• Failure notice from provider:
    Connection Error:http_request_failed

  • Submission Deadlines

    Advertising

    Thursday 4pm

    January 23, 2025

    Content

    Friday 4pm

    January 24, 2025

    To print on:

    Wednesday

    January 22, 2025

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

Health

9 New Cases, New County Rules

Thursday, September 16th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Molokai had nine new COVID-19 cases last week, according to the Dept. of Health as of Sunday’s data – two each last Wednesday and Thursday, and five new cases last Friday. Statewide, the average daily case count over the last week has been 604. 

A Molokai High School employee was among those to test positive last week. 

“Our school is taking the recommended precautions to ensure the safety of our staff and community, including notifying potential close contacts, closing and disinfecting impacted areas, sharing case information with the DOH and coordinating next steps with the Department’s COVID-19 Core Response Team,” wrote MHS Principal Katina Soares in a letter to the school community.…

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

Fishpond Workdays Cancelled

Wednesday, September 8th, 2021

Due to the rapidly rising numbers of COVID cases in Hawaii, as a community nonprofit, Hui o Kuapa has made the decision to postpone our previously announced workdays at ʻOhalahala fishpond until further notice. 

Mahalo nui for understanding,

Maile Naehu

Hui o Kuapa…

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

80 Businesses Supplied with PPE

Wednesday, September 8th, 2021

80 Businesses Supplied with PPE

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Two, 40-foot containers of personal protective equipment (PPE) was distributed by volunteers last Wednesday to about 80 local businesses and organizations. The PPE came to Molokai from the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, organized by Molokai dentist Boki Chung. 

Thirty-eight pallets stacked high with masks, disinfectants, gloves, face shields, hand sanitizer, gowns and other items were sorted by county employees with the assistance of Stacy Helm Crivello, along with community volunteers. 

Chung said the Maui County Dental Society originally reached out to her regarding PPE distribution earmarked for dentists but after speaking with HiEMA, Chung was able to coordinate for any Molokai business in need. …

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

Free COVID Testing at Molokai Schools

Wednesday, September 8th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

Last week, Molokai had seven reported new cases of COVID, with three on Monday, Aug. 30 and four on Thursday, according go the Dept. of Health. The island is now at 181 total cases since the pandemic began and 16 active in the last 14 days, as of Sunday. 

Molokai schools have seen a fair share of cases as well, which officials say are mostly from community spread, rather than transmission within the school setting. Molokai High School has had 12 positive cases between Aug. 10 and Aug. 23, according to information released by the Dept. of Education.…

Posted in , commentsAdd your comment

Search for Gianina Reid

Wednesday, September 1st, 2021

By Kimberlyn Scott

My name is Kimberlyn Scott and I advocate for families of the missing since my own pregnant daughter, Charli Scott, went missing seven and half years ago on Maui. It was the community of Maui that searched for Charli and found what was needed to get some answers.

I now am writing to the Molokai community on behalf of the family of Gianina Reid. Gianina has been missing from Molokai since June 24 under disturbing circumstances. Gianina has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder which influences her ability to make rational decisions and impacts her social behavior. Gianina was seen by three witnesses just before she abandoned her vehicle and all her personal belongings in the parking lot of Kalaupapa Lookout.…

Posted in , commentsAdd your comment

MCHC Offers Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for COVID

Wednesday, September 1st, 2021

MCHC News Release

Molokai Community Health Center (MCHC) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is pleased to announce access to monoclonal antibody therapy (mAb), Regeneron, at its facility. This one-time therapy is highly effective in preventing severe disease and hospitalization caused by COVID-19.

In high-risk COVID-19 patients, this medication can be given up to 10 days after the first onset of symptoms or positive test. The earlier in infection Regeneron is given, the more effective it is likely to be. This medication is also approved to be used by high-risk patients who have not tested positive for COVID-19 as soon as possible after a known COVID exposure.…

Posted in , commentsAdd your comment

Molokai Death Marks First for COVID

Wednesday, September 1st, 2021

Molokai Death Marks First for COVID

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

Each year for Valentine’s Day, Pilipo Solatorio of Halawa Valley would write a love letter to his wife, Dianna, in The Molokai Dispatch for their wedding anniversary. Married 58 years, Dianna passed away two weeks ago at Queen’s Medical Center on Oahu after contracting COVID-19. Now, her family is begging the community to take the virus seriously.

“It was devastating. To hear him cry, and for him to look at you and ask, ‘Can I just kiss her one last time?’ and it was hard for me to tell him ‘you can’t, you know, you can’t touch her.’…

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

Molokai Drugs Offers Free COVID Testing

Wednesday, August 25th, 2021

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

Free COVID-19 testing is now available at Molokai Drugs. With testing now a requirement for non-vaccinated state and county employees and Molokai cases continuing to spike, having greater accessibility to testing is important.

Molokai residents need to pre-register at precentcovidhi.com, as walk-in testing is not available.

“We are offering testing only four days per week (Tuesday through Friday),” Kimberly Svetin shared on social media. “Our supplies are limited so we ask that you cancel if you are sick or cannot make it in for your timeslot.”
Molokai Drugs as a free testing site is being offered through a partnership between Hawaii State Department of Health, National Kidney Foundation, FEMA and Molokai Drugs, Inc.,…

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment

COVID Vaccines Q&A

Wednesday, August 25th, 2021

By the Molokai Health Foundation

Question: I’m healthy. Why should I get vaccinated?
Answer: Anyone can get the virus and give it to other people who might not be as healthy. If you get vaccinated, you’re protecting family and friends, plus yourself!

Q: What side effects could I get from a vaccination?
A: The main side effect is a temporary sore spot where you got the shot. Other symptoms, like tiredness, headache or slight temperature, might last a few days, but go away quickly.

Q: I have diabetes and heart problems. My friend has cancer. Is it safe for us to get vaccinated?…

Posted in , commentsAdd your comment

Fishpond Restoration Workdays

Wednesday, August 25th, 2021

By Maile Naehu

Spend a day with us in Mana’e with Hui o Kuapa! We are hosting four Community Workdays for the restoration of ʻOhalahala fishpond at Kumimi Beach located after the 20 mile marker, East Molokai. 

Our dates are Saturday, Sept. 4 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 17 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 14 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 18 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Lunch and water will be provided. Please bring a water bottle, towel, work and protective gear such as hat, long sleeved rash guard or shirt, longer shorts or leggings, reef shoes or tabis and/or an old pair of shoes, work gloves (we will have some in limited supply), and a light breathable mask. Limited…

Posted in , commentsAdd your comment