Showing posts with label Society of Professional Journalists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Society of Professional Journalists. Show all posts

Sunday, July 15, 2018

Ten years, ten awards.

All Hawaii News' 10th SPJ award
All Hawaii News will be 10 years old this year. That's 2,517 posts featuring a digest of all the state and local government and political news from media sources all around the Hawaiian Islands.

There's no bot to do this. Every post is hand-curated in a process that takes two hours or more each day.

This is a one-woman show. I usually start before 5 a.m. so folks can read the news highlights with their morning coffee or on their smartphones during their daily commute. (Not while they're driving, of course.)

It's a labor of love, and I'm honored to be recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists for keeping the state informed about the top news of the day.

But a little monetary recognition never hurts, either.

I've moved All Hawaii News' "keep the news coming" donate button near the top right of the homepage. Just click and donate using PayPal or a major credit card. You can even click a button to send an automatic monthly payment.

How to donate:

        Click the donate button at the top right of the page.
        Donate using a major credit card or PayPal account.
        Send an email to nclauer@gmail.com to get your name and/or link on the sponsor list.
       (otherwise, your gift will remain anonymous)

A donation no matter how modest would be a vote of confidence in my efforts.

Mahalo!

Nancy Cook Lauer

Tuesday, July 4, 2017

All Hawaii News wins awards! Here's how you can help keep the news coming

Society of Professional Journalists
SPJ awards for 2017
Don't take my word for it -- hear what the judges said:

"This site truly is a must-read and a service to the people of Hawaii."

"A worthwhile daily read."

I'm honored and humbled to again be awarded a first-place and a finalist plaque in the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii chapter annual Excellence in Journalism contest.

All Hawaii News, which will celebrate its 9th anniversary later this year, has become for me a labor of love. Journalism, to me, isn't a job. It's a calling.

This blog is how I read the day's news each morning. It's a way for me to share my passion for government and political news with the world.

All Hawaii News is a boutique blog. It appeals to a small but steadily growing group of decision-makers and media types. It attracts readers from across the state, the Mainland United States, China, the South Pacific and Russia.

Most days, All Hawaii News is a hand-curated compilation of the day's top political and government news from all the Hawaiian Islands. It's a quick one-stop site for an overview of what's happening around Hawaii. Other days, you'll find news stories, videos or audios exploring crucial government issues. And sometimes, there will be a commentary or analysis about a topic of pressing interest.

This blog will never get as many Google hits as someone's grumpy cat. It will never embrace the "If it bleeds, it leads" mentality.

But if one person is better informed about government and politics across our tiny island chain in the middle of the Pacific, my mission has been accomplished.

Don't let that stop you from dropping a buck or two in the collection boxes to the right, however.

Reader contributions help pay for the basic essentials of maintaining an online presence. A little extra shows appreciation and gives me incentive to carry on. Face it, it's a lot of work.

Mahalo for your kokua!

Monday, July 3, 2017

Lifeguard lawsuit immunity ends, Matson strike averted, Oahu historic property tax hike advances, hemp plans progress, Maui hospital takeover complete, journalists win SPJ awards, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2017 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
Hawaii lifeguards © 2017 All Hawaii News
 A 15-year-old state policy granting immunity to county lifeguards from civil liability ended Friday, but it’s business as usual for the roughly 350 of them as they patrol Hawaii waters this Independence Day weekend. Star-Advertiser.

With mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever and Zika virus continuing to be a threat to Hawaii, the state is ramping up its vector control capacity in an effort to help prevent an outbreak — or at least meet one with greater force. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaiian Electric Companies has submitted a draft of its plan to modernize the power grids on the five Islands it serves to bring more renewable resources online. Pacific Business News.

Hawaii is going to need more caregivers. The state’s seniors, those 65 and older, made up 17.1 percent of Hawaii’s 1.4 million residents in 2016 — a jump from 14.3 percent in 2010, according to recently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Star-Advertiser.

‘What Does The US Government Have Against Grandmothers?’ Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin says the Trump administration’s scaled-back travel ban is illogical in establishing close family relationships. Civil Beat.

Hawaii and Undocumented Immigrants: Part 2. Hawaii Public Radio.

The Navy is planning to forward-deploy another three-ship “amphibious ready group” in the Pacific — a move that will add to highly prized ship-to-shore capability in the maritime-dominated region as well as bring more than 4,400 sailors and Marines and millions of dollars in economic impact to the chosen destination. U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono thinks it should be in Hawaii. Star-Advertiser.

