Ho`omana Hou Graduation 2012

Sunday, May 27th, 2012

Ho`omana Hou Graduation 2012

Ohana gathered at Kulana `Oiwi Halau last Friday to celebrate the graduation of three Ho`omana Hou seniors, Brandon Lu`uloa-Ka`auwai, Kylee Dudoit-English and Danielle Mersberg. The ceremony included testimony from the underclassmen and hula and oli performed by all students. For the graduating seniors, their kumu tied kihei around their shoulders, symbolizing status and maturity. Their parents placed a lei kukui around their necks to recognize the knowledge the students gained.

Ho’omana Hou is a private high school started in 2004 and run by the Molokai Community Service Council (MCSC) that focuses on culture-based education.…

75 and Counting

Sunday, May 27th, 2012

75 and Counting

Library celebrates 75th anniversary

“Libraries are not just warehouses for books,” said Greg Kahn, President of the Friends of the Molokai Public Library. “They are experiential.”

After 75 years of operations, many members of the community have formed their own special relationships with Molokai Public Library. For some, it is a meeting place for the literary-minded, for others it offers a setting for music and cultural performances, and for everyone, it is a place to learn something new.

Last week, the library held its 75th anniversary celebration on the front lawn, which featured music from local bands, mele and hula by `O Hina I Ka Malama and guest speakers from across the state.…

Sharing the Gift of Sight

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012

Sharing the Gift of Sight

Hawaiian Eye Foundation spreads its mission

In Hue, Vietnam last month, groups could be seen each gathered around microscopes in a lab. The groups were comprised of one Vietnamese eye doctor, one training specialist, and a translator. As the local doctors learned hands-on about cataract surgery from some of the world’s leading ophthalmologists, they huddled around rather nonpoetic specimens: pigs’ eyes.

The eyes were delivered on trays carried by two Molokai volunteers – pre-med student Kamahele Chow and Molokai resident Scott Shelton. They were part of a week-long Vietnam training conference conducted by the Hawaiian Eye Foundation. The foundation, led by Molokai resident Dr.…

Sports Spotlight

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012

Sports Spotlight

By Molokai Dispatch Staff

Eight Molokai student-athletes were selected as Sports Spotlight athletes, sponsored by Honolulu-based franchise Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. The recognition honors one noteworthy male and female each week from Maui County high schools. This year, Molokai High students Natalia Levi, James Corpuz, Akona Adolpho, Mikayla Pico, Kailen Inouye, Solomon Maliu III, Kayla Matson and Moriah Jenkins were honored. On May 14, these students attended a banquet at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center to recognize the Sports Spotlight athletes in Maui County.

“Student-athletes selected demonstrate excellence in academics as well as athletics and are positive leaders and role models on our campus,” said MHS athletics director Camie Kimball.…

Molokai Holokai 2012

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012

Molokai Holokai 2012

Local paddlers young and old gathered along Molokai’s windy south shores last Saturday for the third annual Molokai Holokai standup paddleboard race, presented by Molokai Ohana Surf Club with Youth in Motion. The 8.5-mile downwind race, which usually draws in fierce competitors from other islands like Maui and Oahu, stayed relatively local this year, in large part because of a recent Molokai-Maui ferry rule that does not accommodate paddleboards.

Listed below are this year’s finishers:

1. Clint Labrador 1:11:13.9
2. Dickie Stone 1:16:05.3
3. Todd Yamashita 1:16:58.6
4.Carlos Kuhn 1:20:55.1
5. Tabitha Pupuhi 1:29:48.8
6. Boki Chung 1:32:04.6
7. Josie Mawae 1:34:32.8
8.…

Ferry Facility Upgrades

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012

Ferry Facility UpgradesConstruction at Kaunakakai Harbor expected to start in June

Pier cruisers and ferry boarders can expect some changes to take place over the next year as the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) improves upon Kaunakakai’s existing ferry facilities. Construction is slated to start next month, and will last about a year.

Major improvements will include Custom industrial canopy designs for a covered passenger waiting area with restrooms, renovations to the existing septic system and leach field, and upsizing the current 4-inch waterline to a 12-inch main down the length of the pier for fire protection of wharf facilities.…

Farmers Coach Off to College

Sunday, May 20th, 2012

Farmers Coach Off to College

Matt Helm to coach volleyball at Whitman College

Molokai High School girls’ volleyball coach Matt Helm has had a career filled with successes. The only coach ever to guide a Maui Interscholastic League team to a state girls’ volleyball title two years ago, Helm was also voted coach of the year in the state that year. Now, after eight seasons of coaching the MHS team, during which he led the Farmers to four MIL titles, six state appearances and the 2010 Division II state crown, Helm is taking the next step in his career. He was recently named the head girls volleyball coach at Whitman College, an NCAA Division III school in Walla Walla, Wash.…

“Today My Life Begins”

Sunday, May 20th, 2012

“Today My Life Begins”MHS’ class of 2012 graduates

“Your life is made up of the sum total of the choices that you make,” said Molokai High School (MHS) commencement guest speaker Randy Manley. “Choose wisely.”

That was the message MHS graduates were left with last Saturday at their commencement ceremony. Dressed in Farmer green gowns, the 87 members of the class of 2012 stood in front of friends, faculty and families who have supported them.

In a teary address, senior class president Leenell Hernandez shared one of her favorite quotes with departing classmates. “The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same, yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.”…

Backyard Poultry Production Workshop

Sunday, May 20th, 2012

UH Molokai Extension Service News Release

Do you have poultry and ever wondered why they aren’t laying eggs, or why their eggs’ shells are thin? Ever wondered about raising them on pasture? If any of these questions have crossed your mind, this may be the workshop for you.

The Hawaiian Home Lands Agriculture Education Program will hold a Backyard Poultry Production Workshop on Wednesday, May 30 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) Molokai Applied Research and Demonstration Farm/MCC Farm (next to Kumu Farms). The workshop is geared toward backyard poultry production on the homestead.…

Energy Assistance Available in June

Sunday, May 20th, 2012

MEO Molokai News Release

Low income families who need a helping hand paying their energy bills have a chance to get assistance next month. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federal program through Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) that assists low income households in meeting their immediate home energy needs. The program is available only once a year in June.

Applications on Molokai will be accepted June 1 through June 30 only. Eligible residents can qualify for either electric or gas payment assistance, or energy crisis intervention.

To apply, you will need to bring the following documents to the office: photo ID, most current gas or electric bill, proof of residence, social security number verification, proof of age for household members 60 and older and 5 years and younger, proof of income, and proof of assets.…