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News Releases

Releases that pertain to the Molokai and Hawaiian communities.

Hawaii Eco-Lights Saves Locals Money

Friday, March 12th, 2010

UpRoar and Molokai Chamber of Commerce News Release

Hawaii Eco-Lights, the leader in energy saving concepts, announced two local companies, Napa Friendly Island Auto Parts and Molokai Shores, have taken advantage of LED technology and are seeing the cost savings.

“We have seen at least a fifty five percent cost savings on our monthly electricity bill.” said Ed Wond, owner of Napa Friendly Island Auto Parts in Molokai. “While Hawaii Eco-Lights works in conjunction with our solar panels, we have found LED to be much more cost effective for our business.”

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Tsunami Response

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Tsunami Response

Governor Linda Lingle News Release

When we received news Friday night of the devastating earthquake in Chile and the resulting tsunami waves that were approaching Hawai‘i, emergency response personnel across the state sprang into action.  The outstanding coordination resulted in a well-executed operation to keep the residents and visitors of Hawai‘i safe.

State and County Civil Defense officials, scientists at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, lifeguards, police officers, firefighters and other first-responders were well prepared to carry out their duties, and they worked together calmly and efficiently.

Military leaders at Pacific Command on O‘ahu and officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security were standing by in case we needed their help. Hawai‘i tourism leaders worked closely with state and county officials to make sure our visitors were safe and well informed.  The media ensured residents and visitors received accurate and timely information.

Our residents did their part by evacuating from danger zones and stocking up on emergency supplies – and they did so without panicking and without losing their aloha spirit.

Fortunately, the tsunami waves were much smaller than predicted and no damage was reported on any island. We were very fortunate.

Looking back at the events of this weekend, I come away with an even deeper appreciation of how extensively our state has prepared for emergencies, and how professionally everyone responded when the time for action arrived.

This gives me great confidence that our state will be ready for the next emergency, be it a tsunami, hurricane, earthquake or other natural or man-made disaster. At the same time, it is critical that we continue to prepare for emergencies and work to improve our response capabilities. Mahalo to everyone who played a part in keeping Hawai‘i safe.  


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U.S. Census Road Tour – Molokai

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

U.S. Census Road Tour – Molokai

2010 Census questionnaires will be mailed beginning March 15-17. Residents are encouraged to mail back the questionnaires by Census Day on April 1. In early April, census takers will go door to door to assist residents who did not mail back their questionnaire.

For those without mailboxes, the Hawaii Counts 2010 Census Road Tour is making four stops on Molokai this week.

March 4 at 11 a.m.
Molokai High School – Principal Denise Kelley
Point Person: Student Activities Lisa Takada
denise_kelly/MOLOKAIH/HIDOE@notes.k12.hi.us
lisa_takada/MOLOKAIH/HIDOE@notes.k12.hi.us

March 4 at 1 p.m.
Maunaloa Elementary – Principal joe Yamamoto
joe_yamamoto/MAUNALOA/HIDOE@notes.k12.hi.us

March 5 at 9 a.m.
Mana`e Goods and Grindz – Kehau Ward
ckward1@yahoo.com

March 6 at 9 a.m.
Molokai Middle School’s Annual Bazaar - `Iolani Ku`oha
iolani_kuoha/MOLOKAIM/HIDOE@notes.k12.hi.us

Questions? Contact those above, or U.S. Census Bureau Hawaii Media Specialist Roberta Wong Murray 960-1252
Molokai 2010 Census Complete Count Committee Chair `Iolani Ku`oha, c/o Moloka'i Middle School. Call (c) 336-1359, (w) 567-6940.

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MCC now University of Hawaii Maui College

Friday, February 26th, 2010

University of Hawaii News Release

University of Hawaii Board of Regents has renamed Maui Community College as University of Hawaii Maui College. The change was proposed to accurately represent the college’s programs and services that now include 15 associate and two four-year baccalaureate degrees.
 
Maui CC was the first UH community college to grant a four-year degree, and now offers a Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Business and Information, and a Bachelor’s of Applied Science in Engineering Technology.
 