A new, 154-foot Coast Guard “fast response cutter” scheduled to be commissioned in Hono­lulu in October represents the first in a series of new cutters anticipated in coming years as District 14 revitalizes a fleet that’s between 25 and 50 years old. Star-Advertiser.

Matson Inc. reached an agreement with two key unions Friday, avoiding a strike that posed a threat to Hawaii’s supply of everything from food to building materials. Civil Beat.

Matson has been able to avoid a strike after reaching a tentative contract agreement with two of its unions, with only hours to spare before the expiration of the current contract. Pacific Business News.

Honolulu-based Matson Inc. on Thursday said it will pay its shareholders a third quarter dividend of 20 cents per common share. The shipping company said the figure represents a 5.3 percent increase over the previous quarter's dividend. Pacific Business News.

The cost of a private ­school education in Hawaii continues to climb as the state’s largest independent schools are charging on average 4.5 percent more in tuition for the upcoming school year, according to a Honolulu Star-Advertiser analysis, with most school officials citing the cost to retain good teachers as their biggest expense. Star-Advertiser.

After months of delay, the state Department of Agriculture is moving forward with its goal of developing a line of Hawaii hemp seeds and an eventual statewide hemp industry. Tribune-Herald.

Oahu

Owners of Oahu properties designated historic residences would need to pay $700 more annually under a bill that has received an initial nod from the City Council Budget Committee. Star-Advertiser.

A Hawaii Circuit Court judge ruled Friday that the city must turn over documents to Civil Beat related to embattled deputy prosecutor Katherine Kealoha’s employment with the Honolulu prosecuting attorney’s office. Civil Beat.

The median rent for a two-bedroom unit in Honolulu in June rose to $2,120 a month, nearly $1,000 more than the national average, a new report shows. Star-Advertiser.

For years, city transit officials have struggled to meet Oahu’s demand for Handi-Van service — a demand they say is the highest in the nation per capita. Now, without a fare increase, the service will be stretched “to the point of failure,” those officials are telling City Council members. Star-Advertiser.

UH football player possibly paralyzed after diving in waters off Waikiki. KITV.

A plan to dismantle a breakwater to prevent risky dives on Oahu's south shore is moving forward. Hawaii News Now.

Officials renamed the city’s aquatic center in Waipio in honor of the late U.S. Rep. K. Mark Takai during a ceremony Saturday. Star-Advertiser.

On A Mission To Save Hawaii’s Most Endangered Native Plants From Extinction. Civil Beat.

Honolulu Civil Beat Named Hawaii’s Best News Site For 7th Straight Year. The Hawaii Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists makes its annual award presentations. Civil Beat.

Hawaii Island

State Senator Josh Green has officially asked Governor David Ige to declare a state of emergency in West Hawaii over the ongoing water crisis. Big Island Video News.

County scrambles to fix wells but repairs more than a week away. West Hawaii Today.

A revised bill banning disposable polystyrene — popularly known as “styrofoam” — is coming back to the Hawaii County Council next week. Tribune-Herald.

Kona’s Community Development Plan was upheld as law Monday by the Intermediate Court of Appeals, sending a proposed development back to the county Planning Department. West Hawaii Today.

Kona coffee farmer tries to stay upbeat amid deportation proceedings. Star-Advertiser.

On June 23, the Hawaii County Council voted to adopt a resolution to award a Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Maintenance Stewardship Grant to Na Mamo o Kāwā. Big Island Video News.

West Hawaii Today won six awards, including two first-place honors, in the annual journalism contest hosted by the Hawaii chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. West Hawaii Today.

Maui

Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital, and Lanai Community Hospital officially transferred operations from state provider Hawaii Health System Corporation to Maui Health System, a subsidiary of Kaiser Permanente, on Saturday. Hawaii News Now.

The Maui Region staff has created a legacy video to document this day as the Maui Memorial Medical Center, Kula Hospital, and Lānaʻi Community Hospital become part of the Maui Health System, a subsidiary of Kaiser Permanente. Maui Now.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs wants faster, stricter protections for central Maui sand dunes after Always Investigating exposed the extent of sand exports and business connections on Oahu. KHON2.

With news of possible further mining of the sand dunes of Central Maui, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees has formally called for a halt to the practice. Star-Advertiser.

Summit focuses on affordable housing hurdles. Maui News.

Maui News staffers and a columnist received 11 awards, including five first-place honors, from the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter during the 2016 Excellence in Journalism Awards ceremony Friday night on Oahu. Maui News.

Kauai

Kauai Humane Society is currently finalizing its contract with Kauai County, but it’s expected the county will contribute around $795,000 in Fiscal Year 2017-18. Garden Island.

