• Failure notice from provider:
    Connection Error:http_request_failed

  • Submission Deadlines

    Advertising

    Thursday 4pm

    July 2, 2026

    Content

    Friday 4pm

    June 26, 2026

    To print on:

    Wednesday

    July 1, 2026

  • Join us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Google Plus Subscribe via RSS
in

Search Results for: <

Christmas in July

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

Christmas in July

Santa comes to Kaluapapa on a barge every summer. Just like Christmas, residents eagerly line up to await the year’s supply of necessities and treats. Last Saturday, trucks, refrigerators, concrete, gas and other goods were unloaded at the settlement’s wharf during this year’s barge delivery.

“It’s a celebration of goods,” said Sister Rose Annette Ahuna of the Bishop Home. “I’m just too excited!”

“We are so used to the quiet that people can’t wait to come and see the hustle and bustle,” said Kalaupapa Administrator Mark Miller. “Others come just to see who got what.”

The settlement’s capacity of 100 daily visitors was nearly reached as 97 guests and workers gathered for the event, which was “the first time Kalaupapa has hosted that many invitees at once in years,” Miller said.

 “I have never seen people move too fast but barge day comes and it’s like they flipped the switch and are running around like crazy!” said Karen Lucas, a sculptor and artist who has many installations in Kaluapapa and visits the peninsula from Oahu monthly for the last 15 years.

“For me it’s not just about the shopping,” said Sister Theresa Chow of the Bishop Home. “It’s about the combined efforts of leadership. It’s wonderful to see how much coordinating went into everything and to see the state, National Park Service and community working together.”

For many, though, the day was more somber than usual. Patient Aunty Lucy Kaona passed away last week, and the loss of other patients throughout the year was visible in the diminishing load of goods. “Less stuff makes it more boring as the years go on,” said Dept. of Health employee Harry Arce.

Gas was the largest commodity reduced in quantity this year with a shipment of 16,000 barrels, down from 30,000 in past years. Miller and the National Park Service both created initiatives to reduce gas usage by all residents and employees, capping consumption at seven gallons per person each week.

 

Posted in commentsAdd your comment

Land Conservation Program Seeks Applicants

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

DLNR News Release

If you have an agency or non-profit land conservation organization that could use from funding for its efforts, this program may be for you. The Department of Land and Natural Resources’ (DLNR) Legacy Land Conservation Program (LLCP) is seeking applicants for grants from the State Land Conservation Fund to fund the protection, through acquisition, of lands having value as a resource to the state.

The Legacy Land Conservation Program provides an annual source of funding for the acquisition and conservation of watersheds; coastal areas, beaches, and ocean access; habitat protection; cultural and historic sites; recreational and public hunting areas; parks; natural areas; agricultural production; and open spaces and scenic resources.

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

What’s Up In Maunaloa

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

What’s Up In Maunaloa

Community contributed by Aunty Kehau Pule

Wow! It's been a while, huh? But I'm back as da roving reporter letting you know what's going on in our community of Maunaloa. If you're up here in Maunaloa during the week days, we get some ono kine grindz. Check it out in front of the Maunaloa General Store from Monday through Friday. Sushi, fried chicken, roast pork with gravy, hamburgers, fried fish, Korean chicken, and more! You gotta take a ride up to Maunaloa and try out all these ono grindz and real cheap! Tell them aunty wen send you.

I'd like to welcome home Colleen, Nelson and Stevie Colipano who moved from Las Vegas Nevada to good ole Maunaloa. Glad to have you home. Also a big congratulations goes out to our new Property Manager of Nani Maunaloa and the Vista's, our own Aunty Nicky Kellum (Bicoy). You can see her in the office Monday through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Recently I was camping up at Morris Point during the 4th of July weekend with my ohana and I realized how precious these moments can be and how much we must enjoy life to the fullest. With the loss of my sister Maxine Manintin recently, it made me appreciate my loved ones and to enjoy them more because tomorrow may never come.

