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Government

Community Calls for County Funds

Wednesday, October 16th, 2013

Community members had the chance to tell county officials and representatives Thursday that although Molokai is distinct from other islands in the county, they deserve the equal support in the next Fiscal Year 2015 Maui County budget.

“[Our islands] are not the same, but we are not divided,” said Ruth Ululani Manu to county officials at the budget hearing. “We are one ohana.”

Concerned residents, organizations and community leaders voiced which public services need continued and additional support from the county for the next fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014. Although Mayor Alan Arakawa could not attend the meeting due to a U.S.…

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Giving Thanks to County Employees

Wednesday, October 16th, 2013

Maui County honored its Molokai employees at the 21st annual recognition luncheon last week as “a small way to say thank you,” in the words of County’s Managing Director Keith Regan.

“We often hear county government talking about big assets — roads, bridges, [etc.], things worth millions of dollars — but our employees are the biggest assets,” said Regan.  “You can’t put a value on what they’re worth. They do so much in our community.”

The event recognized county employees on Molokai with perfect attendance, employee of the year nominees, service anniversary awards and retirees.

“Because Molokai is my home, I need to say, at times we take our public employees for granted,” said Molokai County Council member Stacy Crivello

County employees are responsible for a variety of tasks that keep the island running smoothly — and many work above and beyond their job description.…

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Oceanic Cable Franchise Hearing on Molokai Tuesday

Friday, October 11th, 2013

Akaku: Maui Community Television News Release

Oceanic Time Warner Cable’s franchises to provide cable service in Maui County expire at the end of 2013. The current franchises were issued by the State of Hawaii more than 15 years ago, and the cable company has filed an application with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) to continue providing cable service in Maui County for the next 20 years.

DCCA’s new Cable Administrator, Catherine Awakuni, welcomes comments from the communities of Maui County as DCCA reviews Oceanic Time Warner’s application. In the next few weeks, DCCA will hold public hearings in Kahului and Lahaina, and on Molokai and Lanai.…

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A Return to Konohiki

Thursday, October 10th, 2013

Community-based proposal to manage Hawaii’s resources

Last month in Kalaupapa, the state-mandated Aha Moku Advisory Council presented a plan that could change the way natural resources are managed in Hawaii. The plan calls for a return to the konihiki system, in which those knowledgeable about the ways of the ocean set guidelines for marine food gathering using traditional Hawaiian methods.

“The Aha Moku is set up to look at evolving power back to the communities as far as resource management,” said Sen. Kalani English, who was among a handful of legislators who attended the Kalaupapa gathering. “How do we do that within state law… that’s what we’re figuring out.”…

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Defending the Departed

Wednesday, September 25th, 2013

More than 20 years ago, the state approved the creation of island burial councils, to give Native Hawaiians a voice to protect their iwi kupuna, or ancestral remains, after plans to build a Maui Ritz Carlton at Honokahua had uprooted 1,100 unmarked graves.

“There is a connection between our [kupuna] and us. We’re not who we are without them.” said Opu`ulani Albino, a past Molokai burial council member. “You should never, ever have iwi [bones] in the sun. That’s the highest desecration you can do to iwi in our culture.”

Each island has a council made up of community members and land developers who decide whether remains found on a development site must be preserved in place or relocated.…

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Legal Short-Term Rentals on the Rise

Wednesday, September 18th, 2013

Since a Maui County ordinance creating a procedure to legalize short-term rental houses was passed in May of last year, eight properties have been permitted on Molokai to serve as vacation rentals. The two most recent permits were granted by the Molokai Planning Commission (MoPC) last week, receiving widespread support from neighbors in the east end Waialua community. Additionally, individuals interested in canary wharf flats to rent can explore various options. In addition, there are many houses for sale in Kauai Hawaii right now.

Before the ordinance, only two Molokai homes were operating as legal short-term rentals, after going through a lengthy permitting process.…

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Dream Green Team

Thursday, August 29th, 2013

Talking trash isn’t usually a good thing, but a small team in Kalaupapa is changing the way people think about rubbish with their award winning solid waste management program. The Kalaupapa National Historical Park (KNHP) Green Team, comprised of five local Molokai employees, has received national recognition for the work they’re doing to make the peninsula a statewide model of waste management.

The team — Arthur Ainoa, Joseph Kahee, Brennan Lee-Namakaeha, Pa`oneakai Lee-Namakaeha, and Ryan Mahiai — has recently been named one of seven recipients of the National Park Service’s 2013 Environmental Achievement awards. The award recognizes their accomplishment of drastically reducing the peninsula’s solid waste through recycling, composting, conserving and reusing.…

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County Budget Decisions

Wednesday, August 28th, 2013

Maui County News Release

It’s that time of year when the County of Maui makes big budget decisions. Come out and add your input to what’s important to fund this year. Mayor Alan Arakawa is encouraging all community members to participate in the Community Budget Meetings for Fiscal Year 2015, which will be held around the county next month.

The budget meeting on Molokai will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 5:45 p.m. for the CDBG hearing and 6 p.m. for the budget meeting at the Mitchell Pauole Center.

“Feedback from these meetings provides valuable direction to for us,” said Mayor Arakawa.…

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Talk Story with Sen. Schatz

Thursday, August 22nd, 2013

Talk Story with Sen. Schatz

Last week, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz made a visit to Molokai and talked story with business owners, farmers, advocates and residents. Schatz is former Hawaii Lt. Governor, and was elected by Gov. Abercrombie to serve out Daniel Inouye’s term until the 2014 special election, for which he is running. As a senator, Schatz sits on three Senate committees: Commerce, Energy and Natural Resources, and Indian Affairs. Here are some excerpted questions and answers — some from a conversation with the Dispatch and others from community members.

Question (Q): What do you love about Molokai?
Schatz’s answer (A): It’s the sense of people depending on each other and real aloha.…

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Impaired Driving Enforcement

Wednesday, August 21st, 2013

Maui Police Department News Release

The Maui Police Department will be participating with the nationwide Impaired Driving National Enforcement crackdown from August 16 to September 2, 2013. Police will set up intoxication checkpoints at unannounced locations and times during this two week period. Intoxication checkpoints will be set up county wide, which will include Hana, Lanai and Molokai.

People are encouraged to drive sober. Those that will be consuming alcoholic beverages are reminded not to drive and to use a designated driver or find an alternate mode of transportation.

Police will also step up enforcement with seat belt usage, speeding and electronic mobile devices.…

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