MHS Student Accepted into Harvard

Wednesday, February 6th, 2013

MHS Student Accepted into Harvard

 

Michael Kikukawa’s Ivy League dreams have come true.  With a list of colleges he had yet to apply for, the Molokai High School senior received an acceptance letter to Harvard this past December. The news opened a door for Kikukawa to prestigious school and proved to Molokai students that they too can find pathways to this kind of success.

“Anything worth doing is going to involve a struggle,” he said, noting the challenges he faced in pursuing his goal.

MHS Principal Stan Hao said Kikukawa’s successes exhibit what can be accomplished by setting a goal and working toward it.

“It shows that a great desire can be realized, even in a small rural community like ours,” he said.…

Sale Sproat on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’

Monday, February 4th, 2013

Sale Sproat on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’

Professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Sale Sproat is humble and shy by nature. But when the soft-spoken Molokai boy learned about a casting call for television show “The Ultimate Fighter,” he didn’t hesitate to answer it.

“Sale’s been dominating in Hawaii for three years,” said his Molokai coach, Beau Kikukawa. “He’s the top 185-pound fighter in Hawaii. That’s an accomplishment from a small community.”

Sproat was training at least six hours per day for fight on Oahu the following week when he shared his plans with fellow fighters of Molokai MMA club, Relentless MMA.

“I told my guys, I’m going to fly out [to Las Vegas] and try out,” he recalls.…

Fish and Dive Refreshes Business

Sunday, February 3rd, 2013

Fish and Dive Refreshes Business

 

After 40 years in the same location, Molokai Fish and Dive is being moved into the gas station next door in a process that will bring several changes to the popular ocean gear and tour provider. Tim and Susan Forsberg, who have owned the shop for 12 years, said it was time to do something different, so they took on the challenge of adding fuel and food to their services for locals and tourists.

When the Forsbergs noticed Hayaku, the gas station next door, was often closed last December, they feared that Molokai would soon have only one gas station again.…

Lady Farmers Score MIL Title, Head to States

Sunday, February 3rd, 2013

Lady Farmers Score MIL Title, Head to States

As the overtime clock ticked down to its final seconds, Molokai High and Seabury Hall were tied for the tenth time and the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL)Girls Division II Championship was anybody’s game.

The Lady Farmers claimed the victory, though, with one solid shot and two successful free throws in the last 29 seconds, securing a 53-49 win. The Lady Farmers claimed the MIL Championship title and sent the fans and players into wild celebration, according to the Maui News’ report of the game, played at Maui High School’s gym. The win brought the Lady Farmers their tenth MIL championship since 1985, when the team first entered the league.…

Molokai Mom on a Mission: Raising Awareness, Inspiring Change

Sunday, February 3rd, 2013

Molokai Mom on a Mission: Raising Awareness, Inspiring Change

Community Contributed

Opinion by Mercy Ritte

On Wednesday, Jan. 16, a unified group of charter school students and teachers, environmentalist, conservationalist, Hawaiian rights activists, people of all ethnic backgrounds, and families trekked a three mile march, from Buckman Hall on the University of Hawaii campus to the State Capital, in an effort to push for labeling GMO foods.

According to the Center for Food Safety, “it has been estimated that 70 percent of processed foods on supermarket shelves–from soda to soup, crackers to condiments–contain genetically engineered ingredients.” Studies have also revealed, over the past decade, that GMO foods can pose serious risks to humans, animal life and the environment.…

A Realistic Approach to a Healthy New Year 2013

Sunday, February 3rd, 2013

A Realistic Approach to a Healthy New Year 2013

Community Contributed

By Jon Mikami, RPh, and Kelly Go, RPh, Molokai Drugs, Inc.

It’s January 2013, and you know what that means. “New Year’s” and “resolution” are about as inseparable as hamburger and French fries, stew and rice, or fish and poi. Maybe you want to eat less, exercise more at Na Pu’uwai Fitness Center, quit smoking, or spend more time with your ohana, you can do this by replacing smoking with better options like vaping, since products like Postless Vape are great for this.

Easy does it. Before you take the plunge, try rethinking your approach. Instead of making vague, sudden, and difficult-to-keep resolutions, think in terms of healthy lifestyle changes – more of a work in progress.…

First Book – Molokai Gives New Books

Friday, February 1st, 2013

First Book – Molokai Gives New Books

First Book – Molokai News Release

First Book – Molokai has awarded book grants to All God’s Children Preschool, Maunaloa Elementary School, Kaunakakai Elementary School fourth and fifth grade classes, the Kilohana    Reading Excel Program and Aka`ula School.  First Book Molokai provides an ongoing supply of new, high quality books to children to start their own home libraries they can share with their siblings and families.  They also receive bookplates on which to place their names celebrating the importance of book ownership.

The book grant we received from the Friends of Hawaii Charities has enabled our program to give enticing new books every month to each child that we serve.  …

Home for Special Needs

Friday, February 1st, 2013

When David Kahoohanohano’s special needs son was growing up on Maui in the 60s, “there was nothing for these kids,” he said. Parents were left with few options: many either had to quit their jobs to stay at home to care for their child, or ship them off to a hospital with no special facilities or training to care for those with developmental disabilities.

A lot has changed since then. Today, ARC (which stands for Association of Retarded Citizens) — a national organization dedicated to the care and betterment of those with disabilities — has three specialized homes on Maui to offer families alternative care.…

Pulling for Peace: Ka Molokai Makahiki 2013

Thursday, January 31st, 2013

Pulling for Peace: Ka Molokai Makahiki 2013

 

Competitors from Kualapu`u and Kilohana Schools face off on opposite ends of the rope, and the crowd begins to roar as game official Hanohano Naehu announces the beginning of the match. With toes digging into the grass, students lean back on the line. On one side, Kualapu`u Principal Lydia Trinidad leans forward, her hands clenched, gesturing wildly to egg on her students. Kilohana Principal Richard Stevens paces the other end of the line, urging his crimson-clad athletes to hold tight. Smiles turn to grimaces, inching the ti leaf tied in the middle of the rope toward the victory line. With a final heave, Kualapu`u lunges for the win.…

Island Air’s New Ownership

Wednesday, January 30th, 2013

Island Air — Molokai’s largest air carrier — is changing ownership, the airline announced Jan. 10. The company has not yet disclosed any details, including the buyer and how the sale may affect its employees and routes.
One week after the announcement, however, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported the buyer as billionaire Larry Ellison, the new owner of Lanai. The newspaper cited two anonymous sources “familiar with the situation.”

“Yes, we are in the midst of a potential sale,” Cindy Vanairsdale Island Air’s corporate secretary, told The Molokai Dispatch last week. “Amidst all the media speculations, from our end, it is still an unnamed entity during this due diligence period, and anything can happen.”…