February 2024 Gleanings
Newsmaker events, member updates, more!
Your press club board is busy -- setting up Newsmaker events, planning the annual Scholarship Dinner (save the date -- May 9) and preparing to announce our Torch of Light and Lava Tube winners. Stay tuned!
And, don't forget to renew your membership and pay your dues! Have news to share? Just email Gleanings editor Nancy Cook Lauer at nclauer@gmail.com for inclusion in an upcoming issue.
MEETING NOTICE: BIPC Board meeting in person at a TBD Hilo location. March 9, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. Open to members. Email President Michael Phillips at mphillips@weatherboy.com for info.
Early deadline! Sign up now to secure your place.
AlohaVisions Hawaii PEG TV Conference
Big Island Press Club President Michael Phillips and Treasurer Robert Duerr attended the AlohaVisions Hawaii PEG TV Conference at Hilo’s Na Leo Studios on Feb 1-2. The conference was designed to strengthen relationships between Hawai‘i Public, Educational, and Governmental TV stations. Public access TV professionals from around the state came to Hilo to create a unified statewide effort underscoring the relevance of community public access media outlets.
As a result of the conference the hour long video “Big Island Press Club Newsmaker: Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission,” produced by Robert and Adriana Duerr has agreements to air on stations statewide. The film featured BIPC member and Civil Beat reporter Kevin Dayton as moderator discussion the deplorable conditions of jails statewide with Oversight Commission coordinator Christin Johnson and the retired Judge Ronald Ibarra from Kona. - Robert Duerr
Scholarship Deadline March 15
The Big Island Press Club Scholarship Foundation announces the availability of scholarships for students pursuing higher education in journalism and related careers.
The application deadline is March 15, 2024. To qualify, applicants must have Big Island residential ties, demonstrate an interest in journalism or related career, be enrolled as a full-time student and show a record of academic achievement.
Completed applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. HST on March 15 and announcement of winners will be at the annual Big Island Press Club Scholarship Dinner on May 9, 2024.
Applicants can get more information and apply online at
https://www.bigislandpressclub.org/page/2225270-2024-scholarships
Extreme Drought, Wildfire Newsmaker
The Big Island Press Club hosted an “Extreme Drought and Wildfire Newsmaker Panel Discussion” luncheon at Waikoloa’s Johhny’s Restaurant. John Bravender from the Honolulu office of the National Weather Service gave a NWS Honolulu slide overview with an El Niño drought update.
Senator Tim Richards, who serves as Vice Chair to the Senate Ag/Environment Committee, presented visuals to show current state of agriculture in Hawaii. Sen. Richards sees an El Niño drought impact on Hawaii Island but advocated for water solutions for sustainability.
Richards explained Hawaii money allocated for agriculture is $60 million dollars or a pitiable 0.31% of the state gross domestic product (GDP). Hawaii has 0.8% GDP from agriculture higher than the US total of 0.7%
Hawaii has 73% of its land in forest/conservation and special use while the US has 41 percent with the same usage. Hawaii has 4.1 million acres of land with 2 state agencies managing nearly 50% of the land. DLNR manages 1 million acres and Dept of Agriculture covers 886 thousand acres.
Hawaii residents consume 7 million pounds of food a day while tourist eat 1.75 million pounds. Hawaii imports 90% of its food. There are some success stories with Hawaii growing 78% of tomatoes eaten and 80% of cucumbers and sweet potatoes consumed. Taro is grown on 350 acres in the state with only 71 acres in Hawaii Island. Taro is imported to meet demand. Cattle up until the 1990’s when shipping to feedlots change the economic equation supplied 30% of Hawaii’s beef. Pork has only 1.7% produced locally while in 2008 it was 4%. Hawaii uses 129 million pounds of chicken which it produced 95 locally up from 2% ini 2008. Hawaii cracks 375 million eggs per year. 185 produced locally while in 2008 it was only 1%.
With drought conditions more common Richards said storage is critical. Catching rain that does fall requires legislation for dam safety, Kohala ditch repairs, a Water infrastructure survey and water catchment tax credit. Richards states that the Statewide assessment needs to produce an inventory of wells, irrigation ditches, reservoirs and pump stations. This report should include the infrastructures' current conditions and ongoing maintenance needs.
Wildfire legislation includes call for a state fire marshal, wildfire relief fund and a statewide fire helicopter program. Finally Richards asserted “water is life.”
Rounding out the Newsmaker panel was Elizabeth Pickett, the Co-Executive Director for Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization who told of the struggles to get funding for community wildfire efforts. , Dan Dennison, Communications Director with DNLR who gave some insight in to his Lahaina fire experiences. Talmadge Magno gave insight from Hawaii County Civil Defense. - Robert Duerr
Find more about Newsmaker presentations on the BIPC website
Currently, there are documents shared in the January Newsmaker event by our speakers; in that section is a robust list of links provided by DLNR around the Lahaina fire, an infographic created by Senator Richards showing agriculture in Hawaii, all of the slides he presented, and all the slides presented by the National Weather Service.
Members on the move
Longtime BIPC members Kathy Frankovic, left, and Hal Glatzer recently visited the Polynesian island of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, off the coast of Chile, and got an up-close-and-personal look at the moai, monumental statues created by the early Rapa Nui people.
2024 Big Island Press Club Board
Please feel free to contact any board members with your suggestions, or if you wish to
volunteer!
President: Michael Phillips, meteorologist & earth science news reporter mphillips@weatherboy.com
Vice President: Tiffany Edwards Hunt, former journalist, middle school teacher <newswoman@mac.com>
Treasurer: Bob Duerr, filmmaker and journalist, Hawaii Fishing News <surf77@me.com>
Secretary: Nancy Cook Lauer, retired journalist, blogger www.allhawaiinews.com <nclauer@gmail.com>
Director: Ross Wilson, PR, Current Events <rossw@current-events.com>
Director: Royelen Lee Boykie, retired digital strategist and fundraiser <Royelen@bigislandpressclub.org>Director: Patsy Iwasaki, professor, University of Hawaii-Hilo
<piwasaki@hawaii.edu>
Director: Jim Wilson, retired publisher, Hawaii Tribune-Herald <wilson1012@twc.com>
Immediate Past President: John Burnett, journalist, Tribune-Herald <jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com>
