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High-Scoring Farmers Fall Just Short

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

High-Scoring Farmers Fall Just Short

The Molokai High girls’ soccer team made history Friday afternoon by becoming the first Farmers team to score multiple goals in a game during a 4-2 loss to St. Anthony. In a rematch on Saturday, the offense exploded again, this time netting a program-record three goals. Molokai couldn’t quite pull out the win, but played their best game to date this season in the 4-3 loss.

Facing a 3-0 deficit at the start of the second half of Saturday’s game, junior captain Chelsea Sakamoto gave Molokai the spark it needed. Sakamoto chipped around a St. Anthony defender and ripped a shot at lower right corner of the net to get the Farmers on the scoreboard. Seven minutes later, Sakamoto found herself alone at the top of the goalie box again. This time she pushed one just over the hands of the Trojans’ goalkeeper.

are doing really well. Those are our top players and they’re really working together well with the team.”

Sakamoto also scored in Friday afternoon’s 3-2 loss. Villa had the other Molokai goal in Friday’s game and also picked up two assists on Saturday. Senior Melody Ocampo added two assists of her own in Friday’s game.

The pair of losses dropped Molokai to 0-10 on the season with four games remaining on the schedule. The team will take a week off before traveling to play Maui High School on Jan. 22 and 23.

“This makes the girls feel a lot better about their season,” Shelton said. “We have one more home game coming up that should be just as competitive as this.”

Molokai finishes its season at home with a pair of games against Seabury Hall on Jan. 29 and 30.

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Back to Work

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Back to Work

As unemployment creeps toward 16 percent on Molokai, more than double the state’s average, government agencies are searching for solutions for a lost generation of jobs.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development office hosted a roundtable discussion last week with Molokai residents, asking for their suggestions. This office’s job is to help create or expand small businesses on Molokai.

got only a bird’s eye view of how our community leaders discuss the economy,” she said.

Lopez said during the meeting that retail businesses are declining on Molokai, while the cost of living keeps rising. However, she believed Molokai will find a way.

“We’re a people of resiliency,” Lopez said of Molokai.

This was also the first time Kalanianaole Hall is being used since renovations started in 2008. No blessing has been scheduled yet, said Stacy Crivello, member of Moloka`i Enterprise Community Governance Board and attendee of the roundtable discussion. She added the USDA needed a place to meet, and since they helped fund the renovations, she thought it was appropriate for them to use the hall.

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Who has benefited from USDA Rural Development?

Community Programs: Lanikeha Community Center, Na Pu`uwai Native Hawaiian Health Center, Molokai Community Health Center, Home Pumehana Senior Center, Kalanianaole Hall, Molokai Baptist Church Gym, All God’s Children Preschool, Molokai Land Trust, Maui County Fire Department and the Meth on Molokai film production.

Rural Business Enterprise Grants: Molokai Artisan Training Program, Aka`ula School, and Molokai Affordable Homes and Community Development Corp.

The office also has an energy efficiency program, home mortgage program, and water/environmental loan and grant programs.

How does one qualify?

There are 47 different programs run by the USDA to provide support to rural development. Below is an example of one type of grant and the qualifications included.

Example: Rural Business Opportunity Grant Program
Eligibility: government and the public (states, towns); non-profits; cooperatives
Funds are used to: identify business opportunities unique to rural communities -- such as export markets, provide or establish training centers and business support.
Funds are not used to: duplicate current services (however, they can be granted to expand support), fund political activities, buy real estate or aid in the construction of new buildings.
Usual criteria: Sustainability, major structural changes in local economy, long-term poverty or population decline.
No minimum amount, $50,000 maximum.

What does the USDA provide?

Three different payment options are presented.

Direct loan funds come from the federal government, to be repaid. Grants come from the federal government, not to be repaid. Guaranteed loan funds come from banks, and the USDA guarantees the loan.

More information can be found at their website, http://www.rurdev.usda.gov, or stopping by the office in Kaunakakai, next to Molokai Pizza Café. Information was provided by Irene Lam.

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St. Damien’s One Step Closer to Reality

Monday, January 11th, 2010

St. Damien’s One Step Closer to Reality

Maui County’s Urban Design Review Board tweaked plans for the new St. Damien Catholic Church in Kaunakakai, but eventually recommended that the Molokai Planning Commission approve the church’s special management area (SMA) permit.

The members of St. Sophia’s Church on Ala Malama Street have been saving and planning for a bigger and better building for over a decade. Their plans became a little more concrete last week with a tentative seal of approval from the Urban Design Review Board. The $3 million project includes knocking down St. Sophia’s and replacing it with a larger St. Damien’s Church that will also provide space for offices and community services.

