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Health

‘Ohana’s Last Flight

Wednesday, January 20th, 2021

‘Ohana’s Last Flight

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

It was a heartfelt farewell for ‘Ohana by Hawaiian last Thursday at Molokai’s airport as the airline departed on what may be its final flight from Molokai. Kupuna in wheelchairs held signs begging the airline to continue flying, while crew and Molokai ‘Ohana employees hugged and the airport fire department showered the plane with an arch of water as it taxied away.

The airline first announced last October it would suspend service to Molokai and Lanai on Nov. 1 after low travel demand caused by the pandemic “triggered a labor provision in Hawaiian’s pilot contract affecting the carrier’s ability to provide ‘Ohana by Hawaiian service.”…

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‘Ohana by Hawaiian Halts Flights

Wednesday, January 13th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

‘Ohana by Hawaiian air service will indefinitely suspend flights to Molokai and Lanai on Jan. 14, the airline told employees in a letter from a company official last week. The move leaves Mokulele Airlines as the sole air carrier serving Molokai.

“Our low levels of inter-island flying, caused by depressed demand across our network due to travel restrictions, triggered a provision in our labor contracts that prevents us from offering this third-party passenger and all-cargo service,” wrote Executive Vice President and COO Jon Snook in the letter that employees received last Wednesday, Jan. 6.

In October, the airline announced it would suspend flights on Nov.…

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3 New COVID Cases for Molokai Last Week

Wednesday, January 13th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

The new year brought new cases to the island, with an influx of three last week, bringing Molokai up to a total of 25 COVID-19 cases, as of Sunday, since the pandemic began.

One new case was reported by the Dept. of Health last Wednesday, Jan. 6, with two more joining the tally Friday.

Statewide, Thursday, Jan. 7 saw the highest number of cases in a single day since August, with 322 new cases across the state. In Maui County, numbers were also concerning to officials, with 56 new cases reported in the county last Thursday. Because the vast majority of cases are in households throughout all regions of Maui island, officials in the Maui District Health Office believe the spike stemmed from holiday gatherings.…

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MPD Reflects on Blessings

Wednesday, December 30th, 2020

As 2020 comes to a close, let us not reflect on the challenges we faced but on the blessings we received. Many organizations, businesses, and neighbors on Molokai stepped in to assist those in need, evident by the many food distributions, PPE donations, free inter-island cargo shipping, as well as the countless people who offered assistance to those afflicted by COVID-19. We were able to keep our COVID count low, due to everyone doing their part in helping to stop the spread of this disease.

We appreciated those that kept traditions alive, like PK Enterprise and Misaki Store, spreading holiday cheer from their annual floats.…

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Island’s First COVID-19 Vaccine

Wednesday, December 30th, 2020

Island’s First COVID-19 Vaccine

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff

Last Tuesday, the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines arrived at Molokai General Hospital via Kamaka Air. The first vaccine was administered shortly afterward, with the first recipient being Jeanette Oshiro, Manager of the Paul G. Stevens MD Outpatient Clinic, administered by Nicolette Montizor, RN. The hospital says it vaccinated more staff last week. Only healthcare workers will receive the COVID-19 vaccines at this time.…

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Star of Wonder

Wednesday, December 30th, 2020

Star of Wonder

Opinion by Father Pat Killilea, St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa

“O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright.

Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.” -John Hopkins Jr. in 1857

I am not exactly known as a star gazer but I do recall times in my high school years when, during class time, I caught myself looking out the window, either because I was desperately looking for inspiration or was just plain bored in class that day. Still I have looked toward the heavens on a few occasions in my time, be that to forecast the weather or to check out a twinkling star or an approaching unidentified flying object.…

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Vaccines for Healthcare Workers Expected Soon on Molokai

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

A limited number of COVID-19 vaccines for healthcare workers are expected on Molokai this month, according to health officials.

“We are expecting Molokai General Hospital to get its first delivery of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines early next week,” said state Dept. of Health spokesperson Brooks Baehr last Thursday. “I do not yet know exactly how many doses will be included in that shipment. These vaccines will be for healthcare workers on Molokai.”

Molokai General Hospital President Janice Kalanihuia confirmed she is expecting the shipment.

“We’re all set to immunize anyone here [hospital staff] that wants it,” said Kalanihuia last Thursday.…

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MHS Alum to Finish College Football Career

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020

MHS Alum to Finish College Football Career

By Rick Schonely, Sports Reporter

Molokai High alumnus Makani Kaneaiakala will continue and finish his college football career at Western New Mexico University in Silver City, NM. He began playing at Eastern Arizona College as a freshman in 2017, before enrolling at Tabor College in Kansas two years later. Since then, he has had some bumps in the road but is now back to the game.

“After being in the NCAA Transfer Portal for some time I can finally say I’ll be returning to action at Western New Mexico University,” said Kaneaiakala. “I’m beyond thankful and blessed for another opportunity after all the struggles I’ve gone through this year; it was such a tough stretch with COVID-19, school, work, training, a potential career-ending injury which healed, eligibility paperwork that required navigating specifics like New Mexico sports betting regulations to ensure compliance, and I made some very tough sacrifices along the way to embrace this fresh start in a state rich with unique athletic and cultural landscapes.”…

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Electric Walk-in Payment Centers Permanently Close

Wednesday, December 16th, 2020

Hawaiian Electric News Release

Hawaiian Electric’s walk-in payment centers in Honolulu, Kahului, Hilo, Kona and Molokai, closed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, will permanently shut their doors due to declining use and customers adapting to other payment options.

The company is encouraging customers to enroll for online services through its Online Customer Service Center or mobile app. Online, customers may start, stop or move service requests, request payment arrangements through an authenticated channel, report payment, submit billing inquiries, schedule one-time or automatic bill payment, as well as report and check status on outages.

The payment centers were closed in mid-March to keep customers and employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they have remained closed.…

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Kalauapa Gets First Case, 3 More for Topside Molokai

Wednesday, December 16th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Kalaupapa recorded its first COVID-19 case last week, after being reportedly the last county in the U.S. without the virus. Separately, Molokai had three additional positive cases, bringing the island’s total to 22 since the pandemic began, not including the Kalaupapa case.

On Dec. 8, the Dept. of Health reported the three Molokai cases today as household contacts. One person had travel history, but it is unclear whether the transmission of the virus was from the traveler of as a result of community spread. The investigation is ongoing as of last week, according to the DOH.

In the Kalaupapa case, the individual received their positive test result after returning on a local flight to the Kalaupapa settlement and was in self-isolation with no symptoms, the DOH reported on Dec.…

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