed. Since then, the bakery has been making some of the sanitation improvements stipulated by the DOH. The operation has not been able to reopen as soon as owner George Kanemitsu had originally hoped, and now he said he’s looking into additional options — including establishing a bakery on Oahu.

In the meantime, work on the Molokai facility continues. The restaurant portion of the business remains open because it operates from a separate, permitted kitchen.

Kanemitsu said he anticipates a visit from DOH inspectors, accompanied by a governor’s representative, in the next couple weeks, after which he said he will have a better idea of a date to re-open.…

Primary Election Results

Sunday, August 12th, 2012

Last Saturday, Molokai residents cast their ballots at one of four polling locations. The winners from each political party in the primary election will go on to appear on the general election ballot in November. In the primary, voters could only select candidates within their designated parties, or else the vote will be discarded. In the general election, they may vote for party or nonpartisan candidates.

State-wide Results
One candidate from each party for each race moves on to the General Election, where voters will choose between a Republic or Democratic candidate for each seat. In the race for U.S. Senator, Mazie Hirono (Democrat) won with 56.8 percent, while Linda Lingle secured the Republican nomination with 90.2 percent of statewide votes.…

Oceanic Seeks to Renew County Agreement

Sunday, August 12th, 2012

A once-in-20-year opportunity is coming up for Molokai residents to share feedback and suggestions for the cable television service provided by Oceanic Time Warner Cable. The company is seeking renewal of its Maui County franchise agreement, and the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), which regulates cable television statewide, is holding a meeting on Molokai this month to gather input on Oceanic’s service. The franchise agreement also includes public access channels as required by law, a service provided in Maui County by Akaku Media.

“We want feedback on the level of service being provided by both Oceanic and Akaku,” said Donn Yabusaki, administrator of the DCCA’s Cable Television Division.…

A Family of Fighters

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012

A Family of Fighters

Molokai’s only amateur MMA fighting club, Relentless MMA, sticks together

Take off your shoes, put on your gloves, step into the ring and check your pride at the door. For the boys who train regularly with Relentless MMA, Molokai’s only amateur mixed martial arts (MMA) club, this is standard everyday procedure.

“The sport of MMA teaches you to get rid of your pride,” said Nate Harris, who has been with Relentless MMA for the past four years. “Lots of people think pride is good, but the more humble you are the more respect you have for others, and all these boys [at Relentless MMA] have respect for each other.”…

New Business in Town: Lanakila Designs

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012

Lanakila Designs News Release

Lanakila Designs has opened its doors right in the center of Kaunakakai. Located with Simon & Friends Pet Shoppe, Lyndon Dela Cruz has set up his studio creating and cutting custom decals. He can create any shape and size, for your windows, canoe paddles or signs.

Because of the increasingly poor economy of Molokai, Lyndon wanted to supplement income with a new business plan, accommodating both visitors and island residents. Not only does he use his artistic talents as a licensed tattoo artist for Righteous Ink, but now his designs will also be available in vinyl for you to take with you or send anywhere in the world.…

Why Save Seeds?

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012

Why Save Seeds?

Community Contributed

By Glenn I. Teves, County Extension Agent, UH CTAHR

A recent flood in Thailand passed through people’s minds and then it was gone, an insignificant event in the eyes of residents in Hawaii. Tie this to the recent lei shortage during graduation, where common leis were selling for $20 each, and you start to see how these events over 4000 miles away affect us. This is truly a global economy. Other collateral damage from the Thai floods were crop failures of vegetable seeds, vital to the production of food in many parts of the world. Centralizing seed production has its challenges, and when they get wiped out, they really get wiped out.…