While the board members approved the design, they didn’t do so without some debate. The trepidation was caused by confusion about the church’s zoning district. The church, which is in a country-town business district, was being reviewed under the guidelines of a commercial building when the board should have considered it a civic building, according to planning consultant Chris Hart.

A country-town business district allows land owners to build commercial shops or civic buildings, such as a post office or a church. Hart said the civic buildings did not have to follow the same guidelines as the commercial buildings.

“They were upset because architecturally it didn’t look like Friendly Market or the other businesses on Ala Malama Street,” Hart said. “The question the review board was scrappling with is: does the design of the church have to comply with every detail that is identified for commercial buildings in the guidelines? And the answer, of course, is no.”

Hart owns a landscape architecture business on Maui. He and his firm have been helping the church group obtain their building permits for the past two years.

The review board did ask Hart and architect Frank Skowronski to make some changes to help mesh the new church’s design with the rest of the area. The large bell-tower entrance to the church will be scaled down from approximately 15 feet to eight feet. The church will also add a tree and residential bench along the sidewalk.

“Basically we just needed to be more sensitive to try to create a little more of a relationship between the church and the rest of the buildings on Ala Malama St.,” Hart said.

Skowronski and Hart will modify the church’s plans and meet with the county’s planning department this week to make sure the new design is acceptable. With the design board’s approval, the team will ask Molokai’s planning commission for an SMA permit in the next few months.

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Much Appreciated

Monday, January 11th, 2010

Much Appreciated

Over 200 Molokai residents felt the appreciation from Hotel Molokai last week, when free pupus, drinks and raffle prizes were handed out generously at their annual Community Appreciation Party on Jan. 5.

The mood was upbeat, matching the entertainment, which included several hula groups and musical acts, such as Moana’s Hula Halau. Their Tahitian dance, pictured above, had the crowd jumping to their feet to better view the high-energy spectacle.

The night started with a slower tempo with Na Kapuna of Molokai, a local band that plays “old Hawaiian music” with ukuleles, a bass guitar, and a hula dancer. Member Dede Kaakimaka, who plays ukulele, said the group performs every Friday for dinner guests at the hotel. After their performance on Tuesday, Kaakimaka, fellow bandmate Betty Puaa, and hula dancer Jaty Puaa-Spencer were happy to sit by the pool and enjoy the music for the rest of the evening.

This is the third consecutive year the hotel has thrown a party for its customers. After renovations in 2008 and a successful grand re-opening party, Michael Drew, general manager of the hotel, said he knew he had to have another party. He estimated 80 percent of his business comes from the community.

“They support us so we give back,” Drew said.

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Bankruptcy won’t stop go!Mokulele

Friday, January 8th, 2010

Bankruptcy won’t stop go!Mokulele

Inter-island flyers breathed a sigh of relief last week when they learned that none of go!Mokulele’s regular flights would be grounded after a major shareholder filed for bankruptcy.

Last Tuesday, Mesa Air Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in a New York court. Mesa Chairman and Chief Executive Jonathon Ornstein said it was a move to unload over one-third of their fleet that is currently unused by the company. Chapter 11 filings allow companies to restructure and eliminate debt without liquidating assets.

“This process will allow us to eliminate excess aircraft to better match our needs and give us the flexibility to align our business to the changing regional airline marketplace, ensuring a leaner and more competitive company poised for future success,” Ornstein said.

Mesa primarily serves as a regional provider for major airlines including Delta and US Airways. They provide the smaller aircraft and flight crews for short connection flights. Those flights have been dramatically reduced over the past year and 52 of the 130 aircrafts Mesa currently leases are not needed.

Go!Mokulele is a joint venture company owned by Mesa and Republic Airways with Mesa serving as the majority shareholder. However, Mesa made it clear in its bankruptcy filing that the Hawaiian company will be unaffected.

“We are a completely separate company,” said go!Mokulele vice president Paul Skellon. “Mesa provides aircraft and crews for our flights and they will continue to do so for all of the flights.”

Skellon said the move might actually improve financial conditions for the Hawaiian company. Go!Mokulele currently uses five jets and four Cessna caravans leased by Mesa. The Chapter 11 laws allow Mesa to renegotiate the price of those leases. The current market value for commercial jets is nearly 50 percent less than what they are currently paying.

“Because all of the major airlines have reduced their flights, the lease rates have come down incredibly,” Skellon said. “During the restructuring, we will renegotiate the lease rates and we suspect those rates will drop drastically.”

Go!Mokulele and Mesa believe that the debt-restructuring scheme will pull the company through this tough period in air travel business. Skellon said experts anticipate that he hardest times are in the past.

“There have been some very early signs of a return to confidence in the travel market. If the rough winter weather continues elsewhere in North America, hopefully Hawaii will become an even more attractive destination than it already is,” Skellon said.

