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Community

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

Christmas in July

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

Christmas in July

Santa comes to Kaluapapa on a barge every summer. Just like Christmas, residents eagerly line up to await the year’s supply of necessities and treats. Last Saturday, trucks, refrigerators, concrete, gas and other goods were unloaded at the settlement’s wharf during this year’s barge delivery.

“It’s a celebration of goods,” said Sister Rose Annette Ahuna of the Bishop Home. “I’m just too excited!”

“We are so used to the quiet that people can’t wait to come and see the hustle and bustle,” said Kalaupapa Administrator Mark Miller. “Others come just to see who got what.”

The settlement’s capacity of 100 daily visitors was nearly reached as 97 guests and workers gathered for the event, which was “the first time Kalaupapa has hosted that many invitees at once in years,” Miller said.

 “I have never seen people move too fast but barge day comes and it’s like they flipped the switch and are running around like crazy!” said Karen Lucas, a sculptor and artist who has many installations in Kaluapapa and visits the peninsula from Oahu monthly for the last 15 years.

“For me it’s not just about the shopping,” said Sister Theresa Chow of the Bishop Home. “It’s about the combined efforts of leadership. It’s wonderful to see how much coordinating went into everything and to see the state, National Park Service and community working together.”

For many, though, the day was more somber than usual. Patient Aunty Lucy Kaona passed away last week, and the loss of other patients throughout the year was visible in the diminishing load of goods. “Less stuff makes it more boring as the years go on,” said Dept. of Health employee Harry Arce.

Gas was the largest commodity reduced in quantity this year with a shipment of 16,000 barrels, down from 30,000 in past years. Miller and the National Park Service both created initiatives to reduce gas usage by all residents and employees, capping consumption at seven gallons per person each week.

 

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What’s Up In Maunaloa

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

What’s Up In Maunaloa

Community contributed by Aunty Kehau Pule

Wow! It's been a while, huh? But I'm back as da roving reporter letting you know what's going on in our community of Maunaloa. If you're up here in Maunaloa during the week days, we get some ono kine grindz. Check it out in front of the Maunaloa General Store from Monday through Friday. Sushi, fried chicken, roast pork with gravy, hamburgers, fried fish, Korean chicken, and more! You gotta take a ride up to Maunaloa and try out all these ono grindz and real cheap! Tell them aunty wen send you.

I'd like to welcome home Colleen, Nelson and Stevie Colipano who moved from Las Vegas Nevada to good ole Maunaloa. Glad to have you home. Also a big congratulations goes out to our new Property Manager of Nani Maunaloa and the Vista's, our own Aunty Nicky Kellum (Bicoy). You can see her in the office Monday through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Recently I was camping up at Morris Point during the 4th of July weekend with my ohana and I realized how precious these moments can be and how much we must enjoy life to the fullest. With the loss of my sister Maxine Manintin recently, it made me appreciate my loved ones and to enjoy them more because tomorrow may never come.

A Big Losers contest has been going on for the last five weeks. There are about eight women who are taking the challenge and guess what? I'm one of those challengers! Man, it ain't easy but I know with the Lord's help I can endure this, so keep reading my article and see who the Maunaloa Big Loser will be on Aug. 30.

Also when you're in Maunaloa, check out the affordable jewelry by Kahana Dekneef, so bling bling! This is your roving reporter making it short with a thought for the day, "A good exercise for the heart is to bend down and help another up." Don't forget to tell someone I love you! A belated birthday to my hanai sister Brenda Snell and mom Jane, brothers Gabby and Sonny Manintin, and grandson Lowen Pule… enjoy your special day! A hui hou and God bless.

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The Beat Goes On

Monday, August 1st, 2011

The Beat Goes On

Names of deceased love ones on slips of paper fluttered in the breeze while Japanese paper lanterns softly lit the dusk. Beneath them, Taiko drums pounded in a dizzying rhythm that reverberated into the ground. Yellow kimono-clad performers beat the great drums, their sticks a blur.

send them on their way,” said Koki Foster, a board member of the temple.

The Buddhist tradition of the Bon dance originates from the story of a disciple of Buddha. When he found out through his supernatural vision that his deceased mother was suffering in the realm of the “hungry ghosts,” he asked the Buddha how he could relieve his mother of her torment. The holy man told him make offerings to the monks who had just completed their summer retreat. The disciple did this, and his mother was released from the realm of the hungry ghosts. He danced with joy, and that dance became known as the Bon dance.

The Molokai temple, built by plantation workers, hosts a variety of weekly and seasonal events, including mochi pounding at New Year’s, meditation sessions, aikido classes and the Bon Festival, according to Foster.

“It keeps alive Japanese cultural aspects on Molokai,” she said.

