• Failure notice from provider:
    Connection Error:http_request_failed

  • Submission Deadlines

    Advertising

    Thursday 4pm

    August 28, 2025

    Content

    Friday 4pm

    August 29, 2025

    To print on:

    Wednesday

    September 3, 2025

  • Join us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Google Plus Subscribe via RSS

Health

Don’t Forget to Vote

Wednesday, August 5th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Are you registered to vote? If you answered yes, you should have already received your ballot in the mail and don’t forget to mail it back! If you answered no… you still can!

While July 9 was widely published as the deadline to register for voting in the Primary Election, you can visit Molokai’s Voting Service Center at Mitchell Pauole Center Conference Room to register and vote on the spot, until Election Day on Aug. 8 at 7 p.m.

While Hawaii has switched to an all-mail voting system this year, you can still vote in-person if you’d prefer.…

Posted in , , , , , commentsAdd your comment

More Restrictions to Come If Cases Keep Rising

Wednesday, August 5th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

With COVID-19 cases soaring in the triple digits statewide, school opening has been delayed, tight restrictions are again being placed on gatherings, and officials warn if case numbers don’t get under control soon, further drastic steps may need to be taken again to curb the virus’ spread.

Last Friday, July 31, marked the third day in a row of more than 100 cases in the state. Last weekend saw lower numbers but health officials say those lags likely represented delays in lab reporting resulting in incomplete data. July 30’s 124 cases included 32 pediatric cases in children ages 18 and under, while 18 of the 123 new cases reported for July 31 were children (individual ages not reported).…

Posted in , , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Molokai Summer Mobile Learning Hub

Wednesday, July 29th, 2020

Molokai Summer Mobile Learning Hub

By Ric Ornellas

The Molokai Summer Learning Hub, a novel way to educate Molokai youth in Kindergarten through grade 12, completed its island-wide cycle in mid-July. The Learning Hub, a pilot for possible future distance learning in rural communities, was funded directly from the Hawaii Board of Education (BOE), created by the Department of Education (DOE) and Molokai public school principals, and managed overall by Alison Place, Complex Specialist. The Hub traveled weekly, in a DOE-provided van, to four school sites, Kilohana Elementary, Kaunakakai Elementary, Molokai High School, and Maunaloa Elementary meeting with principal- or teacher-recommended elementary-, middle-, and high-school students to provide opportunities for learning that the current COVID-19 pandemic might have prevented.…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment

State’s COVID Cases Set 3-Day Record Highs

Wednesday, July 29th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Last week brought three consecutive days of record-high COVID-19 cases in Hawaii, as of Sunday. July 23 was the highest single-day case count since the beginning of the pandemic with 55 new cases and the 26th death in the state. The next day brought an even higher number at 60 new cases. July 25 continued the streak with 73.

“Some of the cases we’re reporting today are associated with existing clusters, known cases and household spread, but others are new, unassociated cases that indicate increasing community spread,” said State Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson on Friday. “In contact tracing, we continue to identify cases connected with gatherings or just hanging out with close friends.…

Posted in , , , , commentsAdd your comment

First-Ever Online Robotics Class on Molokai

Thursday, June 4th, 2020

First-Ever Online Robotics Class on Molokai

By Edwin Mendija

During this challenging time of distance/online learning, a group of 10 Molokai students completed the first-ever online robotics class hosted on Molokai. The pilot program took place over the course of six weeks, where students attended class via Zoom and did assignments emailed to them. In the class, students learned about STEM, robotics, how those two subjects are related, and basic coding/programming of a virtual robot. The class directly ties into and prepares students for VEX IQ Robotics Competition — which every elementary and middle school on-island participates in.

The next offering of this course is set to take place in the months of June and July.…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment

Correction:

Thursday, June 4th, 2020

Contrary to the date printed in an ad in the May 27 issue of the Dispatch, Kamehameha Schools drive thru graduation celebration on Molokai will be held on Saturday, June 6 at 12 noon.…

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

Help with Utility Payments

Thursday, June 4th, 2020

DHS News Release

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides heating and/or cooling assistance to needy Hawaii households by assisting with a one-time payment towards their utility bill (electric or gas) in two ways.

Energy Crisis Intervention (ECI) program assists needy households in crisis, the electric or gas service has been disconnected or will be terminated as the household has been notified via a disconnect notice from utility company. Applications for ECI are accepted year-round, but the amount of approvals each month are limited and fill quickly.

Energy Credit (EC) program assists needy households who are not in crisis but need assistance with bill payment for the heating and cooling of their residence.…

Posted in , , , , , comments1 Comments

Faithful and Safe Reopening Catholic Churches

Thursday, June 4th, 2020

St. Damien Catholic Church News Release

Masses at the St. Damien church will resume on Tuesday, June 2 at 7 a.m. with the daily mass. The regular mass schedule will be followed with the daily mass on weekdays at 7 a.m. at the St. Damien church in Kaunakakai. Weekend masses are as follows; Saturdays at 6 p.m. at the St. Damien church in Kaunakakai (confessions from 5 to 5:30 p.m.), Sunday mass will be at 7 a.m. at Our Lady of Seven Sorrows in Kaluaaha, 9 a.m. at St. Damien and 11 a.m. at St. Vincent Ferrer in Maunaloa.

The Bishop has extended the dispensation to attend Sunday Mass, through June 30.…

Posted in , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Young Brothers Seeks State Help for Barge ‘Crisis’

Thursday, June 4th, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Interisland shipper Young Brothers has declared an “impending cash crisis” and is now seeking help from the state to continue operations, the company announced last week.

YB officials said the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a 30 percent drop in cargo volumes and the company reported losing nearly $8 million through April and projects mounting losses totaling approximately $25 million by the end of the year. In a letter to the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC), YB called its financial situation “extremely dire.”

The company claimed it will no longer receive cash infusions from its parent company as of June 1.…

Posted in , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Honoring the Fallen

Thursday, June 4th, 2020

Honoring the Fallen

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Molokai’s Staff Sgt Kimoha’e Puailihau and fellow National Guardsmen currently deployed on Molokai placed flags at the Ho’olehua Veterans Cemetery on Memorial Day May 25.

The service of the seven members of the Hawaii National Guard has been extended on Molokai, potentially until the end of June, dependent on instructions from Mayor Victorino, said Puailihau.…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment