News Releases

MHS Receives Grant for Literacy Program

Thursday, March 6th, 2025

Hawaii State Teachers Association Molokai Chapter News Release
The National Educational Association’s (NEA) Read Across America Events Grants Program is thrilled to announce a partial award of $5,000 to the Hawaii State Teachers Association (HSTA) Molokai Chapter, Molokai High School for their exceptional literacy initiative. The committee was particularly impressed with HSTA’s innovative approach, which focuses on fostering a love of reading and writing through intergenerational engagement and cultural connection.
The grant will support a dynamic program centered on Molokai, Lanai and Hana high school student reading buddies and a collaborative effort with University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC) staff to provide valuable career and college opportunities.…

Native Trees Vandalized in Kamakou Preserve

Thursday, February 27th, 2025

By Russell Kallstrom, Molokai Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii and Palmyra

Did you know Kamakou Preserve helps provide seven million gallons of water every day for Molokai residents? Yes, and it’s only able to do this because of the healthy native forest found there.

During a recent routine work trip in Kamakou, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) staff were disappointed and saddened to discover several ‘ohiʻa trees in the preserve had been cut down and left in place, in an apparent act of senseless vandalism. ʻOhiʻa (Metrosideros spp) is the dominant native tree in our Hawaiian forest. It serves as home to native birds and tree snails, provides material for lei, hula and other cultural practices, and helps to collect much of the water we drink.…

Molokai Earth Day 2025 – Save the Date

Wednesday, February 26th, 2025

The Nature Conservancy News Release
Molokai Earth Day is a free, all-ohana, community-wide annual event. This year the event will take place on April 18, from 5 to 9 p.m., at the Mitchell Pauole Center. Come be inspired by Molokai conservation organizations and cultural practitioners caring for our ‘aina. Enjoy learning from our exhibitors, good food, great entertainment, raffle prizes, and check out the event t-shirts. This year’s theme is “He aliʻi ka ‘aina; he kauwa ke kanaka”– The land is a chief; man is its servant.
We look forward to celebrating Molokai Earth Day with you!
For more information, please call (808) 954-6582 or email allyson.durkin@tnc.org…

Land Managers Receive Climate Change Resilience Funds

Wednesday, February 26th, 2025

Dept. of Land and Natural Resources News Release

Funds have been awarded to land managers from Hawaii County to Molokai and Oahu. These include Puʻu O Hoku Operations; MALA ʻOiwi with Waiʻanae Community Redevelopment Corporation; OCR INC., dba Small Kine Farm; Healing Mountain Homestead, LLC; Living Life Source Foundation; The Kohala Center; Maluhia Fields, LLC; Mililani Agricultural Park, LLC; Protect and Preserve Hawaii; and Kuilima Farm with Pono Pacific, LLC.

The Carbon Smart Program has awarded a total of $1,000,000 to 10 grantees to develop and implement plans for regenerative sustainable practices, particularly carbon sequestration, which is capturing, securing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.…

E Ola Mau ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi: Honoring Hawaiian Language Month

Thursday, February 13th, 2025

Molokai Education Center News Release 

Hawaiiana. Hawaiian. ʻŌlelo Makuahine. ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. These are just a few of the names for the native language of this island archipelago and its people. Throughout the month of Pepeluali (February), we celebrate Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi—Hawaiian Language Month—a time to recognize, honor, and perpetuate the language and culture of Hawaiʻi.

At the Molokai Education Center, we are committed to fostering a deeper connection to ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi and Hawaiian culture. To commemorate Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, we have launched a Hua ʻŌlelo o ka Lā (Word of the Day) initiative, sharing Hawaiian words daily through our social media platforms and digital display board on campus.…

Sage Heart Workshop Series

Thursday, February 6th, 2025

UH-CTAHR Molokai Cooperative Extension News Release

Herbs and spices play an important role in history, culture, cooking, beverages, flavorings, and medicine. By definition, an herb or spice is a plant derived substance used in food or beverage preparation for seasoning, coloration, preservation, or medicine. Although herbs and spices have similar uses, there is a distinct difference between them.

Herbs are considered temperate, herbaceous, and are derived from leaves of a plant. Spices are considered tropical, from woody plants, and are made from the roots, bark, fruit, seeds, or parts of the plant other than the leaves.

Herbs can be a healthy alternative to salt in adding flavor and aroma when cooking meals or preparing beverages.…

Gov. Green Faces Lawsuit Over Water Commission Appointment

Thursday, February 6th, 2025

Earthjustice News Release

On Jan. 27, a coalition of citizens from across the Hawaiian Islands filed a lawsuit in state environmental court against the Green administration for its unlawful nomination process for the loea, or cultural expert, seat on the Commission on Water Resource Management. The suit, brought by the environmental law firm Earthjustice on behalf of community group Hui Kanawai ‘Oia‘i‘o, challenges Governor Green’s refusal to select one of the highly qualified and respected candidates recommended by a nominating committee in February 2024. Instead, his administration arranged a redo of the nomination process, forming a new nominating committee to produce a new list with his preferred candidate, Vincent Hinano Rodrigues.…

Nonprofits Encouraged to Renew or Join as Members

Friday, January 31st, 2025

Maui Nonprofit Directors Association News Release

The Maui Nonprofit Directors Association (MNPDA) is excited to announce open enrollment for new and returning members! MNPDA offers an unparalleled opportunity for nonprofit leaders to connect, collaborate, and enhance their organization’s impact on the Maui community.

MNPDA’s mission is to empower nonprofit agency leaders of Maui, Molokai, and Lanai by providing support to enhance their leadership skills and drive meaningful change in our communities.

Membership is open to the top-level paid or unpaid administrators of Maui, Molokai, or Lanai-based nonprofit organizations, or the next-in-line administrator for the top leadership post. As a member of MNPDA, you gain access to a range of valuable benefits, including networking with fellow nonprofit executive directors, opportunities to share resources and discover new ones, collaborations on projects vital to Maui’s nonprofit community, timely updates on federal, state, and county policies, specialized training and professional development opportunities, participation in an emerging mentorship program for nonprofit leaders.…