Hawaii SPJ Excellence in Journalism Awards


June 29, 2012

Manoa Grand Ballroom

2454 S. Beretania St. #510

Honolulu, HI

For information, call Stirling Morita at 347-0388 or online at www.hawaiispj.org

The Hawaii Chapter SPJ contest was judged by the Greater Oregon Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

ALL MEDIA

Column Writing/News

First

"Columns on Hawaii Open Records Law"

John Temple

Honolulu Civil Beat

Finalists

"The mayoral race is on and we’ve already come out ahead"                           "BOARD TALK"

Reed Flickinger                                                                                           Teresa Dawson

West Hawaii Today                                                                                      Environment Hawai'i

Column Writing/Features or Sports

FIRST

"Dining"

John Heckathorn

Honolulu Magazine

Judge’s Comments: John Heckathorn brings readers along to a food truck rally and a King Street sushi bar. He lets us taste kalbi quesadilla and grilled musubi. And he brings us to meet island food legends like Sam Choy and Roy Yamaguchi. His beat – food – is one we're all familiar with. But his skill and expertise gives us newfound reason to savor it.

Government Reporting

FIRST

"Taken for a Ride"

Katherine Poythress, Michael Levine

Honolulu Civil Beat

Judge’s Comments: "With surgical, devastating precision, Honolulu Civil Beat peeled apart a soaring budget line item to get at the disturbing truth of bus companies who've mysteriously decided to no longer compete -- at great cost to the state's public education. This reads like a crime story, lacking only an actual indictment."

Finalists

A "The Death of Public Schools: 10 Years Later"                                 B"$7 Billion Short and Growing"

Michael Keany, Tiffany Hill, Aimee Harris                                             Dennis Hollier

Honolulu Magazine                                                                                Hawaii Business

A Comments: The latest installment of Honolulu Magazine's yearly school-review issue starts slowly with what seems like very comprehensive but standard-looking comparison charts of school performance. Then it blossoms suddenly into an authoritative analysis of the ways in which the school system has tweaked things to show better results -- when in reality nothing has changed. Impressive.

B Comments: "Stories about public employee retirement systems with massive unfunded liabilities are all too common these days. This piece by Hawaii Business stands out as exceedingly clear-minded, well written and researched -- showing along the way that things may be even worse than we're being told."

Category comments: The number and quality of the submissions in this category bode well for the state of journalism in Hawaii. There were numerous excellent pieces, ranging from investigative articles to explanatory news features, that easily could have placed higher in another year. If honorable mentions were possible, they'd go to: Maui Housing Project in Disarray by Hawaii Reporter The Onishi curve by West Hawaii Today"

Breaking News Reporting

First

"Hawaii Tsunami"

Staff

Honolulu Civil Beat

Finalists

"Aloun Farms Trial"                                                                            "Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Hilo"

Sara Lin, Nanea Kalani                                                                        Michael Pankowski

Honolulu Civil Beat                                                                              Ke Kalahea

Health Reporting

First

"Intense Storm Made Waste Spill Unavoidable, Waimanalo Gulch Manager Tells Commission"

Teresa Dawson

Environment Hawai'i

Judge’s Comments: "It's a complex story and rife with technicalities, but this story made the issues at hand easy to understand, along with the concerns, drama and outrage surrounding this incident - good work!"

Finalists

A "Hawaii Public Kept in Dark about Hospital Infections"                            "Spill at Waimanalo Gulch Landfill"

Sophie Cocke                                                                                            Michael Levine, Adrienne LaFrance

Honolulu Civil Beat                                                                                    Honolulu Civil Beat

A Comments: "An important topic clearly written to help people feel the imperative behind the issue. Great quotes, solid information presentation and a great read. Good work!"

B Comments: "Incredibly comprehensive piece - great work. Only thing holding it back was that a reader could get lost in the myriad details that, while indicative of the situation and have value, they can sometimes cloud the focus for the reader. Overall, really great work and you should be commended for your tremendous effort

Sports Reporting

First

"Legend for a Day"

Dana Edmunds, Derek Ferrar, Staff

Hana Hou!