“The change will allow the college to be more competitive in the recruitment of students locally, nationally and internationally,” said UH Maui College Chancellor Clyde Sakamoto.
 

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Kung Hee Faat Choy!

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Community Contributed

By Mel Chung
 
In continuing the celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Tiger, Mel Chung (the local gunsmith) announces that a special gun exhibit featuring the guns of the Royal Hong Kong Chinese Police force will be held at his shop in Kaunakakai.
 
This free event is open to the public and will be held only on Friday, February 26 from 12 Noon to 6 p.m. at Mel Chung - Gunsmith's shop in Kaunakakai, located behind the Pascua Store / Bamboo Pantry parking lot.  Look past the brown dumpster for the cedar wood building with the chain link fence.
 
Please no unattended children at this exhibit.
 
Questions? Call Mel at 553-5888

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Representative Mele Carroll Protects Small Schools

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Representative Mele Carroll Protects Small Schools

Aloha k?kou,

Among those options being deliberated upon to cut our state budget is the merging of small schools with larger ones.  I support efforts to cut costs, but feel that our keiki have already suffered enough under Furlough Fridays; forcing young students from smaller schools to commute great distances in order to save money would compromise their educational standing.  To deal with this important issue directly, I have introduced HB 2671, a bill that will exempt smaller schools in District 13 from the rules governing such measures in order to protect our keiki and to allow communities to decide what course of action would best suit their interests.

In introducing this bill, I would also like to commend the efforts of the teachers and administrators at Maunaloa Elementary for their consistently excellent service.  Smaller class sizes have long proven to be effective in producing excellent students and I am in support of the measures Maunaloa Elementary has taken to ensure that that their students' needs are met.  These educators deserve to have the opportunity to continue their efforts and I hope that this bill will allow them to do so.  I have also introduced HB 2974, which prohibits the closure of Maunaloa Elementary School.

I am also concerned that forcing students to commute would place an unnecessary strain on the outstanding staff at Kaunakakai Elementary School.  As the largest elementary school on Moloka`i, Kaunakakai Elementary has always done its best with its resources and provided its keiki with the tools they need to succeed.  Asking the teachers to take on more students would be unfair, and while I am sure they are capable of serving these keiki, I don't see that there is a need to pose such a challenge to them.

The bottom line for me is that the state is obligated to provide each child with a quality education.  Our keiki should be our top priority at all times, especially when there is a budget crisis.  It is my hope that my fellow legislators and I will be able to collaborate on this matter and suggest alternative ways of cutting our budget that do not place at risk the most vulnerable members of our community.

I am also working to find creative solutions of promoting sustainable financing options for vital cultural and social programs, both on Moloka`i and in the state at large.  I appreciate the community's input on such measures and welcome everybody to have a voice in deciding what options would best serve our people in the present and the future.

Mahalo nui,

Representative Mele Carroll

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Help Wanted: Census Workers Needed

Friday, February 5th, 2010

U.S. Census News Release

Hawaii’s local census offices are actively seeking to hire more than 3000 temporary workers to assist in the effort of counting the state’s population for the 2010 census. The jobs, ranging from census takers, enumerators, crew leaders and crew assistants pay from $12.75 to $20 an hour for up to 40 hours per week, for as long as two months.

The recruitment office is seeking approximately 30 positions on Molokai. The last day to apply and test for the job is Monday, Feb. 8. To apply, call 1-866-861-2010, and instructions about when and where the test site is will be given.

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Year of the Tiger (Part 4)

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Year of the Tiger (Part 4)

Community Contributed

By Mel Chung

 Molokai’s first ever Year of the Tiger Parade won’t be only fun in games, but will also serve as a learning experience to the island’s keiki. The Molokai Chinese Cultural Club is hosting both an art contest and a writing contest for youth contestants.

Seventh and 8th graders from Kumu Iolani Kuoha's O Hina I Ka Malama, Ko Kula Waena, Hawaiian Language Immersion Program at Molokai Middle School are writing essays in Hawaiian that explain their connection with the Year of the Tiger. Kumu Kuoha and her students have recently coordinated with Maui Arts & Cultural Center in bringing the iconic Cecilio & Kapono free concert to Molokai.  An energetic Molokai native, Kumu Kuoha is currently pursuing her Master's Degree in Secondary Education.

