Molokainews's Blog

According to an internet blog sponsored by NOAA called monksealmania.blogspot.com, a biologist from the National Park Service in Kalaupapa found a still born monk seal in one of the tide pools in January 29.

The mom, RV10, a 5-year old seal was found near the dead pup. Apparently RV10 is the second youngest known seal to give birth. NOAA officials will be performing a necropsy tomorrow to determine the cause of death.

Last week Molokai received two days if rain that resulted in some flooding east end. Yet in spite of this island-wide soaking, drought conditions in the western third of Molokai, along with parts of leeward Maui and the Big Island, have worsened. Right now, these areas, and Hawaii in general, have the worst drought conditions on the country, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

While Molokai’s East End receives an average of 240 inches of rainfall a year, the West End is a study in contrast. The Kualapuu Reservoir — at one time the world’s largest rubber-lined reservoir — is now below its normal level and mandatory 20 percent reduction in irrigation water use remains in effect.

According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, The El Niño phenomenon is responsible for the below-normal precipitation. As a result, Moloka’I ranchers are losing cattle and having to cull herds more than normal so the remaining animals have enough to eat.

Better protection for the Hawaiian Monk Seal is the goal of new legislation that came up Tuesday at a Senate Joint Committee hearing. Senate Bill 2441, introduced by Senator Gary Hooser, ups the penalty for harming or killing the Hawaiian Monk Seal and all other endangered species in Hawaii. The bill will change the existing penalty from a misdemeanor to a Class C Felony, in response to the recent tragic killings of three critically endangered Hawaiian monk seals.

Molokai resident Leimana Naki towed a dead monk seal to shore in December near Kahinapohaku Fishpond on the south shore. Two previous monk seal killings were reported on Kauai last spring.

These recent deaths have inspired other legislators to introduce initiatives to protect the monk seal and other endangered species. Senator Mike Gabbard has introduced two conservation outreach initiatives that focus on educating Hawaii’s more than 6 million annual visitors. If passed, a public service announcement for endangered species will be shown on all in-bound airline flights to Hawaii.

An ongoing series of shows to celebrate the creativity and talent on Molokai is now on display at the local airport after a blessing ceremony yesterday.

Teri Waros, Owner of Kalele Bookstore and Divine Expressions in Kaunakakai and also a member of the Molokai Planning Commission, started this community project. She received help on the project from Julie Bicoy, executive director of the Molokai Visitors Association and Carl Britto, Ho’olehua Airport Manager.

Artist Catherine Buchanan unveiled a new painting at the airport reception yesterday. In the past, she has exquisitely portrayed scenes of Kalaupapa, Wailau and St. Damien of Molokai in other paintings that have been displayed at the Damien Center as well as at the Kalele Bookstore.

Artist Paul Elia was also at the reception and blessing. His wood and bone carvings artfully depict the local traditional craftsmanship that is still very much a part of daily life on Molokai. The blessing ceremony was followed by community-provided entertainment and lunch.

Sacred Hearts Father Clyde Guerreiro, pastor of the Molokai Catholic Community, presented a blessing along with Anakala Pilipo Solatario of Halawa Valley, who offered the appropriate Hawaiian protocol for the event.

Other volunteers who helped included Clare Mawae of Molokai Outdoors who transported the mural-sized paintings to the terminal. Eddie Medeiros of Hayaku Gas Station oversaw the installation as Bicoy and her two sons assisted. “That’s Molokai, even when times are tough, we pitch in to make it better for everybody. We are proud of who we are, where we come from and the talent we have here on Molokai,” Medeiros said. “We’re proud to share it with all those who come and go through the airport,” he added.

Anakala Pilipo also commented on the effort, saying, “I am honored to be a part of the community’s efforts to malama our own, beginning with the airport.” Anakala Pilipo went on to say, “This is a vital portal, not only for our residents and visitors through the Ho’olehua terminal, but for our keiki to be inspired to pursue artistic endeavors and to express the beauty of our island home.”

The fenced off and abandoned swimming pool at Kaluakoi Villas will soon be open again, assuming Molokai Properties Limited complies with a legally binding arbitration ruling made December 24.

Barring any major appeals, Molokai Properties Limited, the parent company of Molokai Ranch, will have to bring the pool and the surrounding grounds back to their previous condition. In this case, Molokai Ranch is known as Kaluakoi Villas LLC, the respondent to a legal claim made by the West Molokai Resort Association of Apartment Owners. For the purpose of this story, the respondent is called Molokai Ranch.

The closing of the pool goes back to the Molokai Ranch shut down in April of 2008 when the Ranch laid off 120 people. The company simultaneously shut down the 18-hole Kaluakoi golf course, the Ranch Lodge in Maunaloa as well as the Maunaloa movie theater and all other properties. That summer Molokai Ranch threatened to shut off all water and sewer utility services to residents on the West End, in violation of agreements with those homeowners. Through legal intervention by Maui County, the state Public Utilities Commission and the State Department of Health, Molokai Ranch was compelled to continue providing these utilities.

But in December of 2008, Molokai Ranch shut down the Kaluakoi pool and placed a fence around it, which also blocked beach and beach shower access for that area.

In arbitration, Molokai Ranch presented a counterclaim to explain its failure to maintain the property. Molokai Ranch claimed that the association owed it over $40,000 in back dues. Molokai Ranch also claimed that the state Department of Health would not allow it to reopen the pool. The arbitrator, retired judge Patrick Yim, said that none of these arguments allows Molokai Ranch to walk away from its cross easement agreements with the apartment owners association.

Molokai Ranch has now been ordered to immediately pay $75,000 in punitive damages to the apartment owners association and to return the pool to its former condition, maintain the surrounding walkways and the former hotel lot. Unfortunately, this arbitration ruling does not extend to the Kaluakoi golf course.