Judge’s Comments: "The reporter's chance to compete in a sport he loves alongside his idols - and managing not to break his neck - made for an engaging story. He had fun competing, he had fun writing and the reader has fun reading this story, which does an excellent job of conveying a strong sense of place and community."

Finalists

A "Governor Abercrombie Takes on the Pro Bowl"                             B "End of an era: Planos’ long affiliation with Kapalua

Chad Blair, Robert Brown                                                                      golf concludes today"

Honolulu Civil Beat                                                                               Robert Collias

                                                                                                           Maui News

A Comments: "What looked to be a routine news conference about the Pro Bowl turned into a controversy and a breaking news story when the governor said this sporting event might not be all it's cracked up to be. Good reporting, analysis and involvement of the community through interviewing the right people and allowing the readers to make some excellent comments.

B Comments: "Nice job of profiling an important figure in the community who established a sporting event that has grown - and now may be in decline."

Category Comments: "This was a tough field. The stories all conveyed the amazing range of sports available in Hawaii and the interesting people who participate in them."

Arts/Entertainment Reporting

First

"Tale of Two Kumu"

Liza Simon, Jack Wolford, Staff

Hana Hou!

Finalists

A "Herb Kawainui Kane: A Last Visit"                                                B "Cha Cha Cha Boom"

Derek Paiva, John Heckathorn, Mae Ariola, David Croxford,                     Shannon Wainecki, Staff

Jayson Harper                                                                                        Hana Hou!

HAWAI'I Magazine

Category Comments: "This competition was filled with some really great entries, and it was hard to decide who was the best. Hawaii's rich culture offered up so much great material that all the articles were interesting and fun to read. The winners exhibited truly exceptional writing and insight into their subjects."

Editorial Opinion

First

"Hakalau Needs to Keep Eyes on the Prize"

Patricia Tummons

Environment Hawai'i

Finalists

A "Tuna Are in Trouble, With No Help in Sight"                                         B "Did City Mislead Public About Rail's Impact on

Patricia Tummons                                                                                          Congestion?"

Environment Hawai'i                                                                                      Civil Beat Editorial Board

                                                                                                                     Honolulu Civil Beat

Category Comments: "The best were clearly written, well-researched and full of detail. They rose easily to the top."

Editorial Cartoon/Illustration

First

"Pritchett's Pen: Discovery Space Shuttle Joins Cash for Clunkers Program"

John Pritchett

Hawaii Reporter

Judge’s Comments: "Artist did a stellar job highlighting the plight of the space program, and comparing that to other federal budget priorities."

Finalists

A "The Digital Divide"                                                                         B "A sobering statistic"

Andrew J. Catanzariti                                                                              Gary Hoff

Hawaii Business                                                                                       Hawaii Tribune-Herald

A Comments: "Creative illustrations helped move the reader along the story."

B Comments: "A nice approach to a serious subject"

Informational Graphic

First

"Women and Money"

Jen Tadaki Catanzariti

Hawaii Business

Judge’s Comments: "Great Design"

Finalists

A "Hawaii 2011: Our Quality of Life"                                              B "Living Green"

Jen Tadaki Catanzariti                                                                   Nelson Gaspar, Ke‘alapualoke Hook

Hawaii Business                                                                            Ka Wai Ola

Judge’s Comments: "Best Presentation of Data."

News Photography

First

"Tsunami"

Chelsea Jensen

West Hawaii Today

Finalists

"APEC 2011 Hawaii - Nov. 7 - By John Hook"                                   "Papaya fields destroyed"

John Hook                                                                                        John Burnett

Honolulu Civil Beat                                                                           Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Feature Photography

First

"FACES OF SUGAR"

Matthew Thayer

Maui News

Finalists

"Parting Shot: Greasing the Gears"                                                          "Father Forges On & Fight Club"

Twain Newhart                                                                                     Diane Ako, Tracy Arakaki

Hawaii Business                                                                                    Star-Advertiser.com

Sports Photography

First

"Three for the show"

Matthew Thayer

Maui News

Judge’s Comments: "Strong, emotional reaction shot sets this entry apart

Finalist

"Champions Skins"

Matthew Thayer

Maui News

Photo Essay

First

"FACES OF SUGAR"

Matthew Thayer

Maui News

Judge’s Comments: "This piece required real digging and shoe-leather. The pay-off was stunning shots like the 4 a.m. picture of the crane operator checking his watch, the orange sky blazing in the background. Kudos to the photographer for taking the time to capture the faces of hard-working people who would otherwise toil in anonymity. This is what journalism is all about."

