• Failure notice from provider:
    Connection Error:http_request_failed

  • Submission Deadlines

    Advertising

    Thursday 4pm

    June 4, 2026

    Content

    Friday 4pm

    June 5, 2026

    To print on:

    Wednesday

    June 3, 2026

  • Join us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Google Plus Subscribe via RSS

Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

Marine Corps Will Not Increase Flights to Kalaupapa

Sunday, July 29th, 2012

Ho`olehua Airport still on the table as refueling station

After receiving opposition from residents as well as state and federal agencies, the U.S. Marine Corps says it won’t increase training activity in the Kalaupapa settlement. The proposed actions were part of an expansion of Marine Corps presence in Hawaii, which still includes a possible refueling station and training at the Ho`olehua Airport.

According to the Programmatic Agreement (PA) for Hawaii operations, activity in Kalaupapa will now remain at the current level of 112 operations annually, performed by H-1 helicopters. The originally-proposed action would have added training of MV-22 Osprey tiltorotar aircraft, which would have approximately doubled current activity.…

Posted in , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Ranch Seeks to Renew Water Permit

Sunday, July 29th, 2012

Ranch Seeks to Renew Water Permit

For the past five years, Molokai Properties Limited, better known as Molokai Ranch, has been illegally transporting drinking water to west end residents through water lines intended to serve agricultural users. Now, they are seeking to legalize their use of the Molokai Irrigation System (MIS) and obtain a permit to continue transporting water through the irrigation lines.

The Ranch is in the process of completing an Environmental Assessment (EA) of their use of the MIS. Receiving community feedback is a vital part that process according to Colette Sakoda, environmental planning program manager for Environet, the company contracted by the Ranch to assist in the EA.…

Posted in , , , , , comments38 Comments

Honu Population at Mo`omomi Thriving

Sunday, July 29th, 2012

Honu Population at Mo`omomi Thriving

On summer nights, female green sea turtles, or honu, make their way to the beach they were born on about 30 years before. Plodding determinedly to a spot above the high tide line, they dig a hole in the sand with their flippers — sometimes they dig several pits before finding a location they deem satisfactory. There, they lay about 100 white eggs, then use their flippers to cover them with sand. They lumber back to the ocean and slip into the cool dark water, never to see their tiny young that will hatch about two months later and instinctively head for the sea.…

Posted in , , comments1 Comments

Monitoring Monk Seals

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

Monitoring Monk Seals

In order to bring more tangible data to ongoing efforts to better understand Hawaiian monk seals, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has developed a research project that will attach Crittercams, or small video cameras, to the backs of the seals. Video footage would allow not only scientists to gather important data, but would also help community members better understand the seals’ diet, behavior and potential impacts in the main Hawaiian Islands.

There are currently approximately 200 seals living in the main Hawaiian Islands. Their presence has created some controversy and conflict with divers and fisherman near shore, who believe the seals are competing with them for fish.…

Posted in , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Assessment Identifies Molokai’s Agriculture Needs

Wednesday, July 25th, 2012

Sust`aina ble Molokai News Release

Sust`aina ble Molokai has completed a comprehensive Agriculture Needs Assessment for food production and security on Molokai. The Assessment is based on survey results that show where your food is being grown, who is growing it, and where you can buy it. The document is also valuable in that it shows what we don’t have as an island, and therefore what opportunities exist for job creation in the agriculture field.

One of the needs identified by the survey, for example, is an agriculture coordinator for Molokai to connect local farmers with stores and restaurants both on- and off-island.…

Posted in , , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Monitoring Monk Seals

Sunday, July 22nd, 2012

Scientists hope to gather data via video cameras

In order to bring more tangible data to ongoing efforts to better understand Hawaiian monk seals, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has developed a research project that will attach Crittercams, or small video cameras, to the backs of the seals. Video footage would allow not only scientists to gather important data, but would also help community members better understand the seals’ diet, behavior and potential impacts in the main Hawaiian Islands.

There are currently approximately 200 seals living in the main Hawaiian Islands. Their presence has created some controversy and conflict with divers and fisherman near shore, who believe the seals are competing with them for fish.…

Posted in , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Molokai Air Travel Developments

Sunday, July 22nd, 2012

Molokai Air Travel Developments

Good news may be on the horizon for Molokai air travelers. Hawaiian Airlines has announced that Molokai is one of the destinations it is looking to serve with new turbo-prop aircraft it plans to acquire. In addition, current Molokai service provider Island Air is upgrading its aircraft to allow increased passenger capacity and improved service.

Hawaiian to Expand Neighbor Island Service
Hawaiian Airlines (HA) announced last week that is has signed a “letter of intent” to acquire smaller, turbo-prop aircraft (powered by propeller rather than jet engine) with the aim of establishing a subsidiary carrier to serve airports like Molokai’s Ho`olehua Airport, which are not currently part of HA’s routes.…

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

Centuries of Molokai Pa`akai

Sunday, July 22nd, 2012

Centuries of Molokai Pa`akai

Salt: a long history of high value

For many people, salt is something found in shakers on the dinner table. But for ancient Hawaiians who harvested snow-white flakes of pa`akai from the rocky shores of Molokai, it held sacred value. After seawater dried in the sun and the remaining salt was scraped from bowl-like crevices in the lava rock, it was used in ceremonies, purification rituals, to preserve food, and even regarded like money for trading.

“[Native Hawaiians] have been harvesting salt as long as people have been here,” said
Mac Poepoe, a Molokai-born traditional resource manager. “People used to walk miles
just to collect salt.”…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment

4-H Youth Steering the Herd

Wednesday, July 18th, 2012

4-H Youth Steering the Herd

For youth in the Molokai 4-H club, raising and showing animals takes months of patience, preparation, and care. But participants at the organization’s annual Livestock Expo last weekend proved that all the work is worth it. Youth proudly showed off their animals large and small, while the community got to engage in their learning process and enjoy farm market goodies, raffles and auction prizes.

For senior 4-H-er Kainoa Kamakana, seven years of participation culminated in taking first place in the market steer showmanship competition on Saturday.

“It feels good [to win] – all the hard work paid off,” said Kainoa. “I encourage every child to join 4-H – it teaches a lot, [and you’re] better set for life from the skills you learn.”…

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

Monk Seal Crittercam Talk Story Session on Monday

Friday, July 13th, 2012

Monk Seal Crittercam Talk Story Session on Monday

Community Contributed

By Charles Littnan, Lead Scientist, Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program NOAA Fisheries Service

A team of biologists, NGOs, filmmakers, and community members are developing a new research project to use National Geographic Crittercams to build on existing knowledge of the feeding behavior, diet, and habitat use of monk seals in the main Hawaiian Islands.

To discuss the project with Molokai residents, there will be a talk story session at Mitchell Pauole Center this Monday, July 16, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The cameras, which are attached to seals for short periods, were a valuable scientific tool used to understand some of the factors contributing to the species decline in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment