Hole in One

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

Hole in One

By Rick Schonely

It was a special Veterans Day for the Molokai teachers at iconic Ironwood Hills golf course last Friday. Molokai teachers have been gathering on Fridays after school for many years to play golf and have a good time with each other. On this Veterans Day, it was exciting because longtime physical education teacher Ponciano Raguindin got his second hole in one in his golf career on the seventh hole.

From 204 yards, Raguindin used his 7-iron which landed nicely and rolled towards the cup and dropped for his second ace. It was 24 years ago on the same hole when he got his first hole-in-one.…

Banana Management Workshop

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

UHCTAHR Molokai Extension News Release

UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Molokai Cooperative Extension invites you to a Banana Tree Management Workshop on Monday, Nov. 21 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. via Zoom. The workshop will cover insects that affect banana trees in Hawaii and fertility management of banana trees.  Speakers for the workshop include Roshan Manandhar, Kauai County Extension Agent for Invasive Species and Jennifer Hawkins, Edible Crops Agent for the Molokai Cooperative Extension Office. 

To register for the event please contact Jennifer Hawkins by phone at 808-567-6934, or by email at jhawk@hawaii.edu.  Please include the workshop title, your name, phone number, and email address when registering. …

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

Wednesday, November 16th, 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.

Oct. 19 was Unity Day.  We began a focused campaign to prevent bullying and demonstrate kindness to all. In first grade, we have been learning about verbs, which we used in our writing about unity. Our prompt was, “Aloha in action creates unity.”…

MHS Holiday Exhibition

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

MHS News Release

On Wednesday, Dec. 7, Molokai High School’s Career and Technical Education and Fine Arts departments will be hosting our annual Holiday Exhibition and Science Fair. Please join us for a fun filled evening at the Molokai High School “Arto Shop” area from 4:30 to 7 p.m.  The evening’s activities will include student presentations and projects. Come out and support our students!  We will have for sale original artwork, ceramic pieces, assorted MHS logo products, potted plants, MHS farmer produce, laulau plates, banana lumpia, poi, added value farm products, and our newly designed Molokai High School logo wear.  

Come support the Great Race with the Ceramic, Art and Woodshop departments competing against each other.…

New Kaunakakai Multi-Use Building Nearing Completion

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

By Catherine Cluett Pactol

A prominent new building in Kaunakakai is nearing completion after construction delays following its controversial approval in 2017. The building, located on the corner between American Savings Bank and the current DreamTech Verizon store, will contain eight small studio units and three commercial spaces, according to owner Stan Wada of Oahu.

Wada said he is still deciding whether the units will be used as hotel rooms or longer term rental. Each unit will have a small refrigerator and bathroom, with six units on the second floor and two downstairs for wheelchair accessibility. Three commercial spaces will be available for business use.…

Voters Decide Future

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

Voters Decide Future

By Jack Kiyonaga, Community Reporter

The highly anticipated general election took place last Tuesday, Nov. 8 .  Residents voted in a new governor and new Maui County mayor, and three Molokai candidates were elected to state and county offices.

Democrat Lt. Gov. Josh Green defeated Republican candidate Duke Aiona 64 to 33 percent in the governor’s race. Hawaii voters re-elected Democrat Senator Brian Schatz in a lopsided 71 to 21 percent win over Republican challenger Bob McDermott.

Richard Bissen took 59 percent of the statewide vote to beat out incumbent Mike Victorino for Maui County Mayor.

Three Molokai candidates came out on top in competitive races for county councilmember, state representative and state senator.…

HallowHim Mahalo

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

Smiles on the faces of excited costumed children were plentiful Monday evening, Oct. 31 as hundreds poured onto the grounds of Kaunakakai Baptist Church for the HallowHim Festival.  It has been two years since a group of local Molokai churches have been able to sponsor the event that has been part of annual fall festivities on island for over a quarter of a century. Everyone in attendance appeared to be overjoyed with the festival’s return.

Like the HallowHim Festivals of past years, the 2.5-hour venue provided keiki big and small the opportunity to play a variety of games. With each opportunity to play, win or lose, kids were rewarded with a sweet treat or prize to fill their bags, buckets or pockets.…

Growing and Cooking with Family

Thursday, November 10th, 2022

Growing and Cooking with Family

By Jack Kiyonaga, Community Reporter 

Now in its fourth year, `Ohana Garden and Grindz teaches kids ages 8 and up about gardening, cooking and sustainability. It provides keiki the opportunity to work with their families to create a meal from dirt to dinner plate. 

The `Ohana Garden and Grindz project, recently awarded a USDA Rural Health and Safety Education Grant, grew out of meetings with Molokai homestead families. Families wanted to pass along a love of agriculture as well as educate children in kitchen safety and practice, explained `Ohana Garden and Grindz facilitator Heather Greenwood, an extension agent for the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the principal investigator for this most recent grant. …

Molokai Tropical Fruit Growers Awarded

Thursday, November 10th, 2022

Molokai Tropical Fruit Growers Awarded

HTFG News Release 

The statewide Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers (HTFG) named the recipients of its annual appreciation awards today at the 32nd Annual Hawaii International Tropical Fruit Conference at the Royal Kona Resort. The conference returned to an in-person format after two years of virtual gatherings due to COVID.

The annual awards honor individuals who advance—through research, education and practice—the use of tropical fruits to support a sustainable, local food industry. In addition, this year’s accolades include service awards chosen by each island chapter and “Dirty Fingers” Awards.

“The new award format is a way for each island chapter to offer recognition to one who has dedicated themselves to the HTFG mission of promoting all aspects of growing and marketing tropical fruit in Hawaii,” explained HTFG Executive Director Ken Love.…

Halloween Round-up

Thursday, November 10th, 2022

Halloween Round-up

By Jack Kiyonaga, Community Reporter 

After the pandemic hiatus, Halloween was back in full force on Molokai this year. Keiki and parents alike gathered to celebrate the occasion. Molokai Baptist Church’s HallowHim event was crowded with costumes, games, music and food on Monday. Earlier in the day, Molokai High School’s Lion’s Club helped run a costume contest outside the Molokai Public Library. The contest winners were awarded in the categories of cutest, scariest and most original in all age groups. Earlier the previous week, the Adolpho ‘ohana hosted their annual Haunted Homestead event, featuring a lighted walk through their fully-decorated homestead.…