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Community Development

What is community development? How should community development be governed?

Drawing the Line on Sea Level Rise

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018

Drawing the Line on Sea Level Rise

By Audrey Newman, Community Reporter

A team of committed students, teachers and community members participated in the statewide Blue Line Project to “draw the line on climate change” and raise community awareness of sea level rise projections for Molokai last Saturday.   Sust`aina ble Molokai helped volunteers create a temporary blue line of ocean images and climate change messages along Kamehameha V Highway in front of Duke Maliu Regional Park to show the area vulnerable to permanent flooding in the next 40 years.  

“We chalked in a blue line to show where the new shoreline will be if we don’t take drastic measures [to address] climate change, sea level rise, and carbon emissions,” explained Vicki Newberry, team leader for Aka`ula School. …

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Proposal for Ranch Purchase

Friday, April 13th, 2018

A company called Lamplighter Energy has proposed the purchase Molokai Ranch to grow and export hibiscus to South Korea. Lamplighter CEO Andre De Rosa said wood pellets from the hibiscus is a renewable substitute to burning coal, and his energy company has the investors and contract with an organization in Korea to sell the product.

Molokai Ranch, owned by Singapore-based land holder owner GL Limited, went up for sale last September at a price of $260 million, and its 55,575 acres represents one third of Molokai.

De Rosa sat down with a small handful of residents last month, filmed by Akaku, and shared his plans, which he says he has been doing on a one-on-one basis with the community.…

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Library to Get More Space

Sunday, March 25th, 2018

Library to Get More Space

A growing collection of books and programs at the Molokai Public Library is causing its historic building to burst at the seams. If a proposed expansion is approved, the library would get some much-needed additional space. The proposal includes a new, stand-alone 1,875 square foot building behind the existing facility that would cost over $3 million, funded by the state Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS).

The new building will be connect to the back of the existing staff room by a breezeway. The facility will provide a meeting room, workroom for staff, and two restrooms additional space for books, as well as.…

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Choosing Molokai’s Energy Future

Friday, March 16th, 2018

Choosing Molokai’s Energy Future

Maui Electric has identified a four-way fork in the road to Molokai’s energy future. Last week, the utility presented several options to reach the goal of 100 percent renewable energy for the island in a series of island-wide community meetings.

A large-scale solar project with battery storage, proposed by Molokai New Energy Partners, a division of Half Moon Ventures (HMV), figures largely into those options. The project includes 37 acres of solar panels to be located next to Maui Electric’s Pala`au Power Plant. An agreement between HMV and Maui Electric was recently reached, and Maui Electric submitted the proposal to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for review last week.…

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How to Reach Renewable Energy Goals

Monday, March 5th, 2018

Maui Electric News Release

Maui Electric Company will host community meetings to share possible options based on feedback collected from the Molokai community on how to achieve 100 percent renewable energy for the island. The meetings will start at 5 p.m. with light refreshments, followed by updates from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the following dates and locations:

Tuesday, March 6: Kilohana Community Center Wednesday, March 7: Maunaloa Community Center Thursday, March 8: Mitchell Pau`ole Center

“We’re working toward accelerating clean energy plans for Molokai, and this includes continuous dialogue with all of you – the island’s residents and businesses throughout this process,” said Sharon Suzuki, president of Maui Electric.…

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Large-Scale Solar Moves Forward

Wednesday, February 14th, 2018

Large-Scale Solar Moves Forward

 

A large-scale solar and battery storage project on Molokai has moved one step closer to reality after an agreement was reached between Maui Electric and Molokai New Energy Partners, a division of Chicago-based renewable energy company Half Moon Ventures. The 2.7-megawatt project would supply 41 percent of the island’s electricity usage. It consists of 37 acres of solar panels on industrial land near Maui Electric’s Pala`au Power Plant and a three megawatt battery energy storage system. If all goes as planned, the project is anticipated to in service by the end of 2019, and would operate under a 22-year contract.…

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Community Ownership of Renewable Energy

Friday, February 9th, 2018

Sust`aina ble Molokai News Release

Sust `aina ble Molokai invites the Molokai community to join the Tentou Network for a day of transformative discussion on Molokai’s readiness for community ownership of renewable energy projects  on Feb. 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kulana `Oiwi Halau.

The Tentou network consists of nonprofit organizations from four continents and the Pacific Islands, working in close cooperation with our communities. The founding members of the network are the Samsø Energy Academy in Denmark; the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies in Japan; the Islands Institute in Maine, USA; the Coalition for Community Energy in Victoria, Australia; and Sust`aina ble Molokai in Hawaii, USA.…

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Halawa Park Construction to Begin

Thursday, February 1st, 2018

County of Maui News Release

Construction is scheduled to begin at Halawa Park in East Molokai, on Monday, Feb. 5, for abandonment of existing cesspool and installation of new individual wastewater system. Work is anticipated to be completed in March. Initiatives from https://active-travel.uk/ have been implemented to promote and normalize active travel across the country.

Park users are asked to please avoid the construction area and equipment to ensure public safety.  Tom’s Backhoe and Excavation Co., Inc., has been contracted to perform the work.  CDF Engineering LLC is the design consultant.

Due to the culturally sensitive location and history of the site, archaeological monitoring will be conducted for all ground disturbing activities. …

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Women’s March Encourages Voting

Thursday, January 25th, 2018

Women’s March Encourages Voting

 

About 150 residents took to Kaunakakai’s main street last Saturday to join in the international Women’s March movement, marking one year since the march first took place around the world in 2017 following President Trump’s inauguration. Gathering at the library and marching to the ball park, participants held signs supporting causes like equality, environmental protection, women’s rights and making references to the recent false missile alert.

“Our mission was to get the young women aware of our movement and to get them to the polls, and not just once a year but all the local voting,” said one of the Molokai organizers, Christi Feeter.…

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Implementing the Community Plan

Wednesday, January 10th, 2018

 

The Molokai Community Plan Update process is in its final stretch, and a talk story session will be held tonight, Wednesday, Jan. 10, with councilmembers to discuss implementation of the plan. Kelly King, who chairs the Maui County Council’s Planning Committee, and Molokai’s Stacy Crivello will receive community input at the Mitchell Pauole Center from 5 to 9 p.m. in a continuing effort to wrap up the plan update.

This is the fourth in a series of informal gatherings to hear from community members. The Maui County Council has until the end of June to adopt a revised plan.

“Though it has been challenging reviewing the many details and important issues in the plan, it is also gratifying to hear the voices of Molokai residents,” said King.…

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