Finalists

A "Faces of Pearl Harbor"                                                               B "APEC 2011 Hawaii — Protests by John Hook"

Derek Paiva, Maureen O'Connell, Mae Ariola, David                            John Hook

Croxford, Mark Arbeit, Jayson Harper                                                 Honolulu Civil Beat

HAWAI'I Magazine

A Comments: "The beauty of these portraits should be commended. The photographers really flexed their visual muscles on this one. This essay displayed first-rate lighting, composition and editing."

B Comments: "The photographer did an excellent job capturing the spirit of the protests. His photographer's eye captured great detail shots like a woman's weathered hand on a fence, stunning big-picture shots like those of the arrests outside the palace (great lighting) and the wonderful portrait of the Falun Dafa protester."

Category Comments: "It was hard to rank the top three photo essays. The quality was such that they could be interchangeable. Their different styles also made them hard to compare to to each other. The first photo was more of a classic in-depth journalism piece, the second was more of a magazine-style essay and the third was a breaking news photo essay. Each excelled within their respective styles. The journalistic effort required to put together the sugar cane essay ultimately swayed me. Such projects take time to execute, because you need to earn the trust of people who are not seeking the spotlight. Then you need to live life with them, and have the journalistic instinct to capture the right shots. "

Headlines

First

"Rubbah Soul"

David Thompson, Elyse Butler

Hana Hou!

Judge’s Comments: "Clever headline that perfectly leads the reader into an excellent story. Well done!"

Finalists

A "Into the Wild Blue Yonder, Where the Boys Are,                                    B "Best in Joe"

The Ditch is Back, It's Easy Being Green, Puff Daddies"                                  Adrienne LaFrance, Matt Malams, Staff

Derek Paiva, Maureen O'Connell, Mae Ariola, Jayson Harper                           Hana Hou!

HAWAI'I Magazine

A Comments: "These were all well-written and clever headlines--very attention getting. My favorite was Puff Daddies!"

B Comments: "A creative play on words--short but beautifully to the point."

Category Comments: "I am impressed with all the headlines and especially with the quality of the writing in the stories that go along with the headlines."

Best Reporting Using Social Media

First

"Tsunami"

Staff

Honolulu Civil Beat

Judge’s Comments: "This series was really well written and placed me in the center of the action, as it was meant to do."

Special Section

First

"Hawaii 2011: Our Quality of Life"

Beverly Creamer, Steve Petranik, Jen Tadaki Catanzariti

Hawaii Business

Judge’s Comments: "Stuffed with information that readers will come back to again and again.

Took what could have been a dull report and transformed it into useful, accessible graphics that both catch and keep the eye. Articles stay brief and all answer the question ""What does this mean for me? Tremendous work."

Finalists

A Celebrate Hula: A Guide to the 48th Annual Merrie                                   B "Best Places to Work 2011"

Monarch Festival"                                                                                         Beverly Creamer, Shara Enay, Steve

Meg Scarbrough, Peter Sur, David Bock, William Ing                                      Petranik, Jen Tadaki Catanzariti

Hawaii Tribune-Herald                                                                                  Hawaii Business

A Comments: "Incredibly well organized. The most important need to know info is easily accessible up front. Stories are easy to follow across jumps. Terrific photography. Loved the nine-picture how-to glossary page."

B Comments: "The one main article offers tremendous information, but I would have liked to have seen it broken up throughout the issue. It didn't necessarily have to read as one article, and would have created easier access for readers in bite-sized pieces. Short company profiles are well done. Good use of color. Cover could have used more imagination."

