Thursday, April 17th, 2025
Herbert Iopa Paleka Jr. passed away on March 23 at Kona Community Hospital with his family by his side.
He was born on Nov. 30, 1945 on Molokai to Herbert Sr. and Eliza (Enos) Paleka. He would often share stories of being raised on Molokai, feeding the pigs and working in the kalo patches.
Herbert attended school on Molokai and in 1964 graduated from Molokai High School. He married Hinano Hapai on April 10, 1971 and raised his family on Oahu. He was a truck driver for Gaspro and a member of the Hawaii Teamsters Local 996 for over 35 years.…
Thursday, April 17th, 2025
Community Contributed
By Keomailani Hanapi Hirata
The protection of iwi kupuna and burial sites is a sacred kuleana that must be upheld with the highest level of cultural care, local oversight, and community authority. For remote islands like Molokai, Lanai, and others with limited state agency presence, the absence of an active burial council leaves our most sacred sites vulnerable to desecration, neglect, and irreversible harm. Our kupuna and their final resting places deserve better.
There are four main reasons why an active burial council is critical for Molokai and remote islands. One, is the geographic and cultural necessity of the council.…
Thursday, April 17th, 2025
Aka’ula School News Release
Join Aka’ula School ‘ohana in honoring mothers, community and education at “Malama Your Mama,” a heartfelt Mother’s Day fundraiser on Sunday, May 11, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Molokai Community Health Center.
This special event will feature a delicious brunch, an exciting silent auction with locally sourced treasures, and a live performance by the incomparable Amy Hanaiali’i Gilliom, whose voice and presence will make this a Mother’s Day to remember.
Set against the stunning backdrop of Molokai’s south shore, the “Malama Your Mama” celebration is more than an event, it’s a commitment to nurturing the next generation.…
Thursday, April 17th, 2025
University of Hawaii News Release
For the first time, the Hawaii Keiki: Healthy and Ready to Learn Program offered free dental services to Molokai students.
On April 8, a team of nine Oahu and Maui-based dentists, dental hygienists, assistants and nurses traveled to Maunaloa Elementary, Kilohana Elementary, Kaunakakai Elementary and Kualapuʻu School to host dental sealant events. Three Molokai-based Hawaii Keiki health technicians provided additional on-the-ground support.
About 110 Molokai students were seen, receiving dental screenings, oral health education, hygiene kits and, where needed, dental sealants—a protective treatment that helps prevent cavities.
“This is the first time Hawaii Keiki has come to do dental sealants and we’re looking forward to next year,” said Kualapu’u School Principal Lydia Trinidad.…
Thursday, April 17th, 2025
By The Molokai Dispatch Staff
In the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 2, a car sped through the stop sign on Farrington Ave. and ran into the wall of Aka’ula School. The car tore off the bottom half of the middle school classroom, splintering the wooden wall but somehow leaving the windows undamaged.
The driver was reportedly unharmed, but school was cancelled for the rest of the week. Head of Aka’ula School, Dara Lukonen, explained that school parents immediately stepped up to repair the damage.
“There are so many things for which we are grateful,” said Lukonen, “but the most important thing is that no one was hurt.…
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