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Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

Aging Water System Gets $37M Upgrade

Wednesday, November 25th, 2020

Aging Water System Gets $37M Upgrade

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Repairs and improvements to the 80-year-old Ho’olehua Water System kicked off with a small groundbreaking ceremony last Thursday that marks the beginning of a multi-phase, $37 million project that will last about two years. The water system serves more than 2,400 customers, including about 500 homesteads in Hoʻolehua, Palaʻau, Kalamaʻula and Moʻomomi, as well as provides water to the post office, schools and airport.

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) capital improvement project will include improvements such as the installation of a 200,000-gallon storage tank, upgrades to automation systems, a new warehouse, and a new emergency generator diesel fuel tank.…

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$2.5M in Assistance for Farmers and Ranchers

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020

County of Maui News Release

Mayor Michael Victorino is urging Maui County farmers and ranchers to apply for reimbursements of expenses for losses related to COVID-19 and for food sustainability.

“This program has $2.5 million in CARES Act funding to provide Maui County farmers and ranchers with an urgent lifeline to help them with reimbursement of their expenses,” Mayor Victorino said. “I would like to thank the Maui Chamber of Commerce for partnering with the County of Maui to help sustain our agricultural community through these difficult times.”

Farmers and ranchers can apply reimbursement on allowable expenses of up to $25,000 for those who meet program qualifications.…

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County Food Distribution Friday

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020

County of Maui News Release

A drive-through food distribution event will be held on Friday, Nov. 20 for Molokai residents in need, announced Mayor Victorino.

The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Mitchell Pauole Community Center in Kaunakakai.

Volunteers will pass out 150 boxes of produce on a first-come, first-served basis. Recipients are required to wear face masks.

To maximize social distancing, food distribution will be done in a grab-and-go drive-through (no walk up). Motorists will have the option of getting boxes placed in their vehicle’s trunk or rear cargo area.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped set up this food distribution event, including Molokai Community Liaison Stacy Crivello,” Mayor Victorino said.…

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Pandemic Doesn’t Stop Coastline Cleanup Efforts

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020

Pandemic Doesn’t Stop Coastline Cleanup Efforts

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Despite the large annual Mo’omomi marine debris cleanup being cancelled this year due to the pandemic, a recent effort spearheaded by Hawaii nonprofit Sustainable Coastlines removed more than 25,000 pounds of trash from Molokai’s north shore. Using helicopters to airlift enormous sacks of rubbish from remote areas that had previously been collected, along with limited volunteer efforts to gather more debris, millions of pieces of plastic that had washed ashore will now be removed from the island and recycled or properly disposed of.

The effort represented a collaboration with Sustainable Coastlines, global clean ocean movement Parley, Windward Aviation, along with Molokai conservation organizations, Uncle Mac Poepoe, and a few local families.…

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Residents: Travel Rules Appear to Favor Visitors

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

As Hawaii’s COVID-19 numbers continue to level off averaging around 100 new cases per day and no new recent cases for Molokai, daily cases across the mainland have reached all-time highs. The U.S. surpassed 11 million cases on Sunday, and one million just in the last week alone, according to the latest data.

Meanwhile, Hawaii residents continue to live under strict travel regulations, as visitors from mainland are welcomed by the state. As officials seek to balance safety with economic recovery, some locals say they feel visitors are being prioritized over residents. And as many in the Molokai community continue to hunker down and avoid travel, partly due to the many hoops of paperwork, testing, quarantine rules and regulatory hassle, some are getting fed up.…

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Every Kolea Counts

Wednesday, November 18th, 2020

Hawaii Audubon Society News Release

The Hawaii Audubon Society is conducting the first-ever statewide count of Kolea, or Pacific Golden-Plovers, inviting community members to help count. The last Oahu-only count was in 1968, estimating 15,173 Kolea. In 1992, researchers counted 1,902 Kolea on Oahu’s 28 (38 today) golf courses. Because no counts have been conducted since then, and never any statewide counts, no one knows if the Hawaii population is increasing, decreasing or stable.

Besides estimating Hawaii’s Kolea population, the Hawaii Audubon Society’s project aims to increase resident and visitor awareness and appreciation of these birds that nest in Alaska, and spend winters in Hawaii.…

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Honomuni Community Garden

Wednesday, November 11th, 2020

Come clean up the Honomuni Community Garden on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Bring your own tools, equipment and mask. Help grow food for our Mana’e community.

Ahonui Homestead Association…

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Travel Rules Cause Frustration, Masks Remain Mandatory

Wednesday, November 11th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Confusion over current travel rules continues, as residents try to navigate the ever-changing regulations of COVID-19 and a slew of forms, exemptions, protocols and quarantine regulations.

Returning part-time Molokai resident was reduced to tears after a frustrating travel experience arriving at the Molokai airport recently. Kim Potter of Kauai, who said she travels frequently for work as a first responder with FEMA, had a “nightmare experience” after a glitch in the Maui County system that travel verification workers use to check people’s addresses as they arrive at the airport left her scrambling to make calls to those her could vouch for her condo ownership and address.…

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Renewable Energy Cooperative Workshop

Thursday, November 5th, 2020

Shake Energy Collaborative News Release

On Saturday, Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., we will host a virtual public meeting to further our progress on designing renewable energy on Molokai to be locally owned and operated by a newly forming Cooperative.

At this meeting, we will host second round interviews for energy development companies that are interested in partnering with the cooperative and co-developer, Shake Energy Collaborative. We interviewed six companies at our last meeting on Saturday, Oct. 24. After review, we invited the best fit companies back for a more in-depth conversation on Nov. 7.

If you would like to attend this virtual public meeting, please reach out to Ali Andrews, CEO of Shake Energy Collaborative, at ali@shake-energy.com.…

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‘Ohana to Continue Service, Mokulele in Financial Hardship

Thursday, November 5th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

After announcing they would temporarily stop service on Nov. 1, ‘Ohana by Hawaiian will now continue flying “through at least January 2021,” the airline said in a statement last week.

A “dormant” Essential Air Service (EAS) provision covers flights to Molokai and Lanai, requiring a 90-day notice for disruption of service, according to the Dept. of Transportation. Ross Higashi, deputy director of the airports division, said in a state Senate Transportation Committee virtual meeting last week that the EAS designation wasn’t being evoked for years because multiple airlines were providing commercial air service to Molokai and Lanai.…

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