News Releases

Releases that pertain to the Molokai and Hawaiian communities.

New Play Structure at MEO Preschool

Wednesday, October 19th, 2022

MEO News Release 

Children attending eight Maui Economic Opportunity Head Start preschool sites are enjoying new play structures in a $506,000 renovation project completed two weeks ago.

The new play structures are open air with a lower profile and provide for better safety and supervision of children, compared to the old tower structures, some of which were put up as far back as 2005.

Six new play structures were installed beginning in August at Head Start sites at the Eddie Tam Complex in Makawao, Kihei Elementary School, Princess Nahienaena Elementary School in Lahaina, Luana Gardens in Kahului, UH-Maui College in Kahului and MEO Molokai offices in Kaunakakai.…

County Energy Cost-Savings Program

Wednesday, October 19th, 2022

Maui County News Release 

Maui County taxpayers can expect to benefit from $73 million in energy and water conservation cost savings from a 20-year energy cost savings agreement with contractor Johnson Controls.

“This is a fiscally responsible project that saves taxpayer dollars, creates local jobs, reduces our carbon footprint, and, importantly, frees up clean water that we can use for affordable housing,” Mayor Michael Victorino said. “Reducing dependence on fossil fuels means we are taking money out of an oil tanker and keeping it right here, investing in jobs for our residents.”

The contractor expects the project will create more than 40 local jobs for the engineering, project management and maintenance support.…

Nonprofit Formed to Manage Ranch

Wednesday, October 19th, 2022

Sust’ainable Molokai News Release

Mahalo, Molokai, for your feedback and participation in the 13 meetings about community ownership of Molokai Ranch this year. The facilitation team has listened to your feedback and done our best to adjust our processes.

Firstly, we have a website! Please visit molokaihertitagetrust.org to learn more and stay updated.

Secondly, it’s go time! We are aiming to finalize the bylaws of the Molokai Heritage Trust, the nonprofit formed to manage the ranch lands, by the end of the year. The bylaws will help guide how our community makes decisions about Molokai Ranch lands. This includes who can be part of the board and organization as well as how the board governs itself.…

Candidate Hui Tour to Molokai

Thursday, October 13th, 2022

‘Onipa‘a 2022 News Release 

‘Onipa‘a 2022, a hui that unites Council candidates Noelani Ahia, Nara Boone, Jordan Hocker, Gabe Johnson, Robin Knox, Tamara Paltin, Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, and Shane Sinenci, announced the launch of their district tour. The Molokai event will be on Oct. 27 at 11:30 a.m. at the Molokai Canoe Club.

‘Onipa‘a 2022, is a people’s movement, arising out of a decade of grassroots organizing, acknowledging hard-fought advancements that could be lost this election without voter participation.

Two years ago, for the first time in Maui County history, the Council gained a progressive majority of five members, which resulted in extensive legislation to manage tourism and reduce vacation rentals,  promote long-term, affordable housing opportunities for residents, create a department of agriculture to increase food security, address climate change and sea level rise impacts, care for our unsheltered ‘ohana, fund farmers’ microgrants and promote local businesses, increase transparency and accessibility by transitioning Council meetings online, and more. …

Teen Donates Children’s Books to Molokai Head Start Keiki

Wednesday, October 5th, 2022

Teen Donates Children’s Books to Molokai Head Start Keiki

MEO News Release

A West Virginia high school senior reached across the mainland and the Pacific to Kaunakakai to hand 20 Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) Head Start children the classic book “If You Give a Mouse A Cookie” on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

The books were given to all 20 students in the Head Start program by Rania Zuri of Morgantown and her Fifty Nifty Head Start book donation project, part of the LiTEArary Society, her nonprofit whose mission is to end book deserts for children in Head Start programs nationwide.

Also, early childhood education plays a pivotal role in shaping a child’s development, making programs like Head Start and daycare centers essential in laying a strong foundation for lifelong learning.…

Agricultural Micro Grant Available

Wednesday, October 5th, 2022

MEO News Release 

Molokai farmers and ranchers have an opportunity for funding assistance. Applications for the popular Agricultural Micro Grant Program 3.0 – which offers up to $25,000 to Maui County small farmers and ranchers – will be available beginning Monday, Oct. 17.

The $3 million Maui County-funded program, administered by Maui Economic Opportunity’s Business Development Center, is open to operating farms on less than 12 acres and livestock ranches up to 40 acres possessing a county business or state general excise license as of July 1, 2022. Preference will be given to women and Native Hawaiians.

Grants may be used to directly impact the availability of locally-grown produce, livestock and poultry and other related products.…

Temporary Pool Closure Upcoming

Wednesday, October 5th, 2022

Maui County News Release

Pool guard trainee testing will be conducted Oct. 20 at the Cooke Memorial Pool on Molokai. The pool will be closed to the public from 9 a.m. to noon for the physical swim test of pool guard trainees, the Department of Parks and Recreation announced. The facility will reopen from 1 to 4 p.m. that day for lap and recreational swimming.

The department appreciates the public’s patience and understanding.

For more information, call Duke A. Sevilla at (808) 270-6135 or send email to duke.sevilla@co.maui.hi.us.

For general Maui County parks information, visit mauicounty.gov/parks.…

Catch the Reading Wave

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

Friends of Molokai Public Library News Release 

The Molokai Public Library, working with all the island elementary schools and homeschoolers, is challenging all Molokai third graders to “Catch the Reading Wave.”

When they join the challenge, each third grade student will be given a bag of books to take home to build a personal library. Activities online and in classrooms will involve reading and thinking about what they have read, to build their reading skills. Challenging activities include identifying if a book is fiction or nonfiction, finding main ideas, defining words by using the dictionary that comes with the bag, and treasure hunts within the books.…

Fall Break Youth Theatre Class

Thursday, September 29th, 2022

MAC News Release 

This Fall Intersession, Oct. 3-7, the Molokai Arts Center (MAC), in collaboration with Kualapu’u School and FilCom CARES, will bring in Honolulu Theatre for Youth for a five-day theatre/drama class for students enrolled in grades 2 to 6. Limit is 35 students and registration has already begun.

The class will be face-to-face at Kualapu’u School Cafeteria from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. No transportation will be provided. Students must bring their own water bottle, snack, and lunch. The enrollment form can be found at forms.gle/1kQ8BMtdZe2wWS7LA. Complete one form per child.

Instructor Lily Crumpton is a teaching artist and the Assistant Director of Drama Education for Honolulu Theatre for Youth and a director of HTY’s Saturday youth acting group, Primary Players and their summer drama program, ‘Tween Scene. …

BBTV Control-Prevention Workshop

Wednesday, September 21st, 2022

UHCTAHR Molokai Extension News Release 

Learn about Integrated Pest Management Benefits, and diagnosis, control and prevention of Banana Bunchy Top Virus, also known as BBTV. A workshop will be hosted by the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) Molokai Cooperative Extension Service. The workshop, Benefits of IPM Practices and Sustainable Strategies for Banana Bunchy Top Virus Control-Prevention, will be held at the UH Molokai Extension Farm at 652 Huaai Road (just past Kumu Farms) on Monday, Sept. 26, from 3 to 5 p.m.  

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Integrated Pest Management or IPM, is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. …