The Molokai Dispatch -- September 14, 2016

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SEPTEMBER 14, 2016 - VOLUME 31, ISSUE 36

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 198 5

FIRE CLAIMS KALAUPAPA KITCHEN

Ferry Shutdown Imminent By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

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he Molokai ferry, operated by Sea Link of Hawaii, Inc., is on the verge of ending its services. Claiming falling ridership, loss of revenue and increased operating costs, company President and Captain Dave Jung has filed a request for shutdown with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). He said if the request is not granted, he will be forced to declare bankruptcy. “Ridership has really gone down in last year,” said Jung, pointing to cheap air flights scooping up their passengers. “Today we’re lucky if we get 20 people a run.” The 100-foot, three-story boat can hold up to 150 passengers, and Jung previously said in 2013, the service suffered $108,000 in losses and then $288,000 in 2014. The trend has continued, and the company’s PUC filing states there’s been a recent reduction in ridership from 1691 total passengers in January 2016 to 859 passengers in July. In June of last year, Sea Link filed an application with the PUC seeking to reduce its daily, seven-day a week round-trip operation between Maui and Molokai to operating a minimum of six one-way trip voyages per week. In addition, it requested the right to cancel any voyage without a minimum of 20 passengers at least 48 hours in advance. The PUC granted their request in August, 2015. With current one-way trip prices at $62, Jung said he cannot compete with flights to Maui as low as $36. He said federal subsidies supporting Mokulele and Makani Kai airlines allow them to keep their fares inexpensive. According to Department of Transportation documents referenced by Jung, the two airlines receive a combined $4.5 million in subsidies over four years to fly to Kalaupapa and Kamuela. Jung said that funding allows them to reduce prices to all their destinations. “[Airlines] can change their prices and routes on a daily basis, they don’t have to hold public hearings or go through the public advocate. [For the ferry] the expense of maintaining a fixed schedule at fixed price… is huge,” said Jung. “It’s really very simple. How can a heavily regulated carrier without a subsidy compete with an unregulated carrier with a subsidy?” Ferry services are state-regulated by the PUC, while airlines have more flexibility under federal regulation, according to Jung. Last year, Sea Link was granted a one-time subsidy of $105,000 from Maui County to assist with continued operations but Jung said it has received no other state or county assistance for years. He said public transportation like the Maui bus is owned by the county and contracted to a private company for operation. He said he has tried to sell the ferry to numerous companies, and offered to give the operation to the county for free, but they refused.

Ferry Continued pg. 3

Library of Congress photo

Photo by Rick Schonely

By Catherine Cluett Pactol | Editor

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he kitchen building that fed Kalaupapa patient residents and state employees went up in flames early Tuesday morning, Sept. 6, and only rubble remains. Sirens in the settlement went off just after 2 a.m. “At first, many of us thought it was a tsunami warning, but then we saw the glow of the flames,” said Paul Hosten, acting superintendent for Kalaupapa National Historical Park. By the time the fire truck arrived on the scene, the building was completely engulfed in flames. Without a county-sup-

ported fire department, five National Park Service (NPS) rangers are specially trained in firefighting skills. However, with Monday being a holiday, many of the settlement’s staff hadn’t yet returned to work. As soon as the call came over the radio, Hosten and another NPS employee rushed to the fire station. “We eventually got the truck to the site but unfortunately neither of us were trained to use the truck,” he said. “Eventually with the help of state [Department of Health] employees, we got water in the hoses from the fire hydrant to fight the fire.” While Hosten said they knew from the

FIRST WINS FOR GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Photo by Rick Schonely

By Rick Schonely | Sports Reporter

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he Molokai Lady Farmers volleyball team got their first wins of the season last weekend on Maui when they took on the St. Anthony Trojans at War Memorial Gym. On Friday night, the Lady Farmers dropped the first set but then took the next three to defeat St. Anthony 3-1 (2426, 25-14, 25-17, 25-21). On Saturday, the Farmers won 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-17) to improve their record to 2-2 for the season. St. Anthony is 1-3. Head Coach Mahea Rawlins was happy the team played well. “We came back when needed to

and the passers did a good job, the setters moved the ball around and the hitters attacked aggressively and were able to put ball away,” she said. Molokai's first home games of the year are this weekend as they host Maui Prep at The Barn Friday night at 730 p.m. and Saturday at noon. Rawlins said she expects more from her team and is looking forward to this week’s home match. “Basically, we just need to stay focus on our side of the court,' she said. "We need to start strong and finish strong and eliminate the errors and adjust. We just have to practice harder in the upcoming weeks.”

beginning it was too late to save the kitchen building, their efforts were successful in putting out flames that had spread to the ice house behind the kitchen. They also ensured the fire didn’t spread to neighboring structures. “The community support was tremendous,” said Hosten. “NPS, state [employees] and community members all pitched in to help… lugging the heavy hoses, relaying messages, passing out water [to drink]. People hauled over their garden hoses over to wet adjacent buildings. It was fantastic to see the community response.”

Kalaupapa Continued pg. 3

THIS WEEK’S

Dispatch

Cross Country Runs Toward Season Start

Molokai Races for the Queen

Pg. 3

Pg. 3

Why we fly with Makani Kai “I love the workers,” says Sunni, “They’re like family.” The Kamehameha Schools sophomore, who wrestles in the 128-pound division, hopes to be a dermatologist one day. Mataio, a senior this year, loves sitting up front with the pilot, “He talks to us and tells us how things work.” Mataio, who wants a career teaching the Hawaiian language, had this to say, “Lele au me Makani Kai no ka mea nui ke aloha ka lele ‘ana a hiki ia‘u ke kipa i kou ‘ohana ma Moloka‘i i nā manawa a pau. A ‘olu‘olu nō nā po‘e i hana ma Makani Kai kekahi. No laila, mahalo ke Akua no Makani Kai.”

From topside Molokai to Honolulu or Kahului

$50 online fare, every seat, every flight, every day. MakaniKaiAir.com | (808) 834-1111

The

Molokai Dispatch

P.O. Box 482219 Kaunakakai, HI 96748

Sunni Chow & Mataio Sibayan Molokai Born & Raised


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