A Big Losers contest has been going on for the last five weeks. There are about eight women who are taking the challenge and guess what? I'm one of those challengers! Man, it ain't easy but I know with the Lord's help I can endure this, so keep reading my article and see who the Maunaloa Big Loser will be on Aug. 30.

Also when you're in Maunaloa, check out the affordable jewelry by Kahana Dekneef, so bling bling! This is your roving reporter making it short with a thought for the day, "A good exercise for the heart is to bend down and help another up." Don't forget to tell someone I love you! A belated birthday to my hanai sister Brenda Snell and mom Jane, brothers Gabby and Sonny Manintin, and grandson Lowen Pule… enjoy your special day! A hui hou and God bless.

Posted in , commentsAdd your comment

Stop the Bunchy Top

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

Stop the Bunchy Top

Community contributed by Glenn I. Teves, County Extension Agent

Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) has again reared its ugly head in Ho`olehua. Named after its characteristic choking or bunching of the leaves at the top of the plant, BBTV is the most destructive disease in bananas. Other disease symptoms include a dwarfing of the plants with skinny leaves having yellow or burnt leaf edges bunched together. On the lower portion of the leaves, there are dark green streaks on the mid ribs and also dots and dashes that look like Morse code. The Morse code will move down the mid rib at the attachment to the plant. Fruits are usually stunted, twisted, and distorted.

The hot spots include the new subdivision near Lanikeha, upwind from where it was originally found several years ago, and also around Kualapu`u town. To date, this disease has been confined only to Kualapu`u and Hoolehua. Ginger and heliconia, relatives of banana, are known hosts of this disease but we haven’t seen any diseased plants on Molokai.

The virus is spread by the banana aphid. Just by feeding on an infected plant for 18 hours, the aphid can spread this disease for two weeks. By feeding on a new plant for just two hours, the plant can be infected. Banana plants downwind from the hot spots are especially susceptible to new infections since aphids are not good fliers and will usually float in the wind, with the exception of winged types, called alates, which are usually rare.

The banana variety Chinese or Dwarf Cavendish banana is the most susceptible to this disease. Dwarf Brazilian or Dwarf Apple Banana is more tolerant to it. If you suspect BBTV infected plants in your yard or homestead, do not handle or move the plants. Viruses are systemic; once one plant in a mat is infected, it infects all the plants connected to it. If left untreated, it’s only a matter of time before all the plants in that specific area are infected. The key to controlling the disease is by controlling the banana aphid.

All plants near the infected plant must be treated with insecticides to control the aphid and prevent it from moving from infected to healthy plants. Only after plants are treated can they be moved and destroyed. Complete removal is essential, including killing all plant parts through the use of an herbicide. Treating symptomless plants with insecticides near the hot spot is vital to stop the spread of the disease.  If regrowth occurs from the diseased area, these plants will also have to be treated and destroyed since they still carry the disease.

There is a quarantine prohibiting the movement of banana plants and plant parts, except fruit, from Oahu to all neighbor islands have been imposed. It is only through the vigilance of the community that we’ve been able to keep this disease out of Molokai for so long. For more information on BBTV, check out the UH CTAHR website. http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/CFS-BAN-4A.pdf
If you suspect your trees may have the disease call Molokai/Maui Invasive Species Committee at (808) 553-5236 ext. 6585 or (808) 336-0625.

Posted in , commentsAdd your comment

Reinstating the Hawaiian Nation

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

Reinstating the Hawaiian Nation

On March 13, 1999, a group of Kanaka Maoli reinstated the former Hawaiian government of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Since the overthrow of the government in 1893 by a group of European and American landowners, the Kingdom and its citizens have been living under the laws of the United States. Now, the reinstated Hawaiian nation boasts nearly 400 “nationals” in Hawaii and nine on Molokai, according to Prime Minister Henry Noa.

