Keola Beamer in Concert

Thursday, January 23rd, 2014

Keola Beamer in Concert

MCCTC News Release

On Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, the Molokai College Career Tour Club (MCCTC) will present Keola Beamer, internationally recognized Hawaiian slack-key guitar master and composer, in concert at the Molokai Community Health Center (Old Pau Hana Inn). There will be dinner, music, silent auction, Valentine’s treats, and more for couples and families. The doors for silent auction will open at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. with entertainment by the MCCTC members and other performers followed by Keola Beamer’s concert at 8:30 p.m. Tickets including dinner cost $50 while the VIP tables cost $75 a seat. …

HI Businesses Support Molokai and Lanai Athletics

Thursday, January 23rd, 2014

DACH News Release

Proceeds from a fundraiser event called “Cheers for Molokai and Lanai High,” held on Oahu, will support student-athletes at Molokai High and Lanai High whose athletic departments annually face travel budget shortfalls. Held by Downtown Athletic Club Hawaii (DACH), a nonprofit founded in 2012 to advance sports programs of Hawaii’s public schools and support student athletes, the fundraiser will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 29, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., in front of Murphy’s Bar and Grill in downtown Honolulu.

In the current 2013-14 school year, Molokai High is underfunded by about $32,000, and Lanai High is often forced to travel with partial squads and offers a limited number of sports due to lack of funding and resources.…

Landfill Closed After Ordnance Discovery

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014

Landfill Closed After Ordnance Discovery

The Molokai Landfill closed temporarily last week after workers discovered a potentially unexploded ordnance there on Monday.

“The ordinance was found during the sorting and separating of an older waste pile that consisted mostly of construction…waste with green waste mixed in it,” said Rod Antone, Maui County communications director.

The ordnance was from the 1940s, when military aircraft dropped practice bombs on some areas of Molokai for training, according to U.S. Army’s Staff Sergeant Corbin Heard with the 74th Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit at Schofield Barracks.

After the ordnance was found, the Molokai Police Department contacted Heard’s unit to investigate the bomb.…

Keiki Expo Celebrates 10 Years

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014

Keiki Expo Celebrates 10 Years

From sand to sea, Molokai’s keiki were entertained by ocean-themed activities while parents learned about family resources in our own backyard during the Keiki Expo’s 10th anniversary Saturday morning.

“It really takes a whole village to raise a child,” said event volunteer Liz Luan. “This has been an awesome highlight our great resources here on Molokai.”

The family event, brought to the community by the Molokai Keiki Group, was held at the Mitchell Pauole Center and featured more than 25 organizations focusing on educational, health and safety programs for young children, prenatal to five years old.

“[Over the last 10 years] our focus has been kept strictly to services we can get on island and also provide an activity for the kids,” said Keiki Expo co-organizer Becky Takashima.…

Storytelling and Paintings of Molokai

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014

MAC News Release

Molokai Arts Center (MAC) is pleased to announce Storytelling and an Exhibit of Paintings of Molokai by Donald Sunshine, FAIA, Professor Emeritus of Architecture, Virginia Tech, an award-winning architect, artist and a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.   In addition to technical writing and 16 volumes of travel sketches, he previously authored a memoir, “Recollections of an Urban Refugee,” as well as three books about Molokai.   Professor Sunshine and his artist/collaborator wife live on their family farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and on the island of Molokai, where his latest books, “Life’s Moments,”  and a book of poetry, “Here ‘N There,” were written.…

Retina Screening Gives Vision

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014

WE News Release

Together we can have a greater impact on improving the health of our neighbors and the island community we love.  That is the philosophy of a large group of health professionals and volunteers who will be on Molokai during the first week of February.    The purpose is to reduce preventable blindness and assist the community in identifying approaches and strategies which can lead to better health and longer, stronger, happier  lives.

Retina screening is a free service provided by a partnership between Molokai’s Lions Club, Project Vision Hawaii and WE… a hui for health.  Retina screening is offered as follows:

Grace Episcopal Church, Kualapu`u Thursday, Feb.…

Visitors Clean Up Beach

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014

Community Contributed

By Al Wickheim

I am a visitor from Vancouver Island, Canada who visits your beautiful island every couple of years with my growing family for a couple or three weeks. Each time, we spend an afternoon doing a bit of good for the land that provides us with such enjoyment. Our task of choice is cleaning garbage off the large beach just west of Mo`omomi. Each time, we have gathered about 300 pounds, bagged and dragged to the road access and camp spot and contacted the Nature Conservancy, and although they don’t get back to us, evidently the garbage is picked up.…

Entrepreneurs Receive 3 Years of Resources

Wednesday, January 15th, 2014

Entrepreneurs Receive 3 Years of Resources

Molokai’s creative thinkers have a tough job when turning their hobbies into businesses. Learning the ins and outs of permitting processes, bookkeeping, and developing a customer following can be a daunting learning curve. But over the next three years, a series of small business workshops, webinars and other resources are set up to make it a little easier.

“You need to have a tough skin and it’s not always easy,” Veronica Hix, executive director of the Oregon Native American Business and Entrepreneurial Network Inc. (ONABEN), told Molokai entrepreneurs last Friday. More than a dozen seasoned and immerging business owners attended event, which marked the kick-off a series of Native Hawaiian entrepreneurial workshops and training.…

Molokai Athletics Welcomes New Assistant Director

Wednesday, January 15th, 2014

With high goals set to bring more sports tournaments, more games and to build the athletics program on the island, the Molokai High School Athletics Department welcomes new Assistant Athletic Director, Joannie Espiritu-Tanabe, to the team.

“Having an assistant alleviates a lot of stress for me,” said Hoku Haliniak, MHS athletics director. “[Espiritu-Tanabe] is very organized and can step in whenever I need help.”

She said much of Espiritu-Tanabe’s job involves helping her at sporting events, taking care of traveling arrangements, scheduling, and making sure coaches have correct paperwork and students are eligible to play. That will leave Haliniak more time to bring more sporting events to the island, she said.…

Holomua Junction Open for Business

Wednesday, January 15th, 2014

Holomua Junction Open for Business

“Holomua” means progress or successful advancement, and that’s just what owners and tenants of the Holomua Junction business and office complex hope for the newly-renovated space. Located at the corner of Maunaloa and Kalae Highways, Holomua now holds two retail businesses — the Tobacco Shack and Beach Break — with more than half a dozen more spaces available to rent, according to land owners Diane and Larry Swenson.

Almost 30 years ago, the Swensons purchased 11 acres of property from Patterson Construction. The land has been previously home to the Holomua School in the mid-1900s. When the Swensons acquired the acreage, the building that now serves as the office for Swenson Real Estate occupied the property, and they built a warehouse for Larry’s Swenson Construction.…