As part of our efforts to bring underage drinking prevention awareness to the community of Molokai, Hui Ho’okupono held its “Movie Night” on July 9th at Lanikeha Center, Ho`olehua. The event showcased vendors, organizations, musicians, and quest speakers. On behalf of Ku I Ka Malu (Molokai Underage Drinking Prevention Project) and Hui Ho’okupono (Youth Leadership Program) we would like to send a big mahalo to all those that made this community event a success:
Mahalo from the family of Albert Clyde Pu (Pake) to all of his many friends and relatives for coming to pay your respects, offer tributes and share your stories of playing, working and living with Albert. He had fond memories of growing up on the east side; he enjoyed talking story and reminiscing about those days. Although short, he lived a lifetime in the brief time we had with him and touched many. A hui hou, husband, brother, uncle, friend, until we meet again.
Lucy Whiting
Aloha, Aunty here. Well, it’s official, we have traffic jams. I kid you not, on our way home from church, Aunty Didi and I decided to drive through town just to see what was happening. We waited for what seemed like five minutes to turn onto the street by Bank of Hawaii because traffic was backed up all the way. What a trip! I guess everyone was rushing to get to Misaki’s before it closed on Sunday.
I’m sorry to see Subway go. I love their coffee and the staff was so fun to talk with. Another staff person I think is really great is Christy at the Drive Inn. She is always smiling.
“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” That was the message Molokai residents gave members of the Maui Charter Commission last week, when more than a dozen community members testified against proposed changes to the Maui County Charter. Charter proposals include instituting a district voting system to elect the Maui County Council, which could take away a Molokai resident’s seat.
The Charter Commission, an 11-member board nominated by the Mayor and approved by the Maui County Council, is formed once a decade to review the Maui County Charter. Amendments proposed by the Commission are placed on the 2012 ballot for voters to decide.
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Squeals of delight were mixed with sea spray as Molokai kids experienced the ancient art of Hawaiian sailing canoes last Friday. The Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association (HSCA) held its third annual “Mahalo Molokai” event at Hale O Lono to thank the community for supporting them during their race season. The association, with teams on almost every island, races around the state every summer, sharing their love of the sport that carried their ancestors.
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The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) ordered last Thursday that Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) restart the bidding process for 200 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy. The decision opens up other companies and islands to replace the energy that could be generated by a wind farm on Molokai.
This means wind company Pattern Energy, which has been in discussions with the community and land owner Molokai Ranch to develop the project, would have to enter the bidding process to move forward.
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Anakala Pilipo Solatorio of Halawa Valley and his brother, Daniel Flores, lost all contact with each other for 32 years. It was a joyous reunion when they finally reconnected about two decades ago. Now, Flores and his family returned to Molokai for a family wedding in the valley where he was born.
“It feels strange but great,” Flores said of being back on Molokai – his last visit to the island was eight years ago. He moved from Molokai 52 years ago, when he joined the Air Force. He was stationed in England, met his wife, June, and has been living there ever since.
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It was only by an unusual twist of fate that Solatorio and Flores were reconnected. Their parents died when they were young, and the children were adopted by several local families, according to older brother Solatorio (which is why they hold different last names). After his brother left for the Air Force, Solatorio said he lost contact for years, never knowing where Flores lived. Solatorio worked for Molokai Ranch at the wildlife park, and one day, a couple from England visited the park.
They said they knew his brother. “And that’s how I found him,” he said.
After they got back in touch, Solatorio traveled to England for Flores’ 50th birthday –the first time they had reunited in 32 years. They made a pact that Flores would visit Molokai the next year to celebrate Solatorio’s 50th birthday, which marked his first trip home since leaving the island.
Solatorio called his family’s visit “beautiful.”
Many of the grandchildren have visited Molokai already, though for their grandson Stuart Goldsmith, this was his first trip.
“I’m learning a lot about the culture,” he said.
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Community Contributed
By Heidi Chang
Hawaii’s journalism community recently turned out to celebrate some of its best work at the annual Excellence in Journalism Awards dinner in Honolulu. The Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter handed out awards for work produced in 2010. Multimedia journalist Heidi Chang, who has Molokai ties, won the two highest honors for radio news and feature reporting. Chang won a first-place award for her story about Father Damien of Molokai: Hawaii’s First Saint, which aired nationally on AARP Radio’s “Prime Time Postscript.”
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You can listen to Heidi’s award-winning stories on her Hawaii Tales blog:
http://heidichang.com/2011/06/heidi-wins-two-spj-hawaii-awards-for-hawaiis-first-saint-and-ukulele-festival/
AARP Radio’s “Prime Time Postscript”
Hawaii’s First Saint (Father of Molokai)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAL9rsxYCd4&feature=player_embedded
Ukulele festival
Public Radio International’s “The World”
http://www.theworld.org/2010/07/ukulele-festival/
Jake Shimabukuro - While My Guitar Gently Weeps - 2010 Hawaii Ukulele Festival
http://youtu.be/xE33l8JrFlQ
Hawaii Ukulele Festival: Photo Gallery
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pritheworld/sets/72157624434325193/
Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter
http://www.hawaiispj.org/
See a complete list of the 2010 Excellence in Journalism Award Winners here:
http://www.hawaiispj.org/Awards/2010%20contest%20news%20release%20USE.txt
Molokai Pioneer and Humanitarian: Yun Kee Yuen | Molokai Dispatch
http://themolokaidispatch.com/molokai-pioneer-and-humanitarian-yun-kee-yuen
A Groundbreaking Woman | Molokai Dispatch
http://www.themolokaidispatch.com/groundbreaking-woman
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