Noa visited Molokai earlier this month to discuss the nation and the progress it has made. Since 1999,the reinstated Hawaiian nation has reconstructed its government, with executive, legislative and executive branches and offices of the House of Nobles and Representatives; conducted elections for the nation; passed laws, including amending its constitution in 2000; and developed government departments, such as the Dept. of Health and the Dept. of Transportation, and more.

“It’s you that can make the difference now to make this sovereignty stand up – all you have to do is participate,” said Noa.

“[The U.S. government is] taking everything from us – culture, identity, lands, everything,” said Duke Kalipi, representative for the Molokai district – one of 24 districts in the reinstated nation. “We all can make this work if we unify – we can get the recognition we deserve.”

Following the Law
The goal, Noa said, is to “reclaim the inherent sovereign right of absolute political authority and jurisdiction in Hawaii.” These rights, he explained, are possible under international law. The international law of perfect right, according to Noa, states that every sovereign nation does not have to ask another sovereign nation what it can or cannot do.” The former Hawaiian nation was recognized as a sovereign nation, and the perfect right was never relinquished.

“As long as there was no Hawaiian government, there was no one to give the land back to,” said Noa.

On the day of the overthrow, Queen Lili`uokalani sent a letter of protest of the U.S. president, invoking international law by stating her objection to the overthrow. One hundred years later, in 1993, President Bill Clinton signed a resolution acknowledging the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and apologizing to Native Hawaiians for the United States’ participation in the overthrow.

Noa marked a distinct difference between his goals and the Akaka Bill. Under the Akaka Bill, Noa said, Hawaiians will still be subject to U.S. laws, whereas the sovereign nation is only subject to their own laws. Noa also placed the Akaka Bill as an example of “imperfect” international law, as opposed to perfect right. The bill, he said, asks permission of the occupying government to return to sovereignty, rather than “reinstating their inherent right to sovereignty on their own.”

The group’s ultimate goal, said French, is to become a sovereign nation, rather than a state under the U.S.

Citizenship

In order to become a citizen, Kanaka Maoli and others who wish to support the cause must take classes to understand the government, process and rights. They must pass a citizenship test, give up their U.S. citizenship and swear an oath of allegiance. As citizens, they will be given a Hawaiian Kingdom ID, certificate of citizenship, birth/marriage certificates, driver’s license, vehicle registration and license plates and other documents.

– most people don’t even realize what is theirs,” said Noa.

Teams on every island will be organized to work peacefully on the effort. Molokai’s nationals have already erected one ahu on the island in Ulalpue on east end, according to French, and plan to continue.

Noa and French stressed it is not the intention to place ahu on private kuleana lands, and they ask for understanding if land identification errors are made.

“Building a nation is not an easy task – I have nine children and I thought that was hard – but this is way harder.”

“We gotta work together,” said Kalipi. “In 50 years there won’t be kanaka left – we’ll just be in legends and memory.”

For more information, visit hawaii-gov.net, or call Duke Kalipi on Molokai at 213-5416.


Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

The Beat Goes On

Monday, August 1st, 2011

The Beat Goes On

Names of deceased love ones on slips of paper fluttered in the breeze while Japanese paper lanterns softly lit the dusk. Beneath them, Taiko drums pounded in a dizzying rhythm that reverberated into the ground. Yellow kimono-clad performers beat the great drums, their sticks a blur.

send them on their way,” said Koki Foster, a board member of the temple.

The Buddhist tradition of the Bon dance originates from the story of a disciple of Buddha. When he found out through his supernatural vision that his deceased mother was suffering in the realm of the “hungry ghosts,” he asked the Buddha how he could relieve his mother of her torment. The holy man told him make offerings to the monks who had just completed their summer retreat. The disciple did this, and his mother was released from the realm of the hungry ghosts. He danced with joy, and that dance became known as the Bon dance.

The Molokai temple, built by plantation workers, hosts a variety of weekly and seasonal events, including mochi pounding at New Year’s, meditation sessions, aikido classes and the Bon Festival, according to Foster.

“It keeps alive Japanese cultural aspects on Molokai,” she said.

