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Environment

News stories regarding Molokai’s outdoor environment

Hawaiian Airlines to Start Molokai Service Next Year

Sunday, October 21st, 2012

Hawaiian Airlines to Start Molokai Service Next Year

Hawaiian Airlines announced last week that their parent company, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., will begin service to Molokai and Lanai sometime next year. The company has already purchased one turboprop aircraft (powered by propeller rather than jet engine) to service the routes, and has a purchase agreement for a second, according to a Hawaiian Airlines press release.

The ATR 42 twin-turboprop aircraft will be configured to carry 44 to 50 passengers.

“These are the ideal aircraft for service to the less populated islands in our state,” said Mark Dunkerley, president and CEO of Hawaiian Holdings. “This new service will complement the B717 jet service offered by Hawaiian Airlines as well as provide the additional service that Molokai and Lanai residents have been requesting.”…

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Caring for Koheo

Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

Caring for Koheo

Wetland serves as learning grounds for community

At the end of Seaside Place in Kaunakakai, tucked behind a string of houses along Molokai’s southern shoreline, is what might appear to be a large, vacant lot. For years, this site was used as a dump, but through the efforts of Nene O Molokai, a nonprofit organization led by wildlife biologist Arleone Dibben-Young, the area has been cleaned up over the past 10 years and restored to what it is today –the Koheo Wetland. It is now home to dozens of species of native shorebirds, including one of the rarest shorebirds in the world and Kaunakakai’s official bird, the kioea, also known as the bristle-thighed curlew.…

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Monsanto Fund Donates $20,000 for Molokai Watershed Protection

Sunday, October 14th, 2012

Monsanto Molokai News Release

The Monsanto Fund awarded a $20,000 grant to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) of Hawaii for watershed protection at Kamakou Preserve on Molokai. Since 2006, the Monsanto Fund has contributed a total of $130,000 to TNC’s protection and restoration efforts of critical watershed and fragile ecosystems on Molokai.

Located high in the mountains of East Molokai, the 2,774-acre Kamakou Preserve is a rainforest like no other on the planet. This magnificent natural treasure not only shelters hundreds of native plants and animals, but also serves as an important source of water for the island and its people.

TNC’s work at Kamakou Preserve, in collaboration with the public and private landowners of the East Molokai Watershed Partnership, is focused on invasive animal and weed control.…

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Molokai Internet Survey – How’s Your Speed?

Sunday, October 14th, 2012

Molokai Internet Survey – How’s Your Speed?

The State of Molokai’s Broadband Internet

High speed Internet can allow residents of rural areas like Molokai to participate in economic and civic life far beyond the geographic boundaries of our shoreline. Broadband technology can eliminate logistical constraints of regionally-based business, foster greater social interaction, and allow quick transmission of news and information. However, these economic and social advantages depend on the reliability and speed provided by Molokai’s limited Internet service providers.

In the spirit of community-building, The Molokai Dispatch is polling local customers of a variety of broadband providers to find out the quality and user satisfaction of Molokai’s Internet service.…

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Molokai Power Outage Explained

Thursday, October 11th, 2012

The island-wide power outage Sunday night that left thousands without electricity for approximately eight hours was caused by a pole fire at the Pala`au Substation, according to a statement issued by Maui Electric Company (MECO).

Shortly after 10 p.m. on Sunday evening, Molokai’s three primary electric generators operated by MECO tripped offline. This was caused by a fire at the top of a pole at the power plant that appears to have started from a contaminated insulator, stated MECO.

“Over time, insulators that hold the electric line to the pole can become soiled by salt spray and dust,” said MECO spokesperson Kau`i Awai-Dickson. …

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Natural Honey Challenge Open to Beekeepers

Thursday, October 11th, 2012

Big Island Beekeepers Association News Release

The third annual Hawaiian Natural Honey Challenge (HNHC) will be held in conjunction with the Hilo Harvest Festival on Saturday Nov. 10, in downtown Hilo, Hawaii.  This year’s Hilo Harvest Festival is dedicated to honeybees and beekeeping.  Beekeepers from throughout the state of Hawaii are encouraged to submit entries of their favorite liquid, solid, and/or comb honeys for judging at this event.

The deadline for submissions to the Challenge is Friday, Oct. 26.  The requirements to be considered a Hawaiian Natural Honey include samples must be collected and bottled by the contestant from apiaries located in the state of Hawaii, no heat may be used in the extracting or bottling process, no additives, seeding or flavoring may be used and honey should not be processed in any way such as “creaming,” “spinning,” “churning,” or other manipulations.…

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County Begins Deer Harvest Cooperative

Thursday, October 11th, 2012

Molokai explores similar options.

Imagine higher agricultural yields, fewer invasive species, and a new economic product that’s as versatile as it is plentiful: venison. That was the vision of the founders of the Maui Axis Deer Harvesting Cooperative (MADHC), a new initiative organized by the County of Maui. Its goal is to help farmers, ranchers and landowners control invasive axis deer on their property while addressing food security with zero waste. MADHC members are a group of certified, trained, hunters who can provide harvesting services to those receiving damage from axis deer. The meat will be shared between hunters and landowners, and in some cases, local slaughterhouses will process meat for resale.…

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MHS Athletes Clean Up the Wharf

Thursday, October 11th, 2012

MHS Athletes Clean Up the Wharf

While other students relaxed their fall intersession break, Molokai High School (MHS) student athletes were hard at work –and not just at practice. Last Wednesday morning, nearly 80 MHS athletes from the girls’ volleyball, 8-man football, track and field and air riflery teams gathered at the wharf with rakes, shovels and garbage bins in hand. They participated in the wharf clean-up, a community service program started three years ago by former athletic director Camie Kimball. There are three wharf clean-ups scheduled each year, with one for every season –fall, winter and spring.

“It’s important to give back to the community because the community is their number one support[er], especially on this island,” said current athletic director Hoku Haliniak.…

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West End Security Concerns Addressed

Wednesday, October 10th, 2012

Residents of Molokai’s west end say they have been experiencing some troubling issues lately. Reports of hunting in close proximity to residences, leaving rubbish on others’ property and vehicles damaging private land and sensitive beach environments are just a few of the complaints.

“We’ve heard stories of illegal hunting taking place dangerously close to homes and stray bullets coming unbelievably close to residents’ homes and that is unacceptable,” said Dathan Bicoy, operations manager for Molokai Ranch, a neighboring land owner. “The greatest concern for Molokai Ranch is the safety of residents.”

To address these concerns, Molokai Ranch, Ke Nani Kai Condominium Association, Paniolo Hale Condominium Association, Kepuhi Beach Condominium Association, West Molokai Association (WMA), Molokai Police Department (MPD) and the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) have been working together over the last few months, according to Molokai Ranch Project Manager Nancy Schmicker.…

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Papaya Production, Part II

Wednesday, October 10th, 2012

Papaya Production, Part II

Community Contributed

By Glenn I. Teves, County Extension Agent, UH CTAHR

A major problem growing papaya on Molokai is Powdery Mildew, fungus that looks like white powder on leaves and fruits. It germinates in 10 to 12 hours under ideal conditions of low light, high humidity, and temperature ranges of 64 to 90 degrees F, sending roots or haustoria into the leaf or fruit to feed on plant cells and juices, causing early death and leaf drop. Without adequate leaves, papaya plants will not be able to convert enough sunlight into energy then to food, called photosynthesis. Without adequate food, plants will not produce enough sugars which give papaya the taste we’ve come to enjoy.…

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