An intern at the Limahuli Garden and Preserve came across a dead snake on her morning jog along Kuhio Highway in Haena Friday. Garden Island.

Hanalei Watershed Hui and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary have partnered together to protect their corner of the planet. Garden Island.

Monday, July 4, 2016

Lucky 7 awards. Where All Hawaii News brags about its awards and asks for your help

copyright 2016 All Hawaii News all rights reserved
2015 awards from Society of Professional Journalism
Lucky 7.

That's how many awards All Hawaii News has won from the Society of Professional Journalists, Hawaii chapter since this blog's inception in 2008.

Last week's Excellence in Journalism awards gave us two more.

Top awards for solo news blog. Smaller finalist awards for best overall news website in Hawaii, right alongside HuffPost Hawaii. All Hawaii News will never be more than a finalist in this category as long as our friends at Civil Beat keep doing their good work. Don't forget to send them some loving too.

Awards are wonderful. They tell me I'm on the right track, providing your daily recap of government and political news. I rely on news outlets throughout the state for the top news that is curated starting at 5 a.m. weekdays. No webscraping or automatic processes can handle the job that needs to be done by hand. The posts are usually supplemented with my own photography, from as many islands as I can visit given my limited time and budget.

But unfortunately, awards don't pay the bills. I'm using the cut-rate Blogger platform, but there are still expenses.

All Hawaii News is a labor of love. I've been doing this day in and day out for almost eight years now. Advertising is kept to a minimum. And, so far, I've managed to stave off the dreaded popup ads. No guarantees though.

Contributions from loyal followers help pay to keep All Hawaii News online. A donation no matter how modest is seen as a vote of confidence in my efforts.

How to donate:

  1.       Click the donate button at the top right of the page.
  2.       Donate using a major credit card or PayPal account.
  3.       Send an email to nclauer@gmail.com to get your name and/or link on the sponsor list. (otherwise, your gift will remain anonymous)
If you can't donate, no worries. Feel free to like and share the daily news through your favorite social media, using the links provided, or simply copying and pasting the URL into your news feed. The more the merrier!

Monday, June 27, 2016

Marijuana dispensaries not likely this year, state ignores inmate deaths in Mainland prison, Zuckerberg wall draws Kauai neighbors' ire, no-kill shelters touted on Big Island and Kauai, SPJ honors state media, Ige visits neighbor islands, feral animals to be removed from Haleakala National Park, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

copyright 2016 All Hawaii News
Medial marijuana permit sign, Keaukaha, Hawaii © 2016 All Hawaii News
It does not appear that legal sales of medical marijuana will begin this year, although the state is allowing the first eight dispensaries to start operations in as early as three weeks. Star-Advertiser.

The Hawaii Health Department on Friday released the scores for the 66 applications for eight medical marijuana dispensary licenses, which were awarded in late April. Civil Beat.

Hawaii medical marijuana dispensary license application scores for the eight selected applicants. Star-Advertiser.

Actor Woody Harrelson fared worse than Hawaii video game pioneer and Blue Planet Foundation founder Henk Rogers in their rejected applications for the eight medical marijuana dispensary licenses that were granted by the state. Pacific Business News.

==============================

Starting Wednesday, 26 nations with 45 ships, five submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel will be practicing war in and around the Hawaiian Islands as they engage in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. Garden Island.

The state has never sought or obtained damages against Corrections Corporation of America  even though a number of inmates have been killed while incarcerated, which attorneys for some of the victims have attributed to a shortage of corrections staff, and female prisoners have accused guards of sexual abuse. Star-Advertiser.

A Deadly Dust Is Plaguing Hawaii Prisoners In Arizona. Valley fever is widespread in the Southwest, yet Hawaii prison officials haven’t paid much attention to it, despite the recent deaths of at least two prisoners who had the disease. Civil Beat.

Startup hiccup for Hawaii state agency charged with growing startup ecosystem. What happens when a state agency charged with growing Hawaii’s startup industry gets shortchanged. Pacific Business News.

A pair of in-depth studies into the potential threat of chemical munitions dumped at sea have yielded cause for cautious reassurance. Star-Advertiser.

State Sen. Will Espero announced Friday that he plans to introduce a bill in January to ban oxybenzone, a chemical commonly found in sunscreen that damages coral reefs. Civil Beat.

As the largest international gathering of coral reef experts comes to a close, scientists have sent a letter to Australian officials calling for action to save the world’s reefs, which are being rapidly damaged. Star-Advertiser.

