March 2023 Gleanings
Torch of Light, Lava Tube, Oʻo Awards; Call for Scholarship Applications; Volcano Panel Newsmaker Luncheon and Member Updates
Wow, do we have a lot of news this month! Have news to share? Just email Gleanings editor Nancy Cook Lauer at nclauer@gmail.com for inclusion in an upcoming issue.
Reves awarded meritorious Torch of Light award; Ige again earns Lava Tube dishonor
(NOTE -- This press announcement is embargoed for general publication until 12:01 a.m. March 16. Mahalo!)
The Big Island Press Club awards its annual meritorious Torch of Light Award to Cindy Reves, Hawaii state director for the Journalism Education Association, and the Lava Tube dishonor award to former Gov. David Ige. The Torch of Light award is given to an individual or entity for illuminating the public’s right to know, while the Lava Tube dishonor is given for a lack of communication and keeping the public in the dark.
The awards are announced yearly on March 16, Freedom of Information Day, the birthday of James Madison, who was widely regarded as the father of the U.S. Constitution and the leading advocate of openness in government among our founding fathers.
In addition to the two usual acknowledgements awarded annually by the press club, there’s a special Oʻo Award this year for a journalist or public affairs representative who’s dug especially deeply and unearthed information that creates groundbreaking news.
Torch of Light
BIPC has selected Cindy Reves, Hawaii state director for the Journalism Education Association and adviser of The Pinion at McKinley High School. It took two years, but Reves, the local driving force behind a national effort to shield student journalists from censorship and advisers from consequences, was successful getting HB 1848 passed, making Hawaii the 16th state to join the student-led grassroots effort, the “New Voices Movement.”
The measure allows student journalists from the University of Hawaii and other public primary, secondary and post-secondary schools to exercise their rights under the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and freedom of the press, at their statesponsored school newspapers, without censorship from the administration, with the exception of libelous or obscene material.
“Hawaii’s student journalists need the protection this law provides because current law and policy give student journalists less First Amendment rights than other students,” Reeves said in testimony to the Legislature.
BIPC and Big Island students also submitted testimony in favor of this bill, and the new measure ensures all Hawaii schools and colleges are covered by the same First Amendment protections that professional journalists enjoy.
Reves will be presented with BIPC’s iconic torch award at the organization’s annual meeting later this year.
Lava Tube Dishonor
BIPC has once again chosen former Gov. David Ige for this dishonor for vetoing two public records bills that the Legislature passed in 2022 after two years of consideration. Ige previously won the Lava Tube in 2020.
One measure would have capped fees for access to public records, another would have required electronic audio or video recordings of public board meetings be maintained as a public record and posted.
While BIPC generally supports greater public records access for all, the club was especially concerned when Ige, in his veto message, said "agencies may be forced to prioritize responding to records requests over the agencies' primary functions."
“Again, the former governor just doesn’t get it,” said longtime journalist and BIPC Secretary Nancy Cook Lauer. “Responding to public records requests doesn’t take away from a government employee’s job. It is, in fact, part of the job.”
There were many times during the past eight years that BIPC submitted testimony reminding legislators that public records do, in fact, belong to the public.
“BIPC holds high hopes that the current Legislature is once again pushing these two bills forward,” said BIPC President Michael Phillips. “We understand that current Gov. Josh Green has said he will sign them, and, in fact, is working on ways more public records will be available online so that the public can access these records on their own in a timely fashion without assistance from government employees. We are holding him to that.”
Oʻo Award
The first-ever Oʻo Award for a journalist or public affairs representative who’s dug especially deeply and unearthed information that creates groundbreaking news is awarded to Pat Tummons, publisher of Environment Hawaii.
Tummons, in a series of articles, exposed questionable dealings in Hawaii Countyʻs Office of Housing and Community Development that ultimately led to an FBI investigation and guilty plea by former community development specialist Alan Scott Rudo to accepting almost $2 million in bribes from two Hilo attorneys and a businessman. In announcing the charges in the $11 million scheme, U.S. Attorney Clare Connors praised the reporting by Environment Hawaii that first raised red flags about Rudo's schemes and, she said, led a county employee to alert the FBI.
BIPC is adding the Oʻo award because of Tummons' exceptional work, but is also noting that this award, much like the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, will in the future be awarded only when exceptional circumstances exist.
The Big Island Press Club will hold an awards luncheon to present the awards and honor the winners. Tickets to attend this event will be available to both club members and nonmembers. As with the ongoing Newsmaker luncheons, including one in Hilo on March 25 involving the recent Mauna Loa eruption, tickets can be purchased online about a month beforehand at bigislandpressclub.org .