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Past, Present, Price and Practicality

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Past, Present, Price and Practicality

Walk into the Molokai General Store on Ala Malama Street, which reopened last week after a 15-year hiatus, and you’re stepping into a piece of history dating back to the 1940s. The building has seen many uses since it originally opened as Molokai Drugs.

Modernized through months of renovation, it’s easy to forget the building boasts a storied past. Product fixtures are newly painted, the ceiling and floors are repaired and replaced, and a dizzying array of modern products line its nearly 4,000 square feet. From fishing tackle and home goods to office supplies and toys, the store offers something for everyone.

The goal of the business, said General Manager Kim Svetin, is to carry products that Molokai residents really need at prices they can afford.

“I’d be surprised if [our customer-base is] even 5 percent tourists,” Svetin said. “It’s a local store.”

.”

The staff maintains a “Customer Want” book behind the counter, keeping track of product requests.

Open six days a week (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.), the 28-person staff rotates among Molokai Drugs, the General Store and the Mikamis’ third business, Kamo`i Snack-N-Go. In addition to the building renovations, Svetin added another change that certainly wasn’t at the old store: free Wi-Fi for all customers.

 “We’re really trying to fill a need for our local market,” she said. “We’re trying to see how we can better service our residents here.”

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Kalaupapa Post Office on the Chopping Block

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Kalaupapa Post Office on the Chopping Block

The tiny Kalaupapa post office serves as the lifeline to its residents. However, United States Postal Service (USPS) budget deficits and decreased use of “snail mail” around the county have put that lifeline in jeopardy. The Kalaupapa post office is one of four small offices around the state being considered for closure.

“What’s driving it is that mail volumes and revenues are down tremendously,” said USPS Honolulu spokesperson Duke Gonzales.

For former Hansen’s disease patients living in Kalaupapa, mail is essential. Patient resident Gloria Marks said banking services used to visit the settlement periodically, but stopped when airfares to Kalaupapa skyrocketed. Now, her only access to the bank is through the mail.

“It shocked everybody – we all really need that,” she said. Without the post office, she added, “we have nothing else to go to.”

,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe in a USPS press release. “Our customer’s habits have made it clear that they no longer require a physical post office to conduct most of their postal business.”

Kalaupapa was named for possible closure on a list announced by the postal service on July 26. On the list of about 3,700 offices nation-wide being examined, the other Hawaii offices included include two on Oahu and one on Kauai.

The Kalaupapa post mistress, as well as topside USPS employees, were not permitted to comment.

To submit your input on the possible Kalaupapa post office closure, send mail to:
District Manager US Post Office, 3600 Aolele St. Honoulu HI 96820.

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A Most Unusual Life

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

Nancy Cooke de Herrera sat on the floor of her son’s home in the early 2000s, her only companions a black lab and 27 piles of paper around her. Each pile represented a chapter – including one detailing her first visit to India, and another recounting the time she met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the father of Transcendental Meditation (TM). There was even a pile that would later be titled “The Beatles Invade the Ashram.”

After isolating herself in Oregon and churning out the 27 piles, she moved them around to determine their order, wrote four additional chapters, and in 2003 published “All You Need Is Love,” a true account of TM’s spread from the East to the West and her own role therein.

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Molokai Commends OHA

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

When the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) grants money to Molokai organizations, each dollar gets stretched to its fullest thanks to the interconnectedness of the local community, OHA chairwoman Colette Machado said last week.

“We are truly blessed with how families extend and extend with the aloha,” she said during an annual Molokai community meeting hosted by the OHA Board of Trustees at the Kulana `Oiwi Halau last Wednesday. The event preceded the trustees’ board meeting Thursday.

More than 100 people packed the halau Wednesday night, and more than a dozen individuals and representatives of local organizations testified before the trustees for about four hours.

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Young Brothers Seeking Rate Increase

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011

The cost of living on the islands continues to rise as Young Brothers, Ltd. (YB) seeks to increase their shipping rates. During a visit to Molokai last week, YB’s Vice President of Strategic Planning and Government Affairs Roy Catalani explained that dropping volumes of cargo are forcing the company to apply to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for a rate increase of about 24 percent. Their last rate increase was in August 2009.

Along with lower cargo volume, a second shipping company, Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines, has entered the Hawaii market. They are “cherry-picking” service to larger harbors but not serving smaller ports like Molokai, according to Catalani. Pasha began service in February; their presence could also affect YB’s rising costs of operations.

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Keiki Surf Holds Final Meet of the Summer

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

Keiki Surf Holds Final Meet of the Summer

Community Contributed

By Minka Nelson and Peter Angelsea

Saturday, July 9 was a perfect day for the final Keiki Surf Meet because the tide was rising for most of the morning, pushing in waves with one to two foot faces. Several new faces arrived for the final meet, as well as some old friends who moved off-island a few years ago. It was a chance for everyone to enjoy the ocean together and show off skills and tricks.

