Belonging

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

Community Contributed

By Paxton Moore, MHS 10th Grade, WIN Writer 

I am a 15-year-old boy. I was born in Honolulu, and I lived there with my mom and dad. My memories as a child will always be the happiest, because we were a family of three, and we shared a deep love for each other. I was 14 years old when my family made a decision for me to continue my high school education on Molokai. I found a quote by Bojan Krkic, the Spanish-Serbian footballer that helped me adjust to my move: “it is important to find a place where you feel trust, you feel belonging and stability.”…

The Small Scale Farm

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

Community Contributed 

By Kyle Franks, CTAHR, DHHL Jr Extension Agent

There is momentum building toward small farms as more and more people see the need for locally produced foods and products. With the events of the past three years, supply line weaknesses have been highlighted and these weaknesses, coupled with being an island community, have helped show how we as individuals and as a community are all affected by even the smallest ripples within a centralized supply chain. 

Here in Hawaii, we have the blessing of a year-round growing season, and yet currently Hawaii’s population is hugely dependent on centralized supply chains for 85-90 percent of the population’s food-needs.…

The Adze Quarries of Kaluako‘i

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

Community Contributed 

By Marshall Weisler, Archaeologist

If there was ever a perfect name for a piece of land, then surely Kaluako‘i is it. The name means “the adze pit” and the 50,000 acres encompassing this leeward region of west Molokai contains more stone adze quarries than the rest of the Hawaiian Islands combined. The rolling hills and slopes fronted by the rocky coastlines are dominated by the nearly 1,400 foot high, 1.7 million years old Maunaloa volcano. 

Why is Kaluako‘i important? Well, imagine life without your mobile phone. Most people would be at a loss without this essential modern “tool.”  Hundreds of years ago, stone adzes were the most common tools in ancient times.…

The New Recruits

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

Community Contributed 

Father Pat Killilea, St. Francis Church, Kalaupapa

“There is a season for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens,” Ecclesiastes 3.

It was the time for police recruitment in a small town and the story goes that the police sergeant was in the process of interviewing a candidate for a position in the town police department. 

He asked the candidate, “if you had to arrest your wife for reckless speeding, what would you do?” 

The applicant replied, “I would call for backup, Sir.” 

The sergeant followed up with, “what’s your biggest weakness?” 

The applicant replied, “my principal weakness is my problem with reality.…

Molokai Appreciation Letter

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

To the Molokai Community, 

On behalf of the entire Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, I want to express our extreme appreciation and deep gratitude to the many people who responded to clean Papohaku beach after a boat recently broke apart in near-shore waters in west Molokai. 

Just one week before, we met with dozens of you to listen to your thoughts and concerns for the protection of your island’s natural and cultural resources. The concept of community was so evident during this listening session. You heard from and interacted with DLNR division staff representatives, who live and work on Molokai and whom many of you know personally.…

Priority and Communication Needed for Medical Patients

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

This letter is in response to an incident that happen to us on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at Mokulele Airlines. 

Robert was scheduled for a vascular procedure at 10:50 a.m. at Kaiser on Oahu that morning. Kaiser Hospital reserved the earliest flight available and provided taxi vouchers to pick us up at the Mokulele airport on Oahu to report immediately to Kaiser Moanalua. 

When we got to the airport road, it was closed for road resurfacing! The detour sign was a mile away. We rushed, using his walker, from the handicap parking to the airport counter. 

We were told we were “too late”.…

Request for Veterans Board of Directors

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

The undersigned are all members of Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans (MVCV). The purpose of this letter is to request the Board to add two items to the annual meeting scheduled for Dec. 6. 

The first request concerns the proposed change of membership requirements. Currently, to become a member of MVC you must be a veteran of the Armed Forces. The new proposal would expand the membership to include spouses and children. The original membership requirements were approved by the IRS. Although a change of membership requirement is allowed by the IRS, the change would significantly affect the way this organization elects officers and directors.…

Response from Mokulele

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

A detailed response was provided to Ms. Thomas, with a shortened version printed here. It is unfortunate that road construction delays caused her to miss this important flight.  

 Kaiser Travel was incorrect about seat availability on the Molokai to Honolulu route.  At the time of this inquiry, there were multiple seats available every weekday for the rest of the month (except for Oct. 6). We have offered to speak directly with Ms. Thomas’ Kaiser representative to resolve, but thus far have not been provided any contact information.

Missing a flight due to road construction is neither the fault of the airline nor the passenger. We…

Transparency for Molokai Veteran Leadership

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

Molokai Veterans Caring for Veterans has been a nonprofit 501 (c) 19 veterans organization since 2002. 

For seven years, we have been led by a discreditable tribal group with no transparency and no accountability. 

For example, the unauthorized participation of certain veterans spouses and family members who have long participated in our affairs. 

“Done deal” meetings with agents of our longtime corrupted state agency, DHHL, claiming that “they do not need membership approval.” 

Confusion over the difference between a nonprofit 501 (c) 9 and a nonprofit 501 (c) 19 resulted in our missing $400,000 never being there. 

Today, we are facing serious financial shortfalls, memberships concerns ignored that we have not been complying on either the federal or state level as a veterans nonprofit organization. …

$1,000 Reward for Lost Dog

Wednesday, October 18th, 2023

Harlie walked off of our property, the morning of Aug. 18 and has not been seen by us again. She is an elderly, spayed Siberian husky with an eye disease that causes a film to grow over her eyes. If not treated twice a day, she will go blind. I love my girl dearly. We have been so heartbroken and filled with guilt for losing her after all the preparation and stress of bringing her to Molokai with us. My cousin and I have spent countless hours driving from one end of the island to the other. We’ve put up flyers everywhere.…