Investigative Reporting

First

"Scammed In Laos, Trapped in America"

Jim Dooley, Malia Zimmerman

Hawaii Reporter

Judge’s Comments: "Amazing series that captured the eye of the U.S., EPA and U.S. Department of Labor into some serious human rights abuses. A noteworthy effort to get the tough interviews, crossing language and cultural boundaries to do it. These stories are compelling, sad and shocking."

Finalists

A "Maui Affordable Housing Project In Disarray"                                        B "Taken for a Ride"

Jim Dooley                                                                                                   Katherine Poythress, Michael Levine

Hawaii Reporter                                                                                            Honolulu Civil Beat

A Comments: "Great exposure to a specific problem that triggered response from state officials to fix the problem, the ouster of the private management company and a state audit that confirmed the Hawaii Reporter's findings."

B Comments: "Pretty dramatic -- that Hawaii is spending twice the national average on school bus costs-- all the while cutting classroom spending."

Category Comments: "It was very hard not to find a place for ‘Seeking Justice’ by the Hawaii Reporter and the ‘Air Force Investigation’ by Maui News. Both were solid pieces of journalism that highlighted some major problems... Ultimately, the top three were able to uncover a specific problem, report it clearly and fairly, and in some cases, effect change. I'm particularly impressed by the great lengths the Hawaii Reporter went to to complete the Laos series."

Public Service Reporting

First

"Taken for a Ride"

Katherine Poythress, Michael Levine, John Temple, Civil Beat Editorial Board

Honolulu Civil Beat

Judge’s Comments: "Excellent set up of why this matters, also clearly this is a story that wouldn't have happened without enterprise reporting. I appreciated the way supporting stories were structured and presented - each serving a specific supporting purpose to the main, well narrated story."

Finalists

A "$7 Billion Short and Growing"                                                     B "Nonprofit's 'frugal' ways questioned by residents"

Dennis Hollier                                                                                     Ilima Loomis

Hawaii Business                                                                                  Maui News

A Comments: "Great job explaining a complicated subject in easy to follow detail."

B Comments: "Compelling set-up, even full of numbers. Strong narrative; allowed for detail to be absorbed. Got a little heavy on the charity's point of view, but reasonable considering they are under question. Packed a lot into the piece; glad you chose to keep it contained."

Category Comments: "This collection of entries was tough to judge! Clearly the desire to dig into local issues and explain them in a way worthy of readers attention is alive and well in Hawaii. My first choice stood out because it was layered, detailed yet well narrated, and remembered to clearly and strongly address why this story is important - showing concentric rings of impact. My three top selections stood out from the others because of clear writing and a good sense of societal impact. Other entries, while strong on story selection and admirable in enterprise zeal, ended up either too detailed, with unclear impact, or lost in a challenging narrative. I wanted to add this in particular to Honolulu Civil Beat: I like and appreciate your clear value on public accountability and your creative and transparent work. And this note to the author of the Laos immigrant series: Really good topic, casting light on an important subject. However, the series became somewhat repetitive, and the writing didn't smoothly stitch the story together. Also, some key elements were missing: HOW did the worker in the first story leave the farm and connect with a helpful Thai family? It would have been nice to have other sources in addition to the one lawyer. I applaud you for digging into an important human and policy story that is very difficult to accurately report. I encourage you to keep at it, but add broader context, back up what you say with how you know it, and tie up all the details to solidify your story."

DAILY NEWSPAPER

Spot News Reporting

First Place

"Goal peaceful resolve; negotiations 'ongoing'"

Lila Fujimoto, Melissa Tanji, Chris Hamilton

Maui News

Judge’s Comments: "Reporter Lila Fujimoto took me right along with her as she covered this breaking news story. She established the severity of the situation, then interviewed neighbors, a shelter worker and others and added her own keen observations. Her descriptive details made me feel like I was tagging along and her juxtaposition of the normal daily business occurring just a street away brought the story alive."

Finalists

A "Zip line accident proves fatal"                                                     B "Tsunami destroys homes along Kealakekua Bay"

Colin Stewart                                                                                     Chelsea Jensen

Hawaii Tribune-Herald                                                                       West Hawaii Today

A Comments: "Reporter Colin Stewart explored many avenues trying to get to the bottom of this story. He quoted several sources and also investigated the company to provide some background, giving us a more rounded story."