Posted in , , commentsAdd your comment

MECO Requests 6.7% Rate Increase

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Maui Electric Company (MECO) filed a request with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) last week for a 6.7 percent rate increase for Maui County customers next year. If granted, the typical ratepayer’s bill would increase by about $13 per month in mid-2012, according to a MECO press release.

MECO’s request was prompted by “the need to recover costs of improving existing and adding new facilities in 2011 and 2012 that will help to maintain reliable electric service, reduce emissions and add more renewable energy to our grid,” said MECO Communications Supervisor Kau`i Awai-Dickson.

Posted in commentsAdd your comment

Past, Present, Price and Practicality

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Past, Present, Price and Practicality

Walk into the Molokai General Store on Ala Malama Street, which reopened last week after a 15-year hiatus, and you’re stepping into a piece of history dating back to the 1940s. The building has seen many uses since it originally opened as Molokai Drugs.

Modernized through months of renovation, it’s easy to forget the building boasts a storied past. Product fixtures are newly painted, the ceiling and floors are repaired and replaced, and a dizzying array of modern products line its nearly 4,000 square feet. From fishing tackle and home goods to office supplies and toys, the store offers something for everyone.

The goal of the business, said General Manager Kim Svetin, is to carry products that Molokai residents really need at prices they can afford.

“I’d be surprised if [our customer-base is] even 5 percent tourists,” Svetin said. “It’s a local store.”

.”

The staff maintains a “Customer Want” book behind the counter, keeping track of product requests.

Open six days a week (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.), the 28-person staff rotates among Molokai Drugs, the General Store and the Mikamis’ third business, Kamo`i Snack-N-Go. In addition to the building renovations, Svetin added another change that certainly wasn’t at the old store: free Wi-Fi for all customers.

 “We’re really trying to fill a need for our local market,” she said. “We’re trying to see how we can better service our residents here.”

Posted in , commentsAdd your comment

Kalaupapa Post Office on the Chopping Block

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Kalaupapa Post Office on the Chopping Block

The tiny Kalaupapa post office serves as the lifeline to its residents. However, United States Postal Service (USPS) budget deficits and decreased use of “snail mail” around the county have put that lifeline in jeopardy. The Kalaupapa post office is one of four small offices around the state being considered for closure.

“What’s driving it is that mail volumes and revenues are down tremendously,” said USPS Honolulu spokesperson Duke Gonzales.

For former Hansen’s disease patients living in Kalaupapa, mail is essential. Patient resident Gloria Marks said banking services used to visit the settlement periodically, but stopped when airfares to Kalaupapa skyrocketed. Now, her only access to the bank is through the mail.

“It shocked everybody – we all really need that,” she said. Without the post office, she added, “we have nothing else to go to.”

,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe in a USPS press release. “Our customer’s habits have made it clear that they no longer require a physical post office to conduct most of their postal business.”

Kalaupapa was named for possible closure on a list announced by the postal service on July 26. On the list of about 3,700 offices nation-wide being examined, the other Hawaii offices included include two on Oahu and one on Kauai.

The Kalaupapa post mistress, as well as topside USPS employees, were not permitted to comment.

To submit your input on the possible Kalaupapa post office closure, send mail to:
District Manager US Post Office, 3600 Aolele St. Honoulu HI 96820.

Posted in , commentsAdd your comment

Cut Down Energy with Hui Up

Friday, July 29th, 2011

For the past two weeks, a brigade in blue swept the island, armed with energy meters and power strips. Their mission: reduce energy consumption and educate the community on appliance efficiency.

SustAINAble Molokai interns and student volunteers teamed up with Blue Planet Foundation’s Hui Up program to help residents save substantial energy and money each year. Through Hui Up, Molokai residents have the opportunity to trade in old refrigerators in exchange for new Energy Star models. The first shipment of energy efficient ice boxes arrived this week, and applications are still available for the swap on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Posted in , , , commentsAdd your comment