The 6-and-under surfers hit the water first to show their stuff. Several non-swimmers stood up on their surfboards for the first time and rode to the waiting arms of a family member. It is amazing to see how these babies love the water and how well they can balance.

The 7-and-8 division followed and did their thing with style! Next was the 9- and-10-year-olds, most of whom were able to catch their own waves. Finally, it was time for the big kids to see who would get the best waves. Most of them were catching their own waves too, and paddled back out as fast as they could in a race against the clock.

The volunteer judges watched carefully to see who caught their own waves and how each child did on the rides. It can be hard because three or four kids can be surfing one wave at the same time. Two surfers in the 7-and-8 division ended in a tie for third place, so a “surf-off” was held for the first time in several years. These two surfers were put head-to-head in a 10-minute heat.

Trophies and prizes were laid out after the meet and the kids had a hard time keeping their hands off. A pulewas offered in thanks for the great day, good sportsmanship and wonderful food.

While everyone ate lunch the surfers were called up by division and awarded goodie bags filled with stickers, hats, T-shirts and other great prizes. Four surfboards and four body boards were given out, as well as trophies for first through fourth place in each division. Every surfer got prizes, applause and photos of their proud smiles. Long-time supporters Don and Lavone Pahia hand-delivered two boxes of prizes from Quiksilver on Oahu to encourage the surfers and share in the fun.

Keep surfing keiki and we’ll see you next summer!

Results


Divisions                 MEET 1  MEET 2  MEET 3    TOTAL POINTS  RANK        
6 & Under                    
Kailani Bicoy                  1000       1000       860          2860        1          
Kristen Oswald               860          730           0          1590        2    
Kauwila Lopez-Aglian      0         860           610           1470        3  
Khloe Bicoy                    200       670       555             1425        4
Kahula Kahokuloa          0           0         1000             1000        5         
Matthew McGuire            200       200       555              955          6           
Donovan Bicoy               200       200           500          900          7               
Kanikaio Inciong            0           0           730             730          8
Leedan Lorico-Place        0       200           500             700          9
Kamele Kahokuloa         0           0           670             670         10    
La'akea Inciong             0           0           610             610         11
Kaipu Kahokuloa            0           0           500             500         12
Ivan Yap                       0           0           500             500         12
Waiikaika                      200            0          0             200         13

7&8 Divison                    
Keeya Bicoy                  1000     1000          860        2860           1    
Tylea Cuello                  610       730          610         1950           2         
Jonny Lopez-Agliam       610       555          730         1895           3    
Alex Mawae                   670       670          555         1895           4    
Slater Oswald                860       860              0         1720           5
Kamalani Adolpho          730       610         0             1340           6
Beverly Ludgate             555           0          555        1110           7    
Virtuous Kaahanui          0           0        1000            1000           8
Kukiai Kaopio                0           0          670             670            9     
Sirius Lumin                  0       610              0             610            10        
Miracle Kaahanui            0           0          610             610            10

S9&10 Division                    
Kanalu Lopez-Agliam      860    1000       1000            2860           1
Kelsey-Lee Bicoy            1000      730         610          2340           2
Marlina Pupuhi-Kamai     555      860         860           2275           3    
Kaeo Waits                    670      555         730           1955           4    
Waiohinu Cuello             730      555             0           1285           5    
Michelle Mcguire             488      583         670           1741            6  
Josie Mawae                  488     488         555             1531           7            
Kaydence-Lee Oswald     555     730            0              1285           8
Rafael Adolpho              610      610            0             1220           9
Ioana Ludgate               555          0    500                 1055         10
Heavenly Kaahanui         0          0        600                 600          11   
Elkan Bishaw                  583          0        0                 583          12        
Kalena Vaivai                 0      555            0                  555         13            

                    
11&12 Divison                    
Noah Archuleta               860          860      860              2580      1           
Decker Bicoy                  1000          730      730            2460       2
Hojo Pou                        0         1000        1000            2000       3
Lelia Cuello                    730           610      555            1895       4    
Kilikea Lopez                  0           670          610            1280      5
Barbara Ludgate            670               0      500             1170       6                
Sage Perez                    0            610         555             1165      7
Anela Montemayor          0               0          670             670       8
Kahanu Kaahanui            0               0           610            610       9

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Little League, Big Fun

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

Little League, Big Fun

Little League players represented Molokai in the Major League Division, for 11- and 12-year-olds, at the Maui District Championship in late June. They won against Upcountry and Lanai, but lost to Kihei and eventual champion Central. Photo courtesy Kelly Richardson.

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