Previous Torch of Light Honorees
2021 Sen. Dru Mamo Kanuha
2020 James Hustace and the Waimea Community Association
2019 W.H. Shipman Ltd. President Margaret “Peggy” Farias
2018 Sue Lee Loy, Hawaii County Councilwoman
2017 Brian Black of the Civil Beat Law Center
2016 West Hawaii Today reporter Nancy Cook Lauer
2015 State Sen. Lorraine Inouye
2014 USGS HVO Scientists
2013 Mayor Billy Kenoi
2012 County Councilwoman and State Rep. Helene Hale (posthumously)
2011 State Judicial Selection Commission
2010 Hawaii County Civil Defense and other departments
2009 Legislature, Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle
2008 Les Kondo, Office of Information Practices
2007 West Hawaii Today
2006 Lillian Koller, State Department of Human Services
2005 Retired Circuit Judge Paul de Silva
2004 UH Manoa Journalism Professor Beverly Keever
2003 U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink (posthumously)
2002 Hawaii County Mayor Harry Kim
2001 Hawaii County Clerk Al Konishi
2000 Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano
1999 Jerry Rothstein and Judith Graham
1998 Environment Hawaii and Common Cause
1997 Society of Professional Journalists, Hawaii Chapter
Previous Lava Tube Dishonorees
2021 Group of 10 senators, led by Sen. Kalani English
2020 Hawaii Gov. David Ige
2019 Pohakuloa Training Area Public Affairs Officer Michael Donnelly
2018 Hawaii County Civil Defense
2017 Hawaii Office of Information Practices
2016 Former Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi
2015 State Land Board Chairwoman Suzanne Case
2014 State Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago
2013 Democratic Party House District 5 Council
2012 State Sen. Clayton Hee
2011 Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie
2010 Hawaii County Council
2009 Noelani Whittington, County Department of Public Works
2008 Mayor Harry Kim and Hawaii County Council
2007 State Board of Education
2006 Honolulu, Kauai, and Hawaii County Councils
2005 District Judge Matthew S.K. Pyun
2004 State Land Board Chairman Peter Young
2003 State Sen. Cal Kawamoto
2002 University of Hawaii Board of Regents
2001 University of Hawaii Board of Regents
2000 State Rep. Eric Hamakawa and Hawaii County Councilman James Arakaki
1999 Hawaii County Council
1998 Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano
1997 Hawaii County Councilman Elroy Osorio
Newsmaker Luncheon: Flow of Information Before, During & After Mauna Loa Eruption
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 25 Restaurant Kenichi, 684 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo
BIPC has assembled an incredible panel revolving around the flow of information before, during and after the recent eruption of Mauna Loa for its Newsmaker Luncheon. Featured on the all-star panel are Ken Hon, the scientist-in-charge of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory for USGS, Talmadge Magno, Civil Defense administrator for Hawaii County, Jessica Ferracane, public affairs specialist for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Chris Leonard, president / general manager at New West Broadcasting Corp., which operates five radio stations on the Big Island and Dane DuPont and Phil Ong, who drive the content of "Hawaii Tracker," a social media presence.
Panelists will share their insights on the recent eruption and lessons learned that can be applied for future natural disasters impacting the island.
Tickets for this event are $30 for members and $40 for non-members. The lunch includes a buffet and beverages: White Rice, Steamed Veggies, Potato-Mac Salad, Panko Furikake Salmon, Korean BBQ Beef Space is limited, so reserve now by visiting https://www.bigislandpressclub.org/collect/description/296938-p-newsmaker-luncheon-flow-ofinformation-before-during-after-mauna-loa-eruption
MEMBERS’ CORNER
Tracking the comings and goings, the kudos and events of all BIPC members. Please send news, tips, and industry gossip to nclauer@gmail.com
Changing of the guard
BIPC Vice President Tiffany Edwards Hunt has stepped down after 14 years guiding young journalists as the advisor to the University of Hawaii at Hilo's student newspaper, Ke Kalahea. Taking her place is BIPC Secretary Nancy Cook Lauer, who retired in January from her 30-year journalism career. Here, Ke Kalahea team members give Hunt a sweet sendoff at the university in March, complete with cake, streamers, balloons and pizza.
Cuddles
BIPC President Michael Phillips traveled to Australia to report on seismic activity around Vanuatu, including a recent submarine volcanic eruption which burst through to the surface last month. Intense Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle prevented that from happening, but presented a new opportunity for Phillips to report on the cyclone and its impacts on New Zealand. Unable to get to New Caledonia for his original assignment, Phillips spent a week in Brisbane , Australia’s third largest city, exploring recent flood damage there. Brisbane is also home to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where Phillips was able to feed and hold a young koala in their care.
As Seen on TV
Longtime Hawaii Tribune-Herald staff writer and BIPC Immidiate Past President John Burnett leaves the courtroom in January with attorneys and Albert Ian Schweitzer, 51, who spent 23 years behind bars for the Dana Ireland murder he didn't commit. Schweitzer was cleared by DNA evidence. Burnett, meanwhile, is fast becoming the last remaining "old guard" of the Big Island's two daily newspapers, with the resignation in early March of West Hawaii Today Editor Chelsea Jensen. Plenty of job openings for West Hawaii journalists!
Scholarship applications sought
Know a college or high school student with Big Island ties majoring in journalism or related field? It's time to submit applications for BIPC scholarships! Stay tuned for details about our scholarship dinner, likely to be held in May 2023.
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, journalist, meteorologist, Weather Channel <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 reporter for West Hawaii Today, blogger www.allhawaiinews.com <nclauer@gmail.com>
Director: Ross Wilson, PR, Current Events <rossw@current-events.com>
Director: Royelen Lee Boykie, exploring opportunities to serve The Big Island <Royelen@bigislandpressclub.org>
Director: Patsy Iwasaki, professor, University of Hawaii-Hilo <piwasaki@hawaii.edu>
Director: Nate Gaddis, former journalist, real estate agent, <nategaddis@gmail.com>
Immediate Past President: John Burnett, journalist, Tribune-Herald <jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com>
