Community

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

A Place to Honor

Monday, March 21st, 2011

Only about 20 percent of former Hansen’s disease patients who died in Kalaupapa have been given a proper grave, but with a commemorative memorial on the way, the remaining 80 percent will finally be recognized.

An Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed memorial has entered its final phase. If successful, construction will begin for a memorial to honor the 8,000 Hansen’s disease patients who have died on the peninsula.

The project is being carried out by Ka `Ohana O Kalaupapa, an organization dedicated to protecting distinct Kalaupapa values and history. Their secretary, Valerie Monson, said she is hopeful about the EA process.

As soon as the EA is completed, a design competition for the memorial will begin, which will be open to the public. To be built on the site of the Old Baldwin Home, across the street from St. Philomena Church in Kalawao, the memorial will contain the names of all of those patients who were exiled to the peninsula and died there.

The memorial will be paid for completely by fundraising, according to Monson. Some organizations have already begun their own efforts to contribute to the effort. The elementary students at Kamehameha School-Kapalama held a bake sale last week and earned over $900 for the future memorial.

take care of this place.”

After all Kalaupapa patients pass away, the DOH will withdraw from the peninsula, and NPS will become the official caretaker of Kalawao County.

Some options incorporated into the plan options include overnight stays for visitors to Kalaupapa and a mandatory presentation before they explore the peninsula on their own.

Tamura said that she wants visitors to be in the right frame of mind before they enter the sacred and holy place.

Currently, children under 16 are not permitted to enter the settlement. But Kahilihiwa, a member of the advisory commission, said he thinks youth should be welcomed after patients are no longer living.

“Children should come, because Father Damien loved children,” he said,

Educating the public about Kalaupapa and its history at various sites around the state are also being discussed.

The GMP options will open for final public discussion on Oahu, Maui and Molokai in June.

Posted in Community, Environment & Ecology

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All-Stars Among Us

Monday, March 21st, 2011

The Molokai boys and girls basketball team have both garnered attention throughout the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) conference by claiming the female basketball Player of the Year, as well as four all-star players between both teams for Division II.

The Maui News tallied votes from coaches throughout the conference and gave out the awards last week.

Adolpho Earns Player of the Year

Girls’ basketball player of the year, Kalei Adolpho, led her team to the D-II MIL championships this year, and qualified for the state tournament. She also received Player of the Year in 2010.

His father, Scottie Rapanot started teaching his sons how to play sports early in life.

“The boys won’t stop (practicing). I told them that’s the only way to get better. And I won’t stop them as long as they are doing something positive,” Scottie said.

Posted in Community, Sports

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Report Damages to Maui County

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

Maui County officials are encouraging residents and businesses to submit their individual damage reports to the Civil Defense Agency, through the county website.

The information will ensure the county has a “complete picture of the scope of damage caused by the March 11 tsunami,” according to a news release.

“To some people it was a disaster, but…until we get these assessments we don’t know what we [county] qualify for,” said Rod Antone, communications director.

The damage reports collected so far on Molokai, gathered by local police and Red Cross volunteers over last weekend, will also go to the county. Antone stressed that individuals must file their own flood insurance, and any funding the county gets from the state from these damage reports will go toward “improving entire communities.”

He added businesses not physically affected by the flood could still report damage, if for example, a road closure prevented business to be conducted.

Gov. Abercrombie signed a “state of disaster proclamation” earlier this week, alloing the state to receive federal funds, according to a report by CNN.com. The governor said statewide the tsunami caused tens of millions of dollars’ worth of damage.

“We’re the only county with more [than one] island; its more difficult for us to assess what’s going on,” Antone said.

Residents can report their home or businesses damage through a report found at the county website, mauicounty.gov. The deadline is this Friday, March 18.

Posted in Community, Government

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Annette Kay

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

Annette Louise Kay of Kaunakakai passed away on Feb. 2, 2011 at Queens Hospital in Honolulu, at age 47. She was born in Oakland, Cali, on Feb. 15, 1963.

She is survived by daughter Amey Louise Lehuea Leilani Kay; son Mark Allen Kay; father Phil Kay of Puko`o; sister Lisa Kay Lindsay of Mountlake Terrace, Wash; and her brother Paul Arthur Kay of Edmonds, Wash.

Memorial and celebration of life activities are pending.

Posted in Obituaries

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Wind Suggestion

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

I have been on your very friendly island for two weeks now. I have read a number of articles about the wind farm. The friendly people and the beauty of the island cannot be over stated. I come from a place where wind farms are just starting to be built. The economy and the number of high paying jobs is quite substantial, but even these cannot outweigh the social and cultural needs. I do not have an option on whether the farm should be built or not, I am an outsider.

The question I have is, have all locations and or islands been looked at? What about the island of Kaho`olawe. I was told it was bombed during the war, and that no one can live on it any more. I am sure this island has been looked at as a possible option.