B Comments: "Reporter Chelsea Jensen used several sources and her own observations to describe the devastating effects of the tsunami, and kept the story brief and informative."

General News/Enterprise Reporting

First

"Shattered paradise"

John Burnett

Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Judge’s Comments: "Good use of various sources. Interesting story told in many voices."

Finalists

A "The price of dropping out"                                                          B "'Old School' - Treacherous trek a walk back in time"

Colin Stewart                                                                                 Ilima Loomis

Hawaii Tribune-Herald                                                                   Maui News

A Comments: "Important story told well from many viewpoints. Especially appreciate the supporting story about particular cases."

B Comments: "Interesting story; the reporter describes his/her technique well in supporting statement."

Feature Writing/Short Form

First

"Homeless in Hawaii"

Nancy Cook Lauer

West Hawaii Today

Finalists

"FACES OF SUGAR"                                                                        "Haunted by past"

Matthew Thayer                                                                                John Burnett

Maui News                                                                                        Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Feature Writing/Long Form

First

"Mission trip transforming for patients and teenagers"

Harry Eagar

Maui News

Judge’s Comments: "Pleasantly surprised; stories about people going overseas on medical assistance missions are local news staples, but this brought the characters and context alive. Particularly strong writing at the open.

Finalists

A "A few words with W.S. Merwin"                                             B "What do Maui's hoteliers do for fun on and off their jobs?"

Rick Chatenever                                                                            Carla Tracy

Maui News                                                                                    Maui News

A Comments: "Lovely portrait of a person I am now glad to know about. Enjoyed the narrative, excellent pacing."

B Comments: "A few over-enthusiastic moments in writing; however a surprisingly engaging piece given the constraints of the subject matter. Hulu mom section particularly well paced."

Category Comments: "A clear divide between promotional and straight features writing. The winning entries rose to the top due to context and narrative."

Feature Page Design

First

"Fit to a T"

Jacquelyn Carberry

Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Judge’s Comments: "Found this to be a really interesting way to go, which could've turned out in a bad way. Fortunately, it was done very well and caught my eye, even though there was little color in it to make it jump off the page."

Finalists

A "Scrabble is the word"                                                                         B "Living art"

Randy Wrighthouse                                                                                    Brenda Jensen

West Hawaii Today                                                                                    West Hawaii Today

A Comments: "Using the Scrabble tiles for a headline was an obvious way to go, but it was done well. I also liked the three other random letters around the copy and the picture."

B Comments: "I liked the green grass effect of the words of ‘Living Art.’ When I first looked at it, it was hard to determine what the seahorse was made of. I would've liked to have seen some more elements added to this page."

INTERNET

Online News Reporting

First

"Scammed In Laos, Trapped in America"

Malia Zimmerman, Jim Dooley

Hawaii Reporter

Finalists

"Aloun Farms Trial"                                                                       "New Peeping Tom Allegations Against Ex-Cop"

Sara Lin, Nanea Kalani                                                                  Jim Dooley

Honolulu Civil Beat                                                                        Hawaii Reporter

Online Feature Writing

First

"A Lost Child of Kalaupapa"

Alia Wong

Honolulu Civil Beat

Judge’s Comments: "There was a lot of care put into this piece. Great work."

Finalist

"Saving Hawaii's Rarest Orchid"

Jon Letman

Honolulu Civil Beat

Judge’s Comments: "I learned a lot from your work. Thank you."

Best Multimedia Presentation

First Place

"APEC 2011 Hawaii"

Diane Lee, Chad Blair

Honolulu Civil Beat

Judge’s Comments: "Great job documenting the rarely discussed ""nitty gritty"" that goes into putting on a conference like APEC. My only question about the coverage: Where did all those folks living in disbanded homeless camps end up?"

