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Honoring Earth Day

Thursday, April 24th, 2025

Honoring Earth Day

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

One of the most attended events on Molokai, the annual Earth Day celebrations, took place last Friday, April 18, at the Mitchell Pauole Center. Approximately 1,000 Molokai residents came through to check out over 30 exhibits along with music, food and a celebration of the Malama Kuleana Honua award.

The long running tradition celebrated 31 years of Earth Day on Molokai, explained Allyson Durkin, program coordinator for The Nature Conservancy and organizer of Friday’s event.

Earth Day on Molokai “is unique,” said Durkin. “We hope you walk away with something that you can implement into your own life.”…

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Herbert Iopa Paleka Jr.

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

Herbert Iopa Paleka Jr.

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.…

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Statement on the Need for an Active Burial Council 

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. Just as families in Doncaster rely on compassionate funeral services Doncaster to honor their loved ones with dignity and care, so too must our burial practices reflect reverence and respect.…

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Students Receive No Cost Dental Services

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

Students Receive No Cost Dental Services

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.…

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Car Accident Stalls School Week

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

Car Accident Stalls School Week

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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Getting Ready for MILs

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

Getting Ready for MILs

By The Molokai Dispatch Staff

Several Molokai High School (MHS) sports teams wrapped up their regular seasons this past weekend and are now preparing to take on the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) tournaments.

In their first season, MHS girls flag football put together a successful regular season campaign, finishing with a 3-4 record – earning them the five seed and a berth to the MIL tournament.

“We made it,” said coach Kimo Orlando in a social media posting.

The girls played King Kekaulike in a tight match last Saturday, but Kekaulike came away with the 29-28 win. The MHS girls were back for more later in the day, taking on Lanai.…

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New UH President Visits Molokai

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

New UH President Visits Molokai

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

A statewide tour of the University of Hawaii’s 10 campuses concluded with a stop on Molokai for newly appointed UH President Wendy Hensel. Hensel, who was officially named to the job on Jan. 1, spent the day touring Molokai educational spaces and talking with students and community members.

Having Hensel come to Molokai was “a huge deal,” said Molokai Education Center College Coordinator Kelly Dudoit. “I don’t know if folks realize what an opportunity it is… It’s a huge opportunity for our community to share what their experience has been like with UH.”

Hensel spent her inaugural visit to Molokai checking out academy models at the high school, meeting with students and faculty at the Molokai Education Center, as well as speaking with community members.…

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Celebrating 35 Years of Hawaiian Language Education

Thursday, April 17th, 2025

Celebrating 35 Years of Hawaiian Language Education

By Jack Kiyonaga, Editor

On April 5, Kualapu’u School’s Hawaiian language immersion students took center stage, honoring the efforts of those who had come before. This year’s annual Hana Keaka Hawaiian theater performance had a special significance, as it celebrated 35 years of Hawaiian language education on Molokai.

“This year we honor our treasured voices, our manaleo, Native Hawaiian speakers of Molokai who were the guiding forces behind the founding of both the Punana Leo Hawaiian language preschool in 1991 and subsequently our Kula Kaiapuni o Kualapuʻu and ʻO Hina i ka Malama, elementary and secondary Hawaiian languages schools on island,” explained Ka’ala Fay Camara, current vice principal at Kualapu’u School and next year’s principal.…

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Charles “Chuck” Everhart

Thursday, April 10th, 2025

Charles “Chuck” Everhart

Charles “Chuck” Everhart, 82, of Molokai, Hawaii, passed away at home on Feb. 12, 2025. Born on Dec. 15, 1942, in Pasadena, California, to Leon and Barbara Everhart, Chuck led a life filled with Bible-based faith, diverse accomplishments and creativity.
Chuck is survived by his loving wife, Yvonne, whom he met at Santa Cruz Bible Camp in California. He leaves behind three children, Chantelle, Robyn and Aaron, two step-daughters, Michael-Ann and Kimberly, as well as six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A man of many talents, Chuck held multiple master’s degrees in science, engineering, business and education. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to pursue various careers including furniture making, farming, land development, financial planning, patent brokering and education.…

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New Full-Time Speech Therapy Services Now Available

Thursday, April 10th, 2025

Maui Speech and Swallow News Release

Maui Speech and Swallow and Neurological Rehabilitation is excited to expand its services to Molokai, offering full-time, in-person speech-language therapy with licensed pathologist Alana Ducroix-Miyamoto, MS CF-SLP. Serving individuals across the lifespan—from infants to kupuna—Alana brings compassionate, evidence-based care to the island community. Like Kids Can Occupational & Speech Therapy, the Molokai team emphasizes individualized plans that promote developmental progress, emotional well-being, and confidence in every child.

Services include early intervention, support for articulation and language development, cognitive rehabilitation, therapy for voice and fluency disorders, and specialized care for feeding and swallowing (dysphagia). The Molokai clinic is located at the Molokai Community Health Center, Building 9, 30 Oki Place, Kaunakakai, HI 96748, with referrals accepted through your primary care physician at (808) 856-9821 or fax (808) 856-0115.…

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