In a study published in the science journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology in February, a research team headed by Craig Downs, executive director of the Haerecticus Environmental Laboratory in Virginia, reported on a link between oxybenzone, a key ingredient in sunscreen lotions and personal-care products that protect against UV rays, and so-called coral bleaching. Star-Advertiser.

Why You Should Check Your Sunscreen Label Right Now. Scientists say oxybenzone, an active ingredient in many sunscreens and other personal care products, is killing coral reefs. Civil Beat.

It’s not always clear just what research is going on. In some cases, the University of Hawaii and other biolabs have refused to reveal what viruses they’ve imported for research purposes, pointing to national security concerns. Civil Beat.

Column: Civil Beat Named Best Hawaii News Site For The 6th Year In A Row. The Society of Professional Journalists also honored us with the top award of the contest, public service journalism, and in many other categories. Civil Beat.

SPJ award list.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s newsroom was recognized today by RTDNA (Radio Television Digital News Association) with its third National Edward R. Murrow Award in two years. This 2016 award was in the category of Small Market Radio Continuing Coverage for a series of reports on the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope by HPR General Assignment Reporter Molly Solomon. The series previously won in the same category for its region, comprising California, Guam, Hawaiʻi, and Nevada.

The University of Hawaii's new Institute of Hawaiian Language Research and Translation or "IHLRT" is now making 125,000 pages of Hawaiian language newspapers available for research and study. KITV4.

Oahu

Language in the Honolulu City Charter requiring the city to set aside a percentage of annual revenues for a grants-in-aid fund to be doled out to Oahu nonprofits would be abolished under a plan moving through the Charter Commission. Star-Advertiser.

Transportation and homelessness have been major concerns facing Leeward Coast residents, and addressing those issues are some of the top priorities in the Democratic primary for the House District 43 seat. Star-Advertiser.

The Ansaldo Honolulu JV staffing problems that came to light last fall have persisted in recent months — and they’ve continued to worry those who oversee the island’s rail project, according to documents provided by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. Star-Advertiser.

The HOV lanes in five heavily congested areas will now be open from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. during weekdays. The change starts Monday, June 27 and extends the routes by 30 minutes. Hawaii News Now.

A huge line snaked around Ala Moana’s Ewa wing Saturday as crowds waited to take part of Shirokiya’s grand reopening. KHON2.

Hawaii

The Kona International Airport should be set to receive international flights by November 1. But the news gets better, Gov. David Ige and his transportation department heads revealed at a town hall meeting at Hawaii Community College — Palamanui on Friday evening. West Hawaii Today.

The subject of the Thirty Meter Telescope project on Mauna Kea, as well as the related blockade and mass arrests that occurred exactly one year ago, was discussed when Governor David Ige and his administration came to Pālamanui for a community meeting Friday night. Big Island Video News.

An ancient South Kona fishing village and trail is set to be placed in public hands, thanks to the efforts of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail and The Trust For Public Land Hawaii. West Hawaii Today.

There were 915 instances in which pedestrians were hit by motor vehicles on the Big Island between 2007 and May 31 this year, according to figures provided by the Hawaii Police Department. Tribune-Herald.

Nathan Winograd, an expert on the no kill movement, was brought to the island for a day-long conference sponsored by Big Island Dog Rescue as that group squares off with the Hawaii Island Humane Society in a bitter legal battle that carried allegations of defamation and conspiracy from both sides. West Hawaii Today.

Last Hawaii Vietnam veteran ID’d with picture after unexpected twist. West Hawaii Today.

Hawaii County officials are making plans for a lava viewing area in Kalapana should the latest flow from Kilauea’s Pu‘u ‘O‘o vent advance over the top of Pulama pali. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Haleakala National Park has outlined plans to remove feral pigs, goats, dogs and axis deer to protect endangered plants and animals, including the endangered uau, in the park's newest addition at Nuu on the mountain's southwestern flank. Maui News.

An $830,000 proposal would remove feral animals such as pigs and goats from Haleakala National Park land. Associated Press.

The vice chairwoman of a special committee that narrowly recommended a change from the current mayor-council form of government to a system that includes a county manager has lodged a Sunshine Law complaint over the filing of a "Minority Report" with the County Council. Maui News.

Kauai

For years, Kilauea resident Gy Hall has enjoyed the view of the ocean and the breeze along Koolau Road. Then, a few weeks ago, a crew started to build a wall which happens to belong to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Garden Island.

‘A win-win-win situation’ Gov. Ige visits Tropic Care facilities, praises ‘terrific’ service. Garden Island.

