2026 August Gleanings

gleanings
Written By Big Island Press Club

I hope everyone is surviving the challenges the weather is throwing at us, and we're sending aloha to all those still suffering on our island. My apologies for getting our August Gleanings out so late. But the show must go on. The delay has resulted in a lot of news, including the announcement and sign‐up link for our Torch of Light celebration honoring retired Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald, who did so much opening the courts and is continuing his advocacy during his retirement. Note that the event, to be held at the Hilo Hawaiian, is now set for a Sunday, Nov. 22, luncheon. You don't want to miss it! See more details and sign‐up link below. Also, our transition to our new website platform, bigislandpressclub.org, is complete and soon all Gleanings will be sent to our member list there.

WARNING: We hate to cut you off, but if it's been a while since you paid your dues, you need to sign up. If you're unsure when you last paid our low $25 annual dues, hit me up at nclauer@gmail.com and I'll let you know. Our monthly board meetings are held at 9 a.m. the first Saturday of every month via Zoom, and all BIPC members can attend our next one at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, by using this link: https://zoom.us/j/93755775071 .  Any other questions, we're here for you! Meanwhile, keep reading for all the BIPC news.

Your Gleanings editor, Nancy Cook Lauer.

Annual Torch of Light Luncheon

11:30am‐2pm Sunday, Nov. 22, at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel

Help the Big Island Press Club celebrate a First Amendment Hero. BIPC awards its annual meritorious Torch of Light Award to Mark Recktenwald, who served as Hawaii’s chief justice from 2010 to 2025.

Join us Sunday, Nov. 22, at the Hilo Hawaiian as the Big Island Press Club brings its annual Torch of Light luncheon back to Hilo after hitting Ka'u, Kona and Pahala sites over the past several years.

Tickets are $60 for BIPC members and $75 for nonmembers, with proceeds benefiting the Big Island Press Club Foundation Scholarship Fund. Ticket sales end Nov. 8, so get your reservations in early.

You won't want to miss this exciting (and nourishing) event, as Hilo Hawaiian presents an extensive buffet that includes:

  • Local bone‐in kalbi

  • Chinese style steamed fish

  • Sliced fresh season fruits and berries

  • Local field greens

  • Steamed white rice

  • Tofu watercress salad

  • Potato mac salad

  • Garlic mashed potatoes

  • Sauteed seasonal vegetables

  • Assorted dinner rolls

  • Chef selection of desserts

Reserve your spot at https://givebutter.com/bipc-torch-of-light-luncheon-2026.

Recktenwald leaves an enduring legacy of public service that transformed the Judiciary, bringing the court to the people.

Under his watch, Hawaii state courts rolled out electronic filing and implemented remote proceedings statewide. More cameras came into the courtroom and access to court documents was simplified.

Recktenwald, a former UPI reporter stationed in Honolulu, understands the importance of a free press and its role in democracy. Since his mandatory retirement at age 70, Recktenwald has joined the Alliance of Former Chief Justices, a nonpartisan initiative launched in December 2025 by Keep Our Republic to defend judicial independence, the rule of law and the constitutional balance. The group engages in public education, working with legal, media, and community organizations to support a fair, impartial judiciary.

This will be a riveting conversation as Recktenwald relates his personal experiences and offers encouragement to journalists, attorneys and students throughout Hawaii Island.

Visiting Journalist and Fulbright Scholar visits the Big Island

Japanese Journalist and Fulbright Scholar Yuko Murase visited Kona and Hilo last week, meeting separately with BIPC Board directors Ross Wilson and Patsy Iwasaki. Murase has joined the UH‐Manoa journalism program, conducting comparative research on educational systems and practices in the United States and Japan. Her work examines a range of educational models, including charter schools, homeschooling, and innovative learning initiatives, with particular attention to how these approaches expand student choice and access.

I (We) Know What You Did Last Summer

BIPC members stay busy! We caught up with a few of them to see how they spent their summer break.

BIPC President Maya‐Lin Green (pictured above)
In May, I traveled to Ohio as one of 55 recipients selected to receive a share of $170,000+ in scholarships from The LAGRANT Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on increasing representation in advertising, marketing, and public relations.

In June, I attended PRSA's four‐day Public Affairs and Government Summit, where I participated in a one‐day crisis communications training, learned ways communications can highlight important work happening in local government, and networked with officials from the U.S. Army, Navy, and NASA, as well as a handful of local government organizations.

In July, I took some much‐needed R&R and spent a month in Florida visiting family and friends across five cities and taking my kids to Disney World. Much needed fun in the (very hot) sun before starting at Georgetown this month — first virtually, then in person in D.C. starting January 2027.

BIPC Immediate Past President Tiffany Edwards Hunt

Aloha Big Island Press Club Members,

I wanted to share a quick dispatch from the front lines of the election process. I served as a BIPC media observer at the County of Hawaiʻi Coun ng Center during the graveyard shift—from 1:00 AM to 6:30 AM following Saturday’s Primary Election.

While the turnout was admittedly low—hovering at a dismal ~30%—it turned out to be quite a long, dramatic night behind the scenes. Around 2:30 AM, election staff discovered a classification error: 30 precinct boxes containing roughly 2,000 mail‐in and drop‐box/service center ballots from the Kona side had accidentally been scanned as in‐person ballots.

