• Failure notice from provider:
    Connection Error:http_request_failed

  • Submission Deadlines

    Advertising

    Thursday 4pm

    March 13, 2025

    Content

    Friday 4pm

    March 14, 2025

    To print on:

    Wednesday

    March 12, 2025

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

Health

Nurse of the Year

Thursday, May 21st, 2020

Nurse of the Year

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

In a surprise announcement at Molokai General Hospital last Thursday morning, Jeanette Oshiro, BSN, RN, OCN, was named Queen’s Molokai Nurse of the Year.

The award is given annually from Queen’s Health Systems and Molokai General Hospital.

In her nomination, Oshiro was called an “outstanding leader, professional, mentor to staff, and colleague, [and]… an outstanding nurse.”

“Patients, families and the healthcare team consistently benefit from Jeanette’s wisdom, caring and creativity,” her nominator wrote. “Jeanette inspires everyone at Molokai General Hospital to strive to provide innovative, evidence-based care, and to pursue excellence every day. She is a strong patient advocate and has a strong desire to continuously improve systems with simplification in mind….…

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

One Educator’s Experience with Virtual Teaching

Thursday, May 21st, 2020

One Educator’s Experience with Virtual Teaching

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Teachers, along with parents and students, have had to work through a lot more challenges than anyone bargained for this year. School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have meant learning has had to take place virtually — and for Molokai Middle School immersion teacher ‘Iolani Kuoha, it’s been an experience that’s required her to “get creative.”

She converted her garage into a virtual classroom and for several hours each day, she uses the video chat program Zoom to engage her students — and their families. She shares language and cultural lessons, guest speakers, lei making, ukulele lessons, cooking classes, career readiness, learning contests, and even physical education.…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment

Reopening Continues, Social Distancing Still Required

Thursday, May 21st, 2020

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Last week brought some significant changes to permitted activities, as well as reopening dates for several industries.

Beaches are now open for passive activities like sunbathing, reading or watching the sunset, as long as social distancing is observed. These activities will be permitted in Maui County on a trial basis between May 16 and May 30. Additional county parks on Molokai opened (see the news release in this issue for details), as well as the county tennis court in Kaunakakai. The public pool, community centers and gyms remain closed.

Drive-in religious services can begin May 22, hair salons can reopen May 25 and dine-in restaurants can begin serving June 5.…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment

Flyover Salute

Thursday, May 21st, 2020

Flyover Salute

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Employees at Molokai General Hospital stood outside and cheered last Thursday as a military KC-135 aircraft flew overhead in a salute to healthcare workers, first responders and other essential personnel.

The event was an effort from the Hawaii National Guard and the 15th Wing Active Duty Airmen from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to fly over the state’s main hospitals and major metropolitan areas to honor COVID-19 frontline workers. They completed the flyover as part of routine training exercises, at no additional cost to taxpayers.

The statewide flyover included C-17, KC-135 and F-22 aircraft. The KC-135 that flew over Molokai was operated by Hawaii’s Air National Guard Air Refueling Squadron.…

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

AlohaCare Donates to Molokai Organizations

Thursday, May 21st, 2020

AlohaCare News Release

AlohaCare today announced that it is donating $150,000 to local nonprofit organizations that are helping at-risk families and individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The donation includes monetary contributions to food banks across the state; 28,800 KN95 masks for health care workers at community health centers; and a grant for a new online platform to help identify areas of need in Hawaii.

“The needs in our community are so pressing right now. We want to help non-profits that are directly supporting families and individuals on all Hawaii Islands who are struggling with food insecurity, domestic violence and access to health care,” said Francoise Culley-Trotman, AlohaCare interim CEO.…

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

Friday Night Lights

Wednesday, May 13th, 2020

Friday Night Lights

By Rick Schonely

The Molokai High Athletic Department has been honoring the seniors of the Class of 2020 by lighting up The Barn each Friday night.

Per the Hawaii State Department of Education, “Public high schools will fire up their stadium lights in honor of the Class of 2020 on Friday nights, starting tonight Apr. 24 and through May 29. Lights will go on at 8:20 p.m., which is 2020 hours on the 24-hour clock, for 20 minutes and 20 seconds to honor our seniors as part of the #bealight movement.”

Imua Farmer Nation and congratulations seniors!…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment

Impacts of COVID-19 Among Native Hawaiians

Wednesday, May 13th, 2020

By Dr. Landon Opunui, ND

The United Nations has warned indigenous populations that they may be at a disproportionately high risk of being impacted by COVID-19 because of preexisting health inequalities.

Across the nation, there is strong evidence showing Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NHPI), defined as people having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Guam or other Pacific Islands, are at greater risk of being infected and of having severe symptoms compared to other United States racial populations including African American, Asian, Latino and Caucasian.

This should raise alarms for the island of Molokai as it has the highest number of Native Hawaiians per capita of all the Hawaiian Islands, excluding Niʻihau.…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment

MHS Alternative Graduation

Wednesday, May 13th, 2020

MHS Alternative Graduation

MHS News Release

The Molokai High School Class of 2020 will be honored through an alternative graduation on Saturday, May 23 at 2 p.m. The alternative graduation ceremony will be a hybrid of virtual (live streamed/recorded) and drive-through commencement. Unfortunately, the proceedings will only be open to graduates and their families. The community will be invited to join our virtual commencement online on Akaku Molokaiʻs Facebook Page.

Molokai High campus will continue to be closed to the general public during graduation. Please help us have a smooth ceremony for our graduates by keeping the roads and area surrounding Molokai High School clear from 1 to 4 p.m.…

Posted in , , , , commentsAdd your comment

To the Class of 2020

Wednesday, May 13th, 2020

Molokai High School, and all graduations of 2020, congratulations to all of you with love, support, respect for your wonderful achievements. Congratulations on how all of you handled and dealt with your situation regarding what is happening with all of our lives at this moment. It’s not the end of the world of life for most of us, it’s the beginning of adventure and challenges for a new change of habits, lifestyle and vision. Be prepared for it. Also, always remember to make your life happy first. If you are happy with your life, what more could you want? Happiness includes parents, families, friends, community needs and wants as well.…

Posted in , , , , commentsAdd your comment

Research Your Family Tree from Home

Wednesday, May 13th, 2020

HSPLS News Release

Through May 31, the Hawaii State Public Library System (HSPLS) is able to offer access to Ancestry Library Edition from home with just a library card.

Molokai library cardholders can access the Ancestry Library Edition to get census, vital data records, directories, and photos for those doing research on their family tree. During the COVID-19 crisis, Ancestry Library Edition is offering temporary remote access to cardholders while libraries remain closed to the public.

“We are so happy that the Hawaii State Public Library System can provide access to this rich genealogical research tool from home. It’s really amazing when you can see a photo of a written census that your grandmother was part of when she was 9, and find clues to other family members,” said State Librarian, Stacey A.…

Posted in , , , , commentsAdd your comment