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Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

Weathering the Storms

Tuesday, June 18th, 2013

 

A look at disaster planning on Molokai

Hurricanes, tsunamis, flooding – catastrophes like these can quickly go from bad to worse in a place as isolated as Molokai. In the midst of disaster, the island will rely first on its own – a small team of dedicated responders who are doing their best at planning for the worst.

When a tsunami hit Hawaii three years ago, 25 out of the 29 damage cases in Maui County were from Molokai, according to the Red Cross. Though these cases didn’t qualify as a disaster, the aftermath brings with it fear of what will carry Molokai through a time of need.…

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Hawaiian Airlines Now Hiring for Molokai

Monday, June 17th, 2013

Hawaiian Airlines Now Hiring for Molokai

 

Hawaiian Airlines is now hiring Molokai personnel for its new flight service, `Ohana by Hawaiian, which will serve Molokai and Lanai later this year. Positions will include part time ramp service clerk/agents and a full time supervisor for ramp and passenger services. No start date for launching the new service has been released by Hawaiian, but Worldwide Flight Services, handling Molokai hiring, announced the local positions would tentatively start in mid-August.

Ann Botticelli, Hawaiian Airlines senior vice president of corporate communications and public affairs, said two flights per day — one arriving and departing in the morning, and another in the evening — are scheduled for both Molokai and Lanai.…

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New Flight Service, Old-Fashioned Style

Sunday, June 9th, 2013

New Flight Service, Old-Fashioned Style

A new flight service is landing on Molokai, bringing in a small business attitude that has already proven successful in Kalaupapa. Makani Kai Air is offering five flights daily to Honolulu and back, which began June 8, while keeping its twice daily Kalaupapa flights.

The decision to expand its service came after an agreement to provide aircraft and staff to Mokulele Airlines fell through, said Makani Kai President Richard Schuman. He said he was not going to lay off his employees, so he found a way to keep everyone working while providing flights to an area receiving decreased air service.

“I read the paper where Island Air was backing off its runs and Pacific Wings announced its departure,” Schuman said.…

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Molokai Customers to Get Electric Refund

Sunday, June 9th, 2013

An electric bill refund is on the way for Molokai customers of Maui Electric Company (MECO). A recent decision by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Maui County electric rates will result in an estimated $39 to $49 refund.

Last year, MECO applied for a rate increase with the PUC. An interim rate of 3.16 percent in annual revenues, or $13.1 million, was approved by the PUC and charged to customers in their bills since June 2012. In a final rate decision issued last week, however, the PUC approved a MECO revenue increase of about half that — 1.29 percent revenue increase, or $5.3 million.…

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Island Legend: Paniolo Jimmy Duvauchelle

Friday, June 7th, 2013

Island Legend: Paniolo Jimmy Duvauchelle

Fourth generation Molokai paniolo Uncle Jimmy Duvauchelle literally entered this world into the hands of a cowboy. When he was born in Kalamaula in the 1940s, there were only two doctors on the island — and when his mother went into labor, one doctor was in Honolulu and the other was busy, said Duvauchelle.

“My dad didn’t know what to do and panicked,” he chuckled. So he ran down the road and called for help from the only person who was experienced in delivery — an old time cowboy.

Back then, paniolo would be there with their cattle “whether it’s 3 in the morning or 3 in the afternoon,” said Duvauchelle.…

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Funding Available to Enter “Made in Hawaii” Product Show

Friday, June 7th, 2013

 

County of Maui News Release
If you have a locally-made product you would like to showcase in the “Made in Hawaii” festival but do not have the funds to pay for an exhibit, assistance is available. Funding is being offered for locally-made product companies in Maui, Molokai and Lanai to exhibit at the Made in Hawaii Festival, announced the County of Maui Mayor’s Office of Economic Development and INNOVATE Hawaii. The festival will be held August 16-18 at the Neal S. Blaisdell Exhibition Hall & Arena on Oahu.

The festival is a three-day showcase of “Made in Hawaii” products including food, books, art, gifts, fashions, plants, crafts, produce and more.…

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Public Meeting for HECO Action Plan

Friday, June 7th, 2013

HECO news relese

Hawaiian Electric, Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light Company have scheduled meetings to seek public comment on draft five-year action plans. Molokai’s meeting will be Wednesday, June 19 at the Mitchell Pauole Center from 6 to 8 p.m.

The action plans are part of the Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) process, which looks at how the utilities will meet future energy needs. The Hawaiian Electric Companies intend to file an action plan for each company with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (PUC) by June 28.

The Hawaiian Electric Companies will consider all comments in developing plans that will guide the utilities in coming years.…

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Ag Exports Increase

Monday, June 3rd, 2013

Young Brothers, Limited, the intrastate cargo company serving Hawaii, released its numbers for their first quarter of this year, and the findings could reflect how Molokai is doing economically. Molokai saw a slight increase in its general and agricultural outbound cargo and a minimal decrease in inbound freight.  Meanwhile, larger islands showed more notable decreases.

Roy Catalani, Young Brothers vice president of strategic planning and government affairs, looked at the detailed numbers for the Dispatch and said the only significant increase he found was in the recyclable category. These scrap metal products leaving Molokai include old cars and washing machines.

Catalani said food shipments and construction cargo generally reflect the economic climate, and these numbers stayed the about same on Molokai as this time last year.…

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Aka`ula Sings for Grad’s Future

Monday, June 3rd, 2013

Aka`ula Sings for Grad’s Future

Aka`ula School’s first high school graduate claimed her diploma May 30, marking an important milestone for both the young scholar and for the school.

It was an afternoon of joy and tears for Aaliya Chyna Ku`uipo Ka`ai, who as Aka`ula’s lone upperclassman served as a mentor for younger students and a helper for the teachers. She took deep breaths on stage before addressing the crowd and reflecting on her years at the school.

“While the diploma I receive today will be an important thing I carry with me wherever I go,” said Ka`ai in her graduation speech, “I want you to know that the diploma is just one piece of the puzzle.”…

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Residential, State Efforts for More Solar Increase

Friday, May 31st, 2013

Residential, State Efforts for More Solar Increase

Molokai residents are eager to install photovoltaic (PV) panels on their roofs to reduce their energy bills and malama the environment. But current technology limits the amount of renewable energy that can be fed into the island-wide electricity grid while maintaining reliability of electric service, according to Maui Electric Company (MECO).

Because renewable energy is a variable source — solar, for example, only generates energy during the day — MECO says relying heavily on renewable sources can cause instability in electricity service. To solve this problem, utility companies, in conjunction with the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC), have established various threshold levels, also known as penetration limits, to regulate the amount of renewable energy on each circuit.…

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