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Partnership Makes Possible Prom Dress Giveaway

Wednesday, December 7th, 2022

MEO News Release 

Maui Economic Opportunity Youth Services on Molokai, The Bella Project Hawaii and Mokulele Airlines are playing Cinderella by offering 75 prom dresses at no cost to Molokai youth, who normally have to travel off-island to purchase their formal wear.

The Oahu-based nonprofit collects donations of dresses, shoes, jewelry and accessories and gives them away to high schoolers. The Bella Project also partners with nonprofit organizations that work with low income, special needs, critically ill and military high schoolers.

Bella means beautiful in many languages; the goal is to create “Bellas of the Ball,” according to the Bella Hawaii program.…

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A’o Aku; A’o Mai: What I Learn, I Teach

Wednesday, December 7th, 2022

A’o Aku; A’o Mai: What I Learn, I Teach

Community Contributed

By Sara Jane Larkin, Teacher

First graders practice what they know all day every day. At Kilohana Elementary School, one way I planned for them to practice their understanding of letters and the sounds they make when put together is writing a haiku.  Haiku demands understanding of syllables.  Syllables are sounds. They are the sounds that make up individual words as opposed to CVC words where each letter makes its own sound. This learning guides early readers into the understanding of digraphs and diphthongs — more than one letter that combine to make a single sound.  Please enjoy our first grade haiku with the prompt, “What about living on Molokai brings you joy?”…

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Murder Investigation in Death of Molokai Woman

Wednesday, November 30th, 2022

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

The investigation is ongoing in the murder of a 43-year-old Molokai woman last week. On Nov. 19 at 5:46 p.m., Molokai emergency dispatchers received a 911 call from a male about a possible murder at his house, according to police. When police officers arrived, they found the lifeless body of a female, who was later identified as Amie Kaholoaa. The man, who police later said was 59-year-old Mariano Garces, could not be found in the area by police.

At 6 a.m. the next day, Garces returned to his house and was placed under arrest for murder in the second degree, according to police.…

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More Partnerships for Mokulele

Wednesday, November 30th, 2022

By Jack Kiyonaga, Community Reporter

As Molokai residents are well aware, flying to and from Molokai is expensive and unreliable.

Roundtrip flights to neighboring islands routinely cost well over $200. Molokai residents have been left holding the bag and wondering when flight service will improve.

Recently, Mokulele Airlines, owned by mainland company Southern Airways, entered into new agreements with Hawaiian and Alaska airlines. The agreements will allow the West Coast based airlines’ customers to book tickets directly to Mokulele destinations – including Molokai.

Southern Airways CEO Stan Little explained that he believes “our airlines working together will advance our shared goal to benefit the people of Hawaii.”…

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Thanksgiving Reflections

Wednesday, November 30th, 2022

By Aka’ula Students

Aka’ula School students reflected on Thanksgiving in the school’s newsletter, reprinted with permission.

The Time of Year

By ‘Ohi’aku Ritte Camara Tangonan, Junior

Thanksgiving, the time of year where the house becomes a five-star restaurant and the most ‘onoest aroma stains the air with only the image of the finished product. Beautiful and scrumdiddlyumptious desserts are baked with aloha over small conversations while keiki are running around having fun. New recipes and new dishes are brought to thought every year and tried by family members and ones that have been least touched, well, you could say, we ain’t seeing that dish next year.…

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The Garden of Easy

Wednesday, November 30th, 2022

The Garden of Easy

By Paul Hanley, Community Reporter

It’s been about 15 years since Nelson Puailihau—aka Easy, aka Honeyboy—gave up his rough and rowdy ways. Three years ago, he began to tend a parcel of land near Kilohana school. From the thicket of bananas, papayas, and taro to the expansive, impeccable lawn, the “Garden of Easy” is the expression of his deep desire to bring life and beauty to the ‘aina.

“Since I got clean and sober and turned my life around,” says Puailihau. “I’ve put my heart and soul into this land.”

Each plant he nurtures symbolizes his commitment to growth, not just in the garden but in his own life.…

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Gift Local, Support a Dream, Part 2

Wednesday, November 30th, 2022

Gift Local, Support a Dream, Part 2

By Sage Yamashita, Intern Reporter

Shopping Molokai-made products will be the highlight of gift-giving during the holiday season. To give an inside look on gift hampers canberra, a selection of local artisans, crafters and shops are featured for the next couple of weeks. This week, we talked with the Molokai entrepreneurs behind Hulalei Designs and Buji-fied about supporting the island’s community, while keeping your money local this holiday season.

Lehua Paris is the creator behind the brand Hulalei Designs and the terms “Eat more Veg’Aina” and “Making Mo’olelos.” These brand terms are frequently heard and seen on Molokai.

“I actually started off making jewelry,” said Paris.…

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A’o Aku; A’o Mai: What I Learn, I Teach

Sunday, November 27th, 2022

A’o Aku; A’o Mai: What I Learn, I Teach

By Sara Jane Larkin, Teacher

Kilohana Elementary School is a Project Based Learning School and we encourage learners to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills, and extend our thinking beyond the classroom. In answering the question, “How can we share our learning with our friends, families and our community?” first graders at Kilohana will share their understanding with our community in the Dispatch.

We were very thrilled about the big storm east end last week.  Our writing was focused on what we saw, what we heard and how we felt during the storm.…

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Bennett Pottery Annual Show and Sale

Sunday, November 27th, 2022

Bennett Pottery News Release

Bennett Pottery will present its Annual Show and Sale open house from Friday, Nov. 25 to Saturday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kala’e Studio. The show will feature high-fired functional stoneware and porcelain: items made for home and garden use. The objects are durable for daily use, and are safe in the oven, dishwasher and microwave. You are invited to come and discover a wide variety of unique quality ceramics found nowhere else in Hawaii, right here on Molokai.

Dan Bennett has been creating hand crafted work on Molokai since 1974. He was a mathematics teacher at Molokai High School and UHMC Molokai, and currently teaches ceramics at the Molokai Arts Center for adults on Wednesday from 3-6 PM and Saturday, 1-4 PM.…

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Veterans Day Meal

Sunday, November 27th, 2022

Veterans Day Meal

By the MHS Class of 1982

The Class of 1982 recognized Molokai veterans at the Veterans Center by serving them a sit down lunch on Veterans Day two weeks ago. We celebrated this memorial occasion in honoring all veterans on this special day by providing lunch to say mahalo for service, sacrifices and commitment in serving our country that we, the people, are able to enjoy freedom.…

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