Best Overall News Site

First Place

Honolulu Civil Beat

Staff

Honolulu Civil Beat

Finalists

"Hawaii 24/7 | Hawaii247.com"                                                         "hawaiimagazine.com"

Baron Sekiya, Karin Stanton                                                             Derek Paiva, Maureen O'Connell

Hawaii 24/7                                                                                     HAWAI'I Magazine

Category Comments: "I actually found Hawaii Reporter's stories to be the most in-depth and engaging, but their two submissions only gave me a sense of those two stories, not of the site as a whole--so I didn't feel I could call it a Best News Site winner. I applaud the Civil Beat's use of multimedia and the organization's understanding that the Web is a dynamic medium where images and video reign supreme. Hawaii 24/7's coverage of weather was innovative."

Best News Site (1-person produced)

First Place

"All Hawaii News"

Nancy Cook Lauer

All Hawaii News

Best Website Design

First Place

"Hawaii 24/7 | Hawaii247.com"

Baron Sekiya, Karin Stanton

Hawaii 24/7

Finalist

"www.hawaiireporter.com

Malia Zimmerman

Hawaii Reporter

Category Comments: "Simplicity and clean design gave Hawaii 24/7 an edge in this competition. All entrants could benefit from more intra-site linking to other relevant content, especially on breaking news. "

MAGAZINES

Business Reporting

First Place

"Art to Art: Anatomy of a Merger"

Lavonne Leong

Honolulu Magazine

Judge’s Comments: "Honolulu Magazine did a lively job of illuminating a unique situation. It covered the pitfalls, reasons and potential outcomes while answering all the big questions. This story could easily be featured in the arts, business, community or nonprofit sections. Well done."

Finalists

A "Not Made in Hawaii"                                                                 B "Local Experts Offer Good Advice for Small Company"

Shara Enay                                                                                    Shara Enay

Hawaii Business                                                                             Hawaii Business

A Comments: "A fun story with wide appeal here on the mainland."

B Comments: "The unique presentation was nicely done and covers many of the key challenges faced by small business. I was rooting for WTE."

Industry or Trade Reporting

First Place

"The Aquapodyssey"

Michael Shapiro, Monte Costa, Staff

Hana Hou!

Judge’s Comments: "A practiced hand makes light work of an interesting trend. Terrific writing engages the reader from start to finish. Funny, informative and a breeze to read."

Finalists

"Risky Business"                                                                         "Bigeye Tuna Population Faces Jeopardy

Liza Simon, Dana Edmunds, Staff                                                  As International Organization Fails to Act"

Hana Hou!                                                                                    Patricia Tummons

                                                                                                    Environment Hawai'i

Honorable Mention: Revised Turtle Restrictions.

Profile

First

"The Unknown Cetacean"

Sheila Sarhangi

Hana Hou!

Judge’s Comments: "This is by far the most thorough and easy to read story in the competition. Well-researched, well-written, a triumph."

Finalists

A "Coqui Frog Pests In Hawaii"                                                    B "Ahead of the Game"

Sheila Sarhangi                                                                            Julia Steele, Dana Edmunds, Staff"

Honolulu Magazine                                                                      Hana Hou!

A Comments: "Total Frog Domination. Excellent piece, great style of writing."

B Comments: "Very smooth lead in, nice transition to the ambulance."

Feature Writing/Short Form

First Place

"Voice of the Bus"

Michael Keany

Honolulu Magazine

Finalists

"Spiritual Path" "Kitchen of dreams"

Derek Paiva, Maureen O'Connell, Mae Ariola, David Croxford, Naomi Sodetani, John Matsuzaki

Jayson Harper Ka Wai Ola

HAWAI'I Magazine

Feature Writing/Long Form

First

"Toxic Waste in Paradise"

Dennis Hollier

Hawaii Business

Finalists

"The Last Days of Club Hubba Hubba" "Georgia and Patricia"

Charles Memminger Julia Steele, Staff

Honolulu Magazine Hana Hou!

Page Design

First

"Book of Fortunes"

Stu Dawrs, Elyse Butler, Matt Mallams, Staff"

Hana Hou!

Judge’s Comments: "Wonderful illustration, clean layout made this a winner."

Finalists

A "Evolution of the Hawaii Food Truck"                                           B "Hawaii's Most Profitable Companies"

Derek Paiva, John Heckathorn, Mae Ariola, David Croxford,             Jen Tadaki Catanzariti

Chuco Townsend, Jayson Harper                                                     Hawaii Business

HAWAI'I Magazine

A Comments: "Crowded yet creative, this frenzied page displays the ‘form follows function’ rule by giving us a taste of what it's like at a food cart."