Catching the mistake required a painstaking process. Election workers spent nearly three hours carefully documenting the error and methodically rectifying it stepby‐step. Watching them work through the early morning hours was a reminder of why independent observation matters—and why our local election process deserves so much credit. Despite the late‐night blunder, the level of care, transparency, and integrity displayed at the counting center was remarkable.

A special shoutout to Sue Irvine and her husband, ret. Dr. Irvine, who were there putting in the allnighter on behalf of the League of Women Voters, as well as the rest of our dedicated night‐owl "crossword club." It is truly inspiring to see community members step up and dedicate their time to safeguarding our local democratic process, even when the overall turnout numbers leave much to be desired.

It was a long shift, but I remain deeply appreciative of the staff and volunteers who make this system work. Looking forward to reuniting with everyone for the General Election in November!

BIPC Vice President Kevin Dayton also just wrapped up a busy primary election season, writing articles for Honolulu Civil Beat and moderating candidate forums, such as this one at the Grand Naniloa between House District 5 Democratic candidates Matt Kanealii‐Kleinfelder and incumbent Rep. Jeanne Kapela.

Hat Trick! BIPC Treasurer Nancy Cook Lauer scored two first‐place statewide awards and one third‐place for three entries she submitted to the annual Society of Professional Journalists contest for her nonprofit blog, All Hawaii News. The award for top editorial for all media in the state came for her editorial, "Not quite the welcome mat: Hawaii solicits teachers, then ICE steps in."   (https://www.allhawaiinews.com/2025/05/not‐quite‐welcome‐mat‐hawaii‐solicits.html)

The judges from the SPJ San Diego Chapter said, "The piece outlining the discrepancy between Hawaii's program to bring in teachers from other countries and the federal policy on immigration lays out some of the challenges that arise with discrepancy in immigration policy. The argument is robustly, wellargued with a strong examples throughout…"

Lauer also took first place for best one‐person news blog and a third for best column. “You have to admire Nancy Cook Lauer for her 16‐year‐long determination to give Hawaiians (sic) daily access to curated news. Her posts are well‐written, concise and compelling,” the judges said.

BIPC Board Adjunct Laila Moiré‐Selvage

I'm happy to report that Ka'ū News is coming up on one year of publication! We are filed with the state as a nonprofit and working on gaining federal status. Operated by a 100% volunteer team of student and seasoned journalists, we are printing 5,000 copies bimonthly, going out for FREE to around 4,000 Ka'ū District mailboxes and at select Ka'ū businesses from the Volcano Store to Ocean View Market. All printing, mailing and layout (by yours truly) costs are paid for by ads. I'm going to be starting on our new website design soon and aim to have that finalized by the end of this year. We are also planning to host a Kaʻū Business Roundtable in January 2027 to bring together local business owners and newly elected officials (exact date/time TBD).

On a personal note, my maternal grandmother Lillian "Gigi" June McVannel Klawitter passed away just a little over a month after her 95th birthday in June. I'm so very grateful I took a trip out to Delaware to be with her and family to celebrate the big milestone. I will sadly probably not be able to make it to her funeral in Missoula, Montana next month where she will be buried next to my grandfather Ralph Klawitter at the veterans cemetery.

BIPC Director John Atwell

Board member and academic lecturer‐errant John Atwell this summer finds himself back in the sands of Araby, facing 120‐degree temperatures and the possibility of incoming missiles from nearby Persian foes, as he helps educate the next generation of Gulf professionals. From the Near East, he has continued to write monthly articles on national security for the Hawaii TribuneHerald and has made good progress on his summer leisure list, including savoring most of Sydney Poitier’s works for the first time, picking through collections of classical Western poetry, drafting a review of a nonfiction book on Nazi spies in Hawaii during WWII, exploring the works of Khalil Gibran, and consuming a few good films (new and classic). He plans to be back in the islands to resume teaching intelligence and security classes at Hawaii Community College in the Fall, inshallah.

BIPC Committee Member & Former Director Royelen Lee Boykie

When I first moved into my current home, I arrived to find about 35 recently harvested pineapple plants. I had been so enamored with the lava rock in the backyard when I bought the property that I had not noticed how many fruiting pineapple plants were there. A friend who had visited with me before I bought it told me there had been a lot of pineapples, but there were none when I moved in at the end of October.

By June of the following year, there were about three dozen pineapples. I knew nothing about growing or harvesting them but I loved their smell. So did the pigs. One night they broke through the fence, came in and ate 35, leaving behind a graveyard of pineapple tops.

I reinforced the perimeter. The following year there were about 45 pineapples. Last year there were 55. This year there were 96, many more than I could manage. Rodents took at least 15. Several got too ripe. But many were absolutely delicious and were admitted to the satirical brand Royelen’s Most Delicious Pineapples©®.

Absurd, I know. Nobody is more surprised than I am. But, as is often said these days, here we are.

2026 Big Island Press Club Board

Please feel free to contact any board members with your suggestions, or if you wish to volunteer!

Big Island Press Club https://www.bigislandpressclub.org/
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June 2026 Gleanings