The parade celebration will also take the time to honor some of Molokai’s Chinese kupuna. The third kupuna being honored has strong Hawaiian ties.  Born in the year of the Tiger to a Chinese father and a Hawaiian mother in Kamalo, Molokai, Dorothy Mew-Lan Kalaki Chong Akiona Nihoa possesses the Chinese trait of perseverance and the Hawaiian charm of Aloha.  In her nineties, she will be the most senior kupuna honored at the parade in terms of life experience and accumulated wisdom.

Married 25 years to the late pastor Gulston L. Nihoa, she lived a humble life as the wife of a man of the cloth. She labored diligently with husband in raising taro, cattle, pigs, chickens, bees and fished on the east end of Molokai and near Ho`olehua for subsistence.  Widowed since 1961, she has shouldered her late husband's Akua mission and devotes herself passionately to it.

When she was in her eighties, Nihoa delivered meals to shut-ins and drove the seniors – some of them much younger than her -- to their medical appointments.  In spite of her 30-plus years volunteer work at Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO), she still keeps a schedule in MEO monthly food surplus distribution and drops in as much as she can to see her friends at Ne'e Imua Senior Club where she served as their club president for several terms.  It is no wonder that MEO director Zessica Apili's voice instantly warms up whenever Nihoa's name is brought up.

Nihoa's inner strength and quiet endurance are heartwarming & inspiring.  Her Chinese middle name "Mew-Lan" which means a rare and unusual flower, certainly describes her well.  We take pride in a kupuna of her caliber in our community.

A Year of the Tiger calendar /wall poster with all 12 Chinese Zodiac animals and their outlook for 2010 is available for purchase at Shop 2 & Beauty Salon by the Molokai Chinese Cultural Club.  Please call 553-5888.

 

 

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Capital Improvements Not Slowed By Economy

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Capital Improvements Not Slowed By Economy

State of Hawaii News Release Governor Linda Lingle announced last month that the State has advanced nearly $1.5 billion in capital improvement projects (CIP) statewide since her Administration launched a plan last December to accelerate public infrastructure construction as part of a comprehensive effort to stimulate the economy and create jobs.

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Early Christmas for Science

Monday, December 14th, 2009

Early Christmas for Science

Community Contributed
By Dawn Bicoy

Three Molokai teachers got their Christmas presents a little early last week. Malia Lee, Jenny Ainoa and Scott Hemenway were all presented with grants from the Monsanto Hawaii Science Education Grant Fund at the conclusion of last week’s Science Fair.

The grants were awarded for a variety of educational endeavors, including requests for the purchase of digital cameras, science fair supplies, and digital probes for labs to study water quality and oceanography along Molokai’s shores. 

“It’s truly gratifying to see the range of projects and commitment from educators like Malia, Jenny and Scott, who continue to pursue such worthwhile programs despite the tough economic times our state is facing,” said Dawn Bicoy, Monsanto Hawaii’s Molokai Community Affairs manager.

The three award winners were excited about the possibilities it will open for them inside the classroom.

  “We really need the supplies and tools.  Just to have these items in the first place, makes all the difference.  Instead of me doing a demo in front of my students, we can now do it together” said Scott Hemenway, Molokai Intermediate School science teacher. 

The fund is open to public schools serving students at the intermediate, high school and college grade levels on the islands of Molokai, Maui, Kauai and Oahu.  Established in 2005 it was intended to help our Hawaii public schools with programs, tools and supplies, as well as enhance science education and encourage students to consider a future career in the sciences.  It is entirely up to the school, teacher, or parent-teacher association to envision its grant request and apply. 

 “As a company we’re dedicated to scientific research, and we’re proud to be able to support these educators who empower students with science and technology skills.  Their vision is instrumental in creating this partnership so that everyone here on Molokai wins,” Bicoy said. 

For more information on Monsanto Hawaii, visit www.monsanto.com/hawaii

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