Kauai is tied with Hawaii Island for having the most high-risk areas for water quality degradation from on-site disposal systems, according to reports from the state’s Department of Health. But the island only has three properties taking advantage of the state’s tax break program for cesspool upgrades, making a very small dent in the county’s estimated 14,000 existing cesspools. Garden Island.

Around 100 people turned out to hear Nathan Winograd’s No-Kill Conference at the Kauai Beach Resort on Sunday, hosted by Big Island Dog Rescue in Kona. Garden Island.

Ed Justus wants to make sure a bill that would allow vending on county-owned property is fully discussed before the Kauai County Council takes a final vote. Garden Island.

Monday, September 7, 2015

Is U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz an "Upstart Senate Punk"? Watch the video. (Commentary)

Screengrab from I'm Not Done (Upstart Senate Punk) courtesy Kerry Yoshida
Gridiron 2015 - I'm Not Done (Upstart Senate Punk) from Kerry Yoshida. You can see the video here.

Hawaii's elected officials-- and those who wannabe -- make great fodder for satire when it comes time for the state's press corps to put on its biennial Gridiron show.

This year was no exception, with all the big name politicians from former governors to local mayors to members of Congress pilloried right and left for ambitions and missteps.

But the funniest by far had to be "I'm Not Done (Upstart Senate Punk)," featuring Donalyn Dela Cruz as former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, lamenting her loss to U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz in the Democratic primary to fill the seat vacated by the 2012 death of Sen. Daniel Inouye.

The video, played on the big screen at the Gridiron show, was a re-creation of the music video for the Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson hit "Uptown Funk."

Other honored victims of Gridiron writers were U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard,  former Govs. Neil Abercrombie and Linda Lingle, Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi and pro golfer Robert Allenby.

The show raises money for journalism internships in Hawaii. And that's a good thing.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Commentary: Proud to be Hawaii's #1 solo news blog, three years in a row!

Society of Professional Journalists SPJ

I am beaming.

The judges for the Society of Professional Journalists 2012 Excellence in Journalism awards recognized what I already know-- maintaining All Hawaii News day in and day out is a lot of work:
"This site represents an impressive amount of work for a single blogger. And it's incredibly informative. Nice job."
All Hawaii News, which will celebrate its 5th anniversary later this year, has become for me a labor of love. That's a good thing, as it certainly hasn't made me a millionaire.

This blog is how I read the day's news each morning. It's a way for me to share my passion for government and political news with the world.

All Hawaii News is a boutique blog. It appeals to a small but steadily growing group of decision-makers and media types. It attracts readers from across the state, the Mainland U.S., China, the South Pacific and Russia.

This blog will never get as many Google hits as someone's obese cat. It will never embrace the "If it bleeds, it leads" mentality.

But if one person is better informed about government and politics across our tiny island chain in the middle of the Pacific, my mission has been accomplished.

Don't let that stop you from dropping a buck or two in the collection box to the right, however.

:)
N


Sunday, July 3, 2011

All Hawaii News named best in Hawaii and getting better every day

Mahalo for your support! All Hawaii News was recently named the top one-person produced news website in the state by the Society of Professional Journalists. It's an honor, but it's also a call for more. Since 2008, All Hawaii News has practiced kaizen, so the changes you see are gradual, but always for the better. This site is not a big money-maker, and there are no deep pockets keeping it going. Just a lot of early mornings and hard work.

The goal is to sweep the state -- not with spiders and bots and other nonhuman workers, but with a human eye and a practiced hand and a seasoned journalist’s news sense – to find the top news stories of the day from all of the Hawaiian Islands. All Hawaii News is not Oahu-centric, so you’ll see breaking stories from Maui, Kauai, Hawaii Island and Molokai before they catch the attention of other news curators.

Most of the site’s content is fresh by 7 a.m. HST every weekday. Updates come throughout the day via Google news feeds, tweets and the state’s top bloggers. There’s a heavy emphasis on government news at the state and county levels, as well as issues involving the environment, green energy and Native Hawaiians. If you’re looking for the “if it bleeds, it leads,” crime stories, better look elsewhere. Photos are selected to illustrate a news story and show the range of the breath-taking beauty of our state.

All Hawaii News is on Facebook and Twitter, so be sure to follow us there for low-volume updates that don’t spam you with what you already know. You can also subscribe via RSS and email.

One of the best ways to use All Hawaii News? Bookmark it on your smartphone! It’s like having a news-reader in your hand, going beyond the headlines to give you a solid sentence or two about all the day’s news, with links to the original sources to find out more.

Have ideas to improve All Hawaii News? Feel free to drop me a line, send a tweet, a Facebook comment or email. All Hawaii News is open to improvements!