LIHU‘E — Normally, Joell Edwards gets shipments of supplies and fresh produce to her Wainiha County Market on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Milk was one of the last items to arrive Tuesday morning before the closure of the Hanalei Bridge and subsequent landslides that have occurred, closing Kuhio Highway cutting off Hanalei and beyond from the rest of the island by car. Now, she’s working on getting supplies shuttled over by boat.
Edwards opened the market in the former location of the Wainiha Store, also known as Last Chance, late last year. Her shop is the only grocery store open on that side of the island since Big Save couldn’t open Thursday. Edwards has been opening tabs for those without cash on hand or are waiting for their paychecks.
Residents have been dropping off food and other supplies at the shop.
“I have a lot of angels,” Edwards said.
And for some, Edwards is that angel.
On Thursday, she helped deliver a kayak to Ha‘ena resident Lindsey Friedberg, whose property is flooded. Friedberg estimates that at the deepest point, it’s about 4 feet deep and about 2 feet deep in other places. The water on her property contains cesspool waste, runoff from pastures, oil and mosquitos flying around.
The flooding and general atmosphere of these rains has felt similar to the 2018 April floods, Friedberg said. She’s been holed up in her house with her young son who has respiratory issues, but has used a paddle board and the borrowed kayak to get out of her house.
Part of the reason for Friedberg’s flooding has to do with being on the flood plain and a ditch that hasn’t been well maintained. In 2018, the flooding took about three weeks to dry up. Friedberg is working on getting a pump.
Wainiha resident Joy Kolitsch said there are a few leaks in her tin roof, but she felt lucky there was still power, water and WiFi.
Kolitsch and others have mobilized to make sure those who need their prescriptions get their necessary medications.
Monday, Northshore Pharmacy plans to bring over medicine for those stuck on the Hanalei side. The pharmacy, reachable at 828-1844, needs script orders before 1 p.m. on Saturday.
