August 6, 2014 - Volume 30, Issue 32
The
Molokai Dispatch p Fire Destroys Home
Mana`o
Your
T h e i s l a n d ’s n e w s s o u r c e s i n c e 1985
With the Primary Election coming this Saturday, the Dispatch asked community members, “What candidate do you feel will address the issues important to you and why?” Todd Ragsdale, owner of Molokai Music Maker I want to see a turnover with all the current representatives in office replaced by new candidates. If they are new, young and innovative, and have a future ahead of them the chances are they’ll have more integrity. I’m looking for someone like that for Molokai.
Photo by Matt Page
By Bianca Moragne | Staff Writer
A
family of seven lost their Kaunakakai home to a fire last Monday evening. Fire crews from Kaunakakai, Ho`olehua and Puko`o Molokai joined to respond to the Seaside Place fire at 5:24 p.m. When firefighters arrived at the scene, they found the 1,400-squarefoot single-family house engulfed in flames, Molokai Fire Department (MFD) officials said in an email. The family exited the house safely, but one child, a 7-year-old boy, sustained a minor injury to his hand. He was treated by medics and transported to Molokai General Hospital. Officials have deemed the fire accidental, according to MFD. Neighbor Matt Page said he was driving home when he noticed a lot of smoke. “When we got close, we realized it was our neighbor ’s house,” Page said, via email. “There were flames coming out of one of windows on the left side of the house.”
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Filemon Nanod, who lives a few houses away from the Seaside home, said he was worried after seeing smoke clouds fill the air. “When I first saw the house burning from my yard, all I saw was smoke,” Nanod said. “Through the night and with the help from firefighters the smoke slowly started clearing up. The next morning the property of the house was completely totaled. I’m really happy everyone was safe.” Despite the firefighters’ efforts, the flames consumed the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house, with damages estimated by fire officials at $200,000. By 6:24 p.m. the fire was under control, according to MFD. “The fire department came within two or three minutes, by that point the whole left side of the house was burning,” Page said. “…It took them over an hour before the fire was completely out, then they stayed until quite late at night checking the house. Total respect for the Molokai Fire Department, they did a great job getting it under control and making sure everyone was safe.”
Volunteers with the American Red Cross Hawaii State Chapter assisted the displaced family in meeting their immediate needs and providing transportation, clothing, food and groceries, according to Hawaii Red Cross official Krislyn Yano. In the coming weeks, caseworkers will follow up with those affected to provide referrals, guidance or additional assistance to help with the recovery process. The Red Cross encourages families to make an evacuation plan with two different routes of escape, a communications plan to help families reconnect after disaster and a disaster-supplies kit to aid in a quick evacuation, Yano said. Molokai Fire Inspector, Richard Schonely, said he wants everyone to remember fire safety after this incident. “We try to educate the public and kids on fire safety and when something like this happens it’s unfortunate, we’re thankful no one was seri-
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Sally Trinidad, Senior citizen and homemaker I support Brian Schatz because he supports the elderly and Social Security. We have to safeguard those programs for the elderly because without them, we would all be in trouble.
Denise Taueetia, Molokai resident I support Barbara Haliniak. A lot of people don’t really know the kind of work she does here on Molokai, but I’ve been to a lot of meetings where she was involved and she fights for the people of Molokai.
Krysta Bocoboc, UH Manoa student and first-time voter David Ige is my choice. I thought it was nice of him to come and hear from the people of Molokai. He asked about our land and he’s going to help with our land and resources, and I think that’s very important.
Honoring the Departed Athletic Dept. Leadership Changes Catherine Cluett | Editor-In-Chief
Molokai Voters' Election Guide
T annual Bon Festival, held two weeks ago on the lawn of the Molokai Guzeiji Soto Mission Buddhist Temple. Although the scene itself was enchanting and lighthearted, the significance of the celebration was serious: a com-
hree Molokai High School (MHS) athletic department staff members are leaving their positions this fall, bringing in new, temporary leadership and triggering a lengthy hiring process for permanent replacements. Athletic Director (AD) Hoku Haliniak has accepted a position with the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) as its Director of Sports Information and will be leaving Molokai this month. She said the assistant athletic director and the athletic trainer are also stepping down for personal reasons. Haliniak called it “a huge coin-
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Athletics Continued pg. 3
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Photo by Annie Kiyonaga
By Annie Kiyonaga | Guest Writer
T Hazmat Training Brings Home Local Boy Pg. 9
he scene could easily be transpiring in Japan: dancers swaying rhythmically under a sea of twinkling paper lanterns, surrounded by an array of Japanese delicacies, their movements narrated by Buddhist chants. Yet this is no ordinary Japanese festival – this is Molokai’s
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$50 online fare, every seat, every flight, every day. MakaniKaiAir.com | (808) 834-1111
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Molokai Dispatch
P.O. Box 482219 Kaunakakai, HI 96748
Desmund Manaba Molokai Born & Raised