COVID-19

Produce Distributed to Residents in Need

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

Produce Distributed to Residents in Need

Molokai Chamber of Commerce News Release

On Friday, April 10, with generous financial donations from our business community, the Support Molokai Initiative was able to purchase produce from Valley Isle Produce and have it flown on Mokulele Airlines and Kamaka Air to Molokai. It will be distributed to our kupuna and needy families by the Molokai Homestead Farmers Alliance and community volunteers.

The Support Molokai Initiative is a partnership between the Molokai Chamber of Commerce, Representative Lynn DeCoite, Molokai Community Federal Credit Union, Molokai Homestead Farmers Alliance, Molokai Farm Bureau, Bayer Hawaii and other volunteers to help our community through the COVID-19 pandemic with various relief efforts.…

Mokulele Grocery Delivery

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

Mokulele Airlines News Release

Last week, Mokulele Airlines announced it would that it would offer free grocery delivery to Molokai and Kalaupapa in response to a temporary closure of one of the island’s two main grocery stores. Some store employees there reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. The offer for free shipping is good for up to 50 pounds of groceries per customer and is valid for the rest of the April.
Later in the week, Mokulele expanded its Grocery Airlift to include flights to Lanai, Hana, and Waimea starting last Friday morning and lasting until the end of the month.

Friendly Market on Molokai has announced that it will be closed until April 20, with all employees currently in self-quarantine.…

In the Quiet of These Hours

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

It’s not too late to start a garden
it’s not too late to plant some trees
it’s not too late for solar power
or water catchment, or keeping bees.

It’s not too late to think of others
it’s not too late to learn to cook
it’s not too late to learn a language
or read, or even write a book.

It’s not too late unless we give up
it’s not too late to turn around
in the quiet of these hours
can be where tomorrow’s found.

Are you happy and contented
with this world that you can see
if you’re not then switch the power
walk outside and plant a tree.…

Virus and the Human Race

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

Coronavirus is a disease of nature and has no favorite culture, color of our skin, or material things we have. Hate and blaming are human virus diseases. We need to heal, cure these bad diseases by moving forward and doing our very best to improve life for all and the generations to follow.

There’s no such thing as a perfect life, but our mission, reason and purpose for life is to look to the future and make it better.

Look what happened with our daily life! None of us ever thought something like this coronavirus disease would happen, especially on Molokai.…

Online Hawaiian Cultural Lessons

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

Online Hawaiian Cultural Lessons

Ka Hale Hoaka News Release

Parents seeking to transform “shelter-in-place” into a cultural learning adventure will be happy to discover Ka Hale Hoaka, taught by Molokai’s Maile Naehu. This new learning environment offers lessons in Hawaiian language and culture designed for students aged 5 through 11. Learners of all ages, ethnic backgrounds and places of residence are warmly welcomed. Although the introductory course began on March 31, registration remains open for the remainder of the free Introductory Series, held online at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 16. Register at kahalehoaka.com or visit Ka Hale Hoaka on Facebook for details.…

How To Tell A Conference

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

By Father Pat Killilea, St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa

I played around the monitor screen with my mouse and fiddled and diddled until I heard a voice, a familiar voice, the voice of Bishop Larry. Then the video screen began to fill up with the priests of our Vicariate. I had reached the advertised Get To Meeting and there was Bishop Larry speaking to his priests by teleconference on the subject of COVID-19 and its consequences. I continued to fiddle and diddle like I was blind until I heard the bishop tell the group that Pat Killilea was on audio. I had unintentionally requested to speak and now I was on the spot.…

Focused on Food: Residents adapt to new grocery routines

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

Focused on Food: Residents adapt to new grocery routines

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

As Molokai residents struggle to settle into routines of a new normal amid stay at home orders, shopping for food has proven a challenging task for many on the island. With Friendly Market’s continued closure anticipated until April 20, and the other main stores limiting customers to placing orders for curbside pickup, lines for food have been hours long.

Many residents reported attempting to reach Misaki’s two phone order lines hundreds of times. Car lines for shopping at Kualapu’u Market often extended to Molokai High School. Both stores have limited the amount of items each customer can purchase.…

Testing Implemented, National Guard Requested

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Molokai positive COVID-19 cases remained at two as of Sunday, with no additional cases officially confirmed by the Dept. of Health following a large testing event last week. Statewide, the confirmed case count rose to 499 as of Sunday, with nine deaths linked to COVID-19 in Hawaii.

Last week Tuesday, Dr. Scott Miscovich and Dr. Kaohimanu Akiona brought more than a dozen medical staff to do a drive thru COVID-19 screening and testing event at Mitchell Pauole Center for Molokai residents. They brought nearly 500 tests available on a first-come first served basis, and completed a second testing event this week Tuesday.…

Life Sciences Scholarship Deadline Extended

Wednesday, April 15th, 2020

Bayer News Release

In response to hurdles posed by the difficult coronavirus situation, the application deadline for the Bayer Hawaii Life Sciences Scholarship has been extended to May 15. The previous deadline was April 1. Molokai students have previously been awarded this scholarship.

According Alan Takemoto, community affairs manager for Bayer Hawaii: “Over the past few days, we’ve heard from students and counselors that school closures related to COVID-19 have created challenges to completing scholarship applications. Our hope in extending this year’s deadline is that more students statewide will be able to apply for scholarship funds to help further their education.”…

Holy Week Live Streaming

Wednesday, April 8th, 2020

St. Damien Catholic Parish News Release

Due to the pandemic spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Catholic Diocese of Honolulu has given directives that all churches and satellite missions throughout the state be closed until April 30 or until further notice. All liturgies and sacraments will also be cancelled through April 30 which includes Holy Week. This includes Molokai’s St. Damien’s Catholic Parish.

The Diocese has made available a live stream schedule for daily mass and masses throughout the Holy Week. The live stream can be viewed on the Facebook page for the Cathedral of Basilica of Our Lady of Peace.…