Grant-Writing Workshop

Wednesday, September 18th, 2013

NOAA News Release

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Pacific Regional Grants Cooperative will be offering a grant-writing workshop on Molokai. The workshop will help interested residents develop quality submittals to respond to NOAA grant solicitations.

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center Activity Room, and lunch will be provided.

You will learn how to identify funding opportunities, understand the NOAA grant process, how NOAA evaluates grants and tips and resources to improve your submittals.

To register, email interashima@hawaii.rr.com or call (808) 552-3485. The class is limited to 30 participants.…

Disaster Preparedness

Wednesday, September 18th, 2013

Community Contributed

By MMS Robotics Team

We are the 2013 Molokai Middle School First LEGO League (FLL) Robotics Team, Kaitlin D., Taye M., Lana D. and Marianna C. This year the FLL theme is Nature’s Fury and is focused on helping communities prepare, stay safe, and rebuild after a natural disaster. Part of the challenge is to raise awareness on the topic of natural disasters.

September is a time to prepare yourself and those in your care for emergencies and disasters. If you’ve seen the news recently, you know that emergencies can happen unexpectedly in communities just like ours. We’ve seen tornados, flash floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, and even power outages in U.S.…

What’s Happening in Our Mana`e Mountains?

Wednesday, September 18th, 2013

Community Contributed

By Walter Ritte, Aha Moku Planning and Consultation

There will be a Mana`e Moku Meeting this Friday, Sept. 20, starting at 7 p.m. The highlight of the meeting will be a report of a new watershed plan for most of the mountains from Kamalo to Halawa. The plan is to fence off the mountaintops. This will have a major impact on the people and lands of Mana`e.

The meeting will also be a chance to meet some of your new Moku leaders and new ahupua`a leaders, as there are 37 ahupua`a in the Mana`e Moku. There should be at least one representative from each ahupua`a, although there could be more.…

Molokai Clean Energy Initiative

Wednesday, September 18th, 2013

IAM News Release

After five productive meetings the time has come to bring the general public up to date on the Molokai Clean Energy Initiative, or MCEI. These monthly meetings are held at Kulana Oiwi here on Molokai. They are sponsored by I Aloha Molokai (IAM) and chaired by IAM President Kanohowailuku Helm. Our goal is to provide a forum for communities, organizations and other stakeholders to meet together, share ideas, and envision an affordable clean energy future for everybody.

IAM is a nonprofit, volunteer community organization, originally formed to oppose the Big Wind turbines slated for Molokai’s west end. Two years ago, Molokai Ranch approached us to discuss other issues of concern to the community.…

Hawaii Orchids Today

Wednesday, September 18th, 2013

Hawaii Orchids Today

Community Contributed

By Glenn I. Teves, UH County Extension Agent

Dendrobium orchids are a major export crop for Hawaii, and are broken into two segments, cut flowers and potted plants. Potted plant production is fairly new, and focuses on compact plants with short sprays facilitating ease of shipping.

The Hawaii dendrobium cut flower industry is based on one dendrobium cultivar, Dendrobium Jaquelyn Thomas, a primary cross of two species, Dendrobium phalaenopsis and Dendrobium gouldii. Together, the best qualities of both parents emerge in an intermediate-sized flower with a shelf life exceeding four to six weeks. This cultivar’s flower color can be found in white, pink, blush, two-tone, and purple.…

Affordable Care Act on Molokai

Wednesday, September 18th, 2013

Maui County Office of Aging News Release

Wondering how the Affordable Care Act will affect you? An upcoming workshop on Molokai will offer some answers. Maui Adult Day Care Centers and the Maui County Office on Aging invite the public to a free caregiver workshop, The Affordable Care Act: Health Coverage in 2014.  Speaker Kanoelani Davis, a Hi`i Ola Program Specialist with the Hawaii Health Connector will present on topics including what is the Affordable Care Act, how it will affect Medicaid/Medicare and common benefits offered in option plans. She will also offer information on the new health insurance marketplaces, what is the “Connector” and how they can help, and how one will qualify for no- or low-cost insurance coverage.…

MHS Athletics Struggle for Funding

Wednesday, September 11th, 2013

Molokai High School Athletics Department is struggling to keep afloat this year, lacking thousands of dollars needed for 196 students in the school’s 12 sports to participate in off-island games. Yet with a $40,000 budget shortfall for travel expenses, Athletic Director Hoku Haliniak is determined to keep Farmers sports programs intact.

“I refuse to cut away games,” said Haliniak. “There has to be a way — where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

To help raise money to save the program, Haliniak said Farmer faithful will be asked to pay an admissions fee to home games this year. Previously, admissions were charged to volleyball and basketball events, but baseball, softball and football will be added to the list this year.…

Stuffed and Fluffed

Wednesday, September 11th, 2013

Stuffed and Fluffed

Taxidermy Hobby Contributes to Science

Arleone Dibben-Young crouched in her living room and gestured to her less-than-lively guests. An albatross occupied her coffee table, Hawaiian Coots gathered on her custom rugs, and a barn owl lay near her couch. She has been sharing her home with more than 40 taxidermy birds she has collected, prepared, stuffed and mounted for research.

“It’s kind of a weird hobby, isn’t it?” she laughed.

Dibben-Young, Molokai’s water bird researcher, has dedicated the last three months to clean out her freezer of birds she’s acquired for the past 10 years, making taxidermies, or skins, she plans to donate to the Bishop Museum on Oahu.…

Local Business, International Success

Wednesday, September 11th, 2013

Local Business, International Success

Molokai local Suzette Kahana has collected vintage fabrics, buttons and jewelry for decades. She never dreamed it would evolve into an international venture through the business she created with her daughter Amber Andrade nine months ago.

Kahana said she has always sewed for her family — from Halloween and dance costumes, to prom dresses, wedding and beauty pageant gowns. After 30 years of collecting and cramming storage rooms of vintage material, one of her dresses, made for Andrade, caught the eyes of passersby in Oahu.

“So many people stopped her that day saying, ‘Beautiful dress, where did you get that,’” said Kahana.…

Molokai Mom On a Mission

Wednesday, September 11th, 2013

 GMO Exposure

Community Contributed

Opinion by Mercy Ritte

Did you know that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is not only limited to the food we eat? Here is how we may be exposed to GMOs on a daily basis without even knowing it.

Personal care and cleaning products: The next time you lather lotion on your skin or clean your shower, have a look at the product labels you are using.  Among the incredibly long list of synthetic ingredients you may come across soy protein (derived from GM soy) or alcohol and glycerin (both derived from GM corn).  Some healthier options include Dr.…