Government

No Cuts for Molokai School Bus Services

Sunday, July 8th, 2012

After a scare in April that bus services to Molokai Intermediate and High schools would be cut, parents and students will be relieved to learn that school bus services on Molokai will not be affected for the upcoming school year, according to the Department of Education (DOE).

The DOE finalized a list last Saturday of 103 bus routes across the state that would be cut due to the $17 million shortage of funds in transportation services. The DOE estimates 2,044 riders will be affected. The majority of those riders –about 1,864 students –are on Oahu, whose public bus transportation system, The Bus, may help to cushion the cuts.…

Appeal of Ranch Water Rates Denied

Sunday, July 1st, 2012

In an attempt to aid west end Molokai residents paying some of the highest water rates in the nation, Maui County filed an appeal last year in the state Intermediate Court of Appeals against the utilities of Molokai Properties, Ltd. (MPL), better known as Molokai Ranch. That appeal was recently denied, leaving ratepayers struggling under rates that have been called outrageous.

The appeal, filed last March, contested the Public Utility Commission (PUC)’s decision to approve permanent water rate hikes for hundreds of residents on the west end served by one of the Ranch’s subsidiary utilities, Wai`ola O Molokai. Wai`ola customers in Maunaloa, Kualapu`u, Kipu, Manawainui and the Molokai Industrial Park areas are left paying rates almost five times higher than their bills a few years ago.…

News to Know: On the Campaign Trail in Hana

Thursday, June 28th, 2012

Community Contributed

Column by Barbara Haliniak, Hawaii District 7 Senate candidate

Last weekend I was lost in the beauty and hospitality of Hana. Not only did I survive the winding road to Hana, I met a lot of local people who welcomed me unconditionally. I traveled to Hana with my friends Connie and Hanako both from Oahu. Hanako, who graduated from Hana High School, was eager to visit with friends and family and although her parents, the Tanakas, passed on some years ago, the family home still welcomed relatives and friend travelers.

We left Kahului Airport on Friday morning and made our way to Hana via Pukalani and Makawao.…

Independent Voting

Wednesday, June 20th, 2012

Independent Voting

Community Contributed

By Kanohowailuku Helm, District 7 Senate candidate 

My campaign for State Senate District 7 is kicking off with two new films this week. They are available on Facebook and YouTube by searching Helm for Senate. The first is images of my life. These will be familiar to Molokai people, but should be helpful to voters in other parts of the district.

While film is no substitute for talking story face to face, the unique challenge of District 7 is to reach voters scattered across three islands and also protect Kaho`olawe. Over the next two months, I will be introducing myself to voters on Lanai, in Hana and upper and lower country Maui.…

OHA Trustees to Hold Two Meetings on Molokai

Wednesday, June 13th, 2012

OHA News Release

Native Hawaiians on Molokai will get an opportunity to provide feedback to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) at a community forum as well as a regular Board of Trustees meeting. The forum is designed for OHA officials to listen to concerns from the community as well as highlight efforts to improve conditions for Native Hawaiians. Both meetings are open to the public. Here are the specifics:

Community Meeting
Wednesday, June 20, 6:30 p.m.
Kulana `Oiwi Halau, Kalama`ula

OHA Board of Trustees Meeting
Thursday, June 21, 9 a.m.
Kulana `Oiwi Halau, Kalama`ula…

Walter Ritte Running for OHA

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

Walter Ritte Running for OHA

Walter Ritte News Release

Longtime community leader and former Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Trustee Walter Ritte has announced his candidacy for the At Large seat for OHA. A Kamehameha Schools graduate, Ritte is a prominent Hawaiian activist and longtime advocate for Hawaiian rights. He is also a member of the original “Kaho`olawe Nine,” the group of activists who landed on Kaho`olawe in 1976 in opposition to military bombings, which they were successful in halting.

Ritte was also a member of the 1978 Constitutional Convention and supported the formation of OHA. He helped author Article XII Sec. 7 of the Hawaii State Constitution, which codified Native Hawaiian cultural and gathering rights.…

A Plan to Malama Our Resources

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

Molokai’s ocean resources are fragile, and many say they’re rapidly disappearing. In a statewide effort to preserve and better manage coastline and watershed areas, the Hawaii Ocean Resources Management Plan (ORMP) is being updated from the existing version, last updated in 2006. The plan represents an inter-agency effort to coordinate county, state and federal actions, facilitated by the state Department of Planning Coastal Zone Management (CZM) program.

Along with setting up collaborative management framework for different agencies to work together, the plan also fosters community stewardship and cooperation between the community and the managing agencies, said Leo Asuncion, CZM planning program manager.…

Preserving Molokai

Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

Residents participate in Historic Preservation Plan update

“Keeping Molokai Molokai” has been a widely-shared sentiment for both residents and visitors. For many, that effort includes preserving the island’s approximately 100 sites named on the National or State Register of Historic Places. Molokai is rich with historic places –including archaeological sites, fishponds, heiau and the Kalaupapa settlement –that fuel the people of Molokai both physically and spiritually. But many consider the entire island a “historic place” — an idea residents raised at a meeting held last week by the State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) as part of the process to update State Historic Preservation Plan.…

Contended Short-Term Rental Law Passed

Wednesday, May 30th, 2012

A bill was signed into law last week that establishes new regulations for short-term rentals, also known as transient vacation rentals, in Maui County. This move aims to address ongoing concerns, particularly on Molokai, where the scarcity of accommodations has led many homeowners to rent their houses on a short-term basis despite previous prohibitions. Platforms like HousingMatchers for rentals can play a positive role in helping homeowners and renters navigate these new regulations while ensuring compliance and providing safe, reliable options for visitors.

The new law was approved by the Maui County Council and signed by Mayor Alan Arakawa last week.…

Drug Trafficker Arrested on Molokai

Sunday, May 27th, 2012

Spice, incense substances now illegal in Hawaii

Bulgarian national Alexander Dimov, age 33, was arrested on Molokai two weeks ago under federal charges of manufacturing and distributing synthetic cannabinoids, also known as K2, Spice or incense. Dimov was one of four indicted around the U.S. in an international conspiracy for trafficking designer drugs. Dimov appeared in federal court in Honolulu before he was transported to Oregon.

According to a Department of Justice press release, the defendants mixed chemical compounds with herbal exacts, and marketed the products on the Internet. They are alleged to have purchased dozens of domain names, such as “k2drugs.com”…