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Molokai Monarchs Fly to First

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Molokai Monarchs Fly to First

When the 21st Century NXT Navigators robotics team returned from the Lego League qualifying tournament in Maui last November, they did something surprising – they started all over.

The all-girls team from three different Molokai schools experienced technical problems with their robot before Maui, and decided to rebuild it to give their best effort at the state tournament. They also renamed their team the Molokai Monarchs, complete with costumes.

,” said Momi. “And it went well with theme of transport.”

Janice Espiritu, principal of Kaunakakai School, is the director of the 21st Century grant for all Molokai schools, which got the robotics project started in 2008. She hopes to expand the grant to start a high school team.

“A lot of times people might sell us short because we’re coming from a little island, not knowing that we can compete with the best anywhere,” Espiritu said.

 

The winning team
Moriah Jenkins, 10th grade at MHS
Sarah Jenkins, 7th grade at Aka`ula School
Momi Afelin, 6th grade at Kaunakakai Elementary
Puakea Domingo, 6th grade at Kaunakakai Elementary
Cendall Manley, 6th grade level, homeschooled

The coaches
Kawika Gonzales, 5th grade teacher at Kaunakakai Elementary
Heidi Jenkins, 3/4 grade teacher at Kaunakakai Elementary
Melanie Goode, 6th grade teacher at Maunaloa Elementary

The cheerleaders
Louise Manley, parent and chaperone
Kim Svetin, parent
Meg Afelin, parent and chaperone
Amy Keanini, parent and chaperone
Michelle Tancayo, parent and chaperone
Greg Jenkins, parent and chaperone

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Winter Break Sports Round-Up

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

The Molokai High boys’ paddling team took advantage of calm waters in Lahaina two weeks ago by posting their best time of the year en route to a second place finish in the Dec. 19 tournament.

“The team was really pumped, they were all very happy with the results,” said head coach Jonathon Smith.

Smith said this team – made up of Mahi Kan-Hai, Punohu Seitz, Ka`ili Levi, Ka`oli Place, Gaig Yap and Eric Gilliland – is off to the best start since he has been coaching.

“We expected to do pretty well, but we are definitely pleased with where we are at right now,” he said.

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Christmas Champs

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Christmas Champs



One of the most exciting parts of the holiday season is the chance to gather with family and old friends. Molokai High School graduates took advantage of that chance to hold an alumni softball tournament on Dec. 25-27. The tournament champion this year, above, was Team Bad Temper with players who graduated between 2005 and 2009. The team members were (Top, from left to right): Titah Maliu-Calairo, Mili Rawlins, Taija Espaniola, Mele Reyes, Cheyanne Keli?iho?omalu, (bottom) Trinity Torres-Umi, Lacey Santiago, Leilani Oneha, Iza Rapanot, and La?e Pa.

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Body Found on West End Beach

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

A 44-year-old man was found on Papohaku Beach last Wednesday morning, Dec. 30. Pending results of an autopsy, cause of death has not been determined.

Rupert Manalili was found in the early morning by two young men who were visiting the island. Molokai Police Detective Eugene Santiago, who is in charge of the investigation, said the men pulled him out of the water and called the authorities. When the first responders arrived, he was declared dead.

Det. Santiago said they don’t know much about Manalili, who was of Filipino descent, but said he had recently moved to Molokai by himself and was looking for work. He had previously lived in several different locations on the mainland. His next of kin has been notified.

The death is still under investigation.

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Aunty’s Corner

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Aunty’s Corner

Aloha Molokai.  My name is Aunty Kapua.  I have always loved Molokai and when my beloved sister passed away I moved here from Lahaina. I am a kupuna volunteer here at The Molokai Dispatch taking care of the e-mail subscriptions and the hard copy subscriptions. The most fun, however, is stuffing the newspapers with the inserts every Wednesday. 

I thought it would be great to have a column about the doings of us kupuna on Molokai.  To start off I want to thank Misaki’s and Molokai Drugs for their wonderful donations to the Hui at Home Pumehana.  I wish also to thank the staff at Home Pumehana for their hard work for both onolicious Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners that they prepared and served.  Wow, lots of work.

During the holidays, Na Wahine O Molokai, under the direction of Kumu Hula Kauila Reyes, walked around town doing their Christmas caroling.  Akaku Television was there to capture their Christmas cheer on camera.  You can see the kupuna on Channel 54 during Maui Time. It’s really funny to see one’s self on TV.

Last week, Alulike Kupuna Program took the kupuna on a lovely drive to the east end and told us about the different areas. We were quizzed afterwards.  Auwe, all but myself could remember all the places.  I need to get a map and learn what all the ahupua’a are named.
 
If you are interested in submitting to this column please let me know at the Dispatch by calling 552-2781 or stopping in the office on Kamo`i St.

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