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Legal Battles Over Well 17 and Kawela Stream Continue

Wednesday, February 1st, 2023

By Jack Kiyonaga, Community Reporter 

Two long disputed water resources, Well 17 and Kawela Stream, are gradually making headway towards resolution. A panel of lawyers from Native Hawaiian and environmental legal firms, hosted by Councilmember Keani Rawlins-Fernandez and other Molokai residents, shared updates and legal avenues for resolution with a huge group of community members two weeks ago at Mitchell Pauole Center. 

Molokai Ranch has been withdrawing water from Well 17 for decades without a permit, while diverting water from Kawela Stream for nearly a century in what has shown to be in significant excess of the Ranch is actually using. …

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Rains Abundant for Ka Molokai Makahiki

Wednesday, February 1st, 2023

Rains Abundant for Ka Molokai Makahiki

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff  

This year’s Ka Molokai Makahiki celebration, the planned to be first community-wide observances in three years, kicked off last Thursday with Ka’ahele a Lono traversing the footsteps of the kupuna starting in Halawa Valley. Shouldering the 40-pound lei-draped banner of Lono, Molokai residents embarked on a planned four-day march across the island to Hale O Lono. 

“After two long years, the games are finally back!” wrote Ka Molokai Makahiki committee on their Facebook page. “As we reflect on the lessons learned during the pandemic and forge our way into this new era, we re-focus our energies this makahiki season back to our piko, our Molokaʻi ʻ ōpio, and dedicate this year to growing our community.…

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Bissen Introduces Mayoral Agenda to Molokai

Wednesday, February 1st, 2023

By Jack Kiyonaga, Community Reporter 

On Jan. 24, Molokai greeted its new mayor Richard Bissen with song, lei and a wide selection of residents and representatives. 

Bissen, a former judge, accompanied Maui County Councilmember Keani Rawlins-Fernandez to her Molokai townhall meeting at the Mitchell Pauole Center. 

The evening was both an opportunity to “warmly embrace our new mayor” and to outline new mayoral policies and information, explained Rawlins-Fernandez. 

These townhall gatherings, started by Rawlins-Fernandez back in 2019, “make sure that information is being shared and that there is a two-way dialogue” between government officials and the community, she said. 

Bissen used the opportunity to concisely lay out his department and agenda. …

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New Land Designations Proposed for Ilio and Waikolu

Wednesday, February 1st, 2023

By Jack Kiyonaga, Community Reporter 

Molokai’s Ilio Point and Waikolu Valley are up for possible re-designations that Dept. of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) staff say would allow more focused funding and management. 

Currently managed by the Land Division, a broad department which maintains state lands, the DLNR is proposing a re-designation of the areas as Natural Area Reserves. 

Natural Area Reserves were “established to preserve in perpetuity specific land and water areas which support communities, as relatively unmodified as possible,” according to the DLNR website. 

“The purpose of that would be that we could do more focused management in those areas,” explained Molokai DLNR representative James Espaniola. …

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Season Closes for Boys Basketball

Wednesday, February 1st, 2023

By Sage Yamashita, Intern Reporter

This past week, Molokai Boys Basketball and Farmers Swim team traveled to Maui to compete in the Maui Interscholastic League Division two tournaments. 

Hosted at Maui Preparatory Academy, the Farmers Basketball team won the last game of their season against Haleakala Waldorf, 50 to 47. Winning this game allowed them to advance to the MIL Division II Tournament Semifinals. The semifinals were held in the King Kekaulike High School Gym, where the boys competed against Seabury. The game brought the Farmers basketball season to an end with a score of 73 Seabury, 41 Molokai. 

The MIL swim meet was canceled due to the weather but will be rescheduled. …

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Ka Hoʻolewa no ke Aliʻi Wahine

Wednesday, February 1st, 2023

Ka Hoʻolewa no ke Aliʻi Wahine

Community Contributed

By Wailana Purdy-Avelino

On Sunday, Jan. 22, Iolani Palace was overflowing in sorrow as the gates opened. The sounds of wailing filled the air as Hawaii mourned the loss of Princess Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawānanakoa. Guarding her procession from the gates to the palace doors were men, women and children dressed in their regalia from the Royal Hawaiian Societies and the Hawaiian Civic Clubs. She was carried in her casket made entirely of koa wood into the palace, where her people could pay their respects as she lay in state.

On Monday, Jan. 23, the sacred resting ground of the aliʻi of Hawaiʻi, Maunaʻala is where the princess will be laid to rest.…

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New UH Molokai Cooperative Extension Staff

Wednesday, February 1st, 2023

UHCTAHR News Release 

The University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service is proud to announce that on Jan. 3, our staff on Molokai doubled in size with the addition of two new agents.

Joining the staff are Kristina “Tina” Cacpal and Kyle Franks.  They join the long-time staff of Glenn Teves, Jennifer Hawkins, and Ag Technician Faith Tuipulotu.

Tina Cacpal was born and raised on Molokai in Maunaloa and is a proud alumna of Maunaloa Elementary and Molokai High and Intermediate School. She recently completed a bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from Grand Canyon University. Most of her career was spent as an Educational Assistant at Maunaloa that nurtured her love for education as well as connecting with the land and her people.…

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From Firefighter to Farmer

Wednesday, February 1st, 2023

From Firefighter to Farmer

By Paul Hanley, Community Reporter

Weymouth Kamakana is 85 years old but looks 10 years younger. When he is not on dialysis—every other day for four hours—he can usually be found in his golf cart, inspecting his mango orchard in Kalamaula.

 “When I was young,” says Kamakana, “I did everything, ran marathons, paddled to Oahu. I had a lot of energy. When I retired after 28 years as a firefighter, I had to find something to keep active. There were two big mango trees on our property, planted by my parents. This area is nice and hot, mangoes like plenty of heat and sun.…

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New Year, New Restaurant for Molokai

Wednesday, January 25th, 2023

New Year, New Restaurant for Molokai

By Jack Kiyonaga, Community Reporter 

In the center of Kaunakakai, a new restaurant, filled with color and flavor, has caught Molokai residents’ attention. Thanks to savvy strategies like OTH Restaurant Influencer Marketing, this vibrant spot has quickly become the talk of the town, attracting both locals and visitors eager to experience its unique offerings. If you’re also launching a new business venture or expand into a new market, you may want to learn more about various digital marketing strategies to establish online presence.

Carol Rocha’s Pacific Eatery opened its doors on Jan. 7, located across from Friendly Market. Aiming for a fusion of different cultures and foods, Rocha’s restaurant offers new possibilities for dining on Molokai.…

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Kamaka Air Accident

Wednesday, January 25th, 2023

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

A Kamaka Air cargo plane crashed about two miles south of the Ho’olehua Airport on Jan. 16 during its approach to land. The two pilots on board had treatable injuries. The cause of the crash, which occurred just after 5 a.m., is currently under investigation.   

Kamaka Air provides daily, essential cargo service to Molokai and other islands.

The Federal Aviation Administration accident report noted “substantial” damage to the single engine Cessna 208 aircraft. 

“Aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances on landing,” the report states. The report classified one flight crew injury as “minor” and the other as “serious.”…

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