August 13, 2014 - Volume 30, Issue 33
The
Molokai Dispatch 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
Molokai Unscathed by Double Header Storm Catherine Cluett | Editor-In-Chief
A
s two hurricanes headed for Hawaii last week in a historic double threat, Molokai residents joined the state in launching into preparation mode. Schools and businesses closed, Red Cross shelters opened and families scrambled to stock up with food and water. While Molokai escaped relatively unscathed, other parts of the state were not so protected. Hawaii Island, where tropical cyclone Iselle made landfall Thursday night, as well as Maui, received significant damages. At its strongest, Iselle was a Category Four hurricane clocking 140 miles per hour sustained winds across the Pacific. By the time it hit Hawaii Island late Thursday, it had downgraded to a tropical storm. But Iselle made history as the strongest tropical cyclone to ever make landfall on Hawaii Island, and the state’s first hurricane since Iniki 22 years ago. Iniki, Hawaii’s last damaging hurricane in 1992, hit Kauai, causing six deaths and billions of dollars in damages. Iselle was followed closely by Hurricane Julio, which forecasters originally thought would also affect the Hawaiian Islands, but ended up shifting north of the chain, causing no impacts. As Iselle approached, many Molokai residents joined others statewide in filling up gas tanks and water jugs, stocking up on nonperishable foods, securing outdoor items and even boarding up windows and placing sandbags. Statewide, airlines cancelled flights, while businesses, schools and government offices started closing on Thursday in preparation for Iselle. Schools on Molokai closed Thursday and Friday. The Kalaupapa National Historical Park (KNHP) was closed Thursday, as well as Kalaupapa’s pali trail. According to the KNHP Facebook page, the trail opened back up Monday for employees, but as of Sunday, it remained closed to the public until further notice. Port authorities closed harbors around the state, with Kaunakakai the last to be officially reopened. Thursday night around midnight, nearly 500 residents in Kamalo lost power after a tree fell across the lines, according to Maui Electric. The company reported electricity was restored to those customers around 3:30 a.m. Kalaupapa also suffered power outages. Crews worked Friday to clear lines to the settlement. While its damaging effects were negligible on Molokai and Lanai, meteorologists reported peak winds on Molokai at 57 mph and 62 mph on Lanai. At Molokai’s One Ali`i Park and Rice Patch, several Port-aPotties were blown over by gusts. The Red Cross opened shelters on Molokai Thursday at Molokai High School and Kilohana School. Michele Liberty, Red Cross Maui County director, said seven people stayed at the Molokai High location, while Kilohana remained unused. “It could have been so much worse,” said Liberty. “It’s great that people listened [to warnings to prepare].”
Hurricane Continued pg. 3
Primary Election Results By Bianca Moragne | Staff Writer
H
awaii voters took to the polls Saturday on the heels of the first hurricane to hit the island chain in 22 years. Despite the storm, the state’s Primary Election continued. The election went on to oust the incumbent governor and leave a race between two Senate candidates too close to call. The winners from each political party in the primary election will go on to appear on the General Election ballot in November. In the primary, voters could only select candidates within their chosen parties. In the general election, they may vote for party or nonpartisan candidates.
Local Turnout On Molokai, 4,100 people registered to vote this year. Of that number, 1,619 voted at one of the island’s five polling locations— Kilohana, Kaunakakai, Maunaloa, Kualapu`u and Kalaupapa. Additionally, voters could have cast their votes through absentee mail-in or early walk-in ballots. At Kaunakakai Elementary Cafeteria, precinct leader Nani Wong said voter turnout for the entire day was good and didn’t differ much from previous election years. She said she encourages the Molokai community to “come out and vote if you want to get your party in office or change something.” Molokai retired citizen Juan Trinidad agreed and said, “I always practice my right to vote.” “It’s important,” Trinidad continued. “I hope the people I voted
for will serve Hawaii and Molokai well, and will come out good.” For some Molokai voters, like community member Jane Lee, this year’s primary election marks “a critical time in Hawaii’s history,” she said. “We have got to make sure the people elected into office are going to serve the people of Hawaii, Hawaiian rights and issues well,” Lee said. Molokai resident Kai Thieok said he voted because of the issues that will affect Molokai jobs. “I try to vote every time I have a chance, but especially right now,” Thieok said. “There are going to be a lot of people affected by certain issues related to job retention or job losses.”
Loss for Governor, Win for Mayor For the first time in the state’s history, an incumbent governor lost the primary election. After nearly four decades in political office, incumbent Gov. Neil Abercrombie was defeated in his bid for re-election by Sen. David Ige, by about 66 percent to 31 percent respectively statewide. Ige will face Republican Duke Aiona in November's General Election. The defeat marks the end of Abercrombie’s long political career, where he severed in the State Legislature, then Congress and finally as Governor. Meanwhile, incumbent Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa won the primary by a 63.6 percent landslide.
Molokai results compared to the State of Hawaii
Governor, Democrat* ABERCROMBIE VS IGE
26.1%
70.7%
Molokai
66.1% State of Hawaii
U.S. Senator Vacancy, Democrat SCHATZ VS HANABUSA
39.8%
57.2%
Molokai
48.5%
State of Hawaii
CARROLL VS HALINIAK
42.3% 52.8%
Election Continued pg. 3
Molokai
28.3% 60.6%
State of Hawaii
*Molokai voter totals – Democrat: 1364, Republican: 176
This Week’s
Dispatch
Photo Courtesy of Miss Rodeo Hawaii Program
L
ast month, Molokai’s Cheyanne Kauionalani Duvauchelle Keliihoomalu got a surprising phone call. She was asked to represent Molokai, Hawaii and the paniolo heritage at the Miss Rodeo America Pageant in Las Vegas this December. Two years ago, the 2008 Molokai High graduate and sixth generation Molokai paniolo earned runner-up in the Miss Hawaii Rodeo competition. She didn’t enter again last year. So she wasn’t expecting to hear from pageant organizers. “They called out of the blue and asked if I wanted to do [the national pageant],” said Keliihoomalu. “I had to think about it because that only gave me four months to prepare and usually girls in the mainland have at least a year to prepare.” It turns out there was no Miss Rodeo Hawaii last year, and this year’s sole contestant turned out to be ineligible. So unbeknownst to her, Kelii-
hoomalu was next in line to represent the competition at the national level. She said yes, and it’s been a whirlwind for her ever since. With just a few months to get ready to be judged on
Rodeo Continued pg. 2
Molokai Paddlers Second in State
Pg. 3
MMS Robotics Earns Top Honors at Internationals
Pg. 3
Why I Fly with Makani Kai. “The pilots are friendly…they keep you comfortable on the flight and they talk to you,” says Railyn. “I don’t know how to put it, but the flights seem smoother. Plus, it’s nice that you can check in only a half an hour before you fly. The price is unbeatable and there’s free parking.”
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The
Molokai Dispatch
P.O. Box 482219 Kaunakakai, HI 96748
47.8%
State Rep, Dist 13, Democrat
Molokai Girl Named Miss Rodeo Hawaii By Catherine Cluett | Editor-In-Chief
30.8%
Railyn Young Molokai Born & Raised