B Comments: "Informative and clean. Designer didn't try to make the story about design, let the information tell the story and got out of the way."

Magazine Cover

First

"Huakai Magazine Cover"

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi, Mae Ariola, Hiroyo de la Cuba, Yoshiko Churma, Hiromi Nagatsuka

Huakai

Judge’s Comments: "This is a gorgeous cover featuring beautiful artwork. What separates this cover from its competitors is the subtlety and simplicity in its design. Text is used in moderation to allow the image to have impact. The faux-aged appearance of this cover is all complimentary, and the designer paid a lot of attention to detail in getting details right. Font selection is appropriately varied and the colors chosen for the fonts are interesting subtle matches for the colors used in the artwork. Alltogether, this is the most interesting and original cover in this category, and their is no aspect of it that does not show a masterful understanding of fonts, layout, design and color."

Finalist

"The Maori and Kanaka Maoli connection"

John De Mello, John Matsuzaki

Ka Wai Ola

Judge’s Comments: "This cover is anchored by its strong story-telling image. The designer was also smart in choosing to use a minimum amount of text on the cover. The magazines title is also much better designed than other competitors in the field. However, font choice does slightly distract from the image and the size of both the magazines name and the word ""Connection"" means that even without a lot of text this cover is still dominated by words. Ideally design should highlight an image as strong as this not hide it."

Category Comments: "There were some truly exceptional covers in this category. In particular, the cover images were often very strong, likely because of the natural beauty of the Hawaiian Islands. However, the most outstanding covers in this competition were actually the ones that chose to feature more original material. With so many entrants featuring beautiful landscapes it was actually the ones that chose to go another direction that showed the most inspired design."

NEWSPAPERS

Business Reporting

First

"As Oil Prices Fluctuate, Matson Hasn't Reduced Oil Surcharge, Investigation Shows"

Malia Zimmerman

Hawaii Reporter

Judge’s Comments: "Excellent job of identifying an issue. Regulators should take note."

Finalist

"A&B Inc. announces split"

Harry Eagar

Maui News

Judge’s Comments: "Terrific job on a breaking business news story."

Category Comments: "Fascinating that both entries focus on Matson/A&B. What a fascinating company."

News Page Design

First

"Front page"

Randy Wrighthouse

West Hawaii Today

Judge’s Comments: "Provides excellent visual understanding of how and where the route would be changed. Use of photos shows planning, forethought. Interesting teaser image above masthead."

Finalists

A "A changed America"                                                                B "Front page"

Meg Scarbrough                                                                           Randy Wrighthouse

Hawaii Tribune-Herald                                                                 West Hawaii Today

A Comments: "Clean, good use of space. Excellent pullquote placement and design. More effort should have been made to use a local photo as the secondary image, rather than two wire photos focusing on New York."

B Comments: "Good second-day headlines and consideration for the fold, but was too much space used for design and photos? I understand the hotel may be critical to the local economy, but was it really the most important news of the day? Hundreds dead in Japan is relegated to a one-column head. Still good work."

Category Comments: "West Hawaii Today benefits from different creative approaches and a flexibility with the colors and placement of the masthead. Conversely, the set colors of Hawaii-Tribune's masthead work against it. Notice how the deep blue mast works so well against the snow photo. The artificial neon green in the Tribune-Herald is impossible to match or balance with colors in a photo, often overpowering the page. I recognize the mast is often out of the designer's hand, and I did not count it against them, but I offer it as food for thought."

NONDAILY NEWSPAPER

General News/Enterprise Reporting

First

"The Co-branded Kingdoms: Disney’s Hawai‘i-themed resort awakens local hopes and dreams"

Matthew Kain, Mindy Pennybacker, Shantel Grace, Ashley Angello, Joe Edmon

Honolulu Weekly

Judge’s Comments: "A nicely presented story with colorful art that delved into underlying issues regarding the Disney resort's location. Writer Matthew Kain explored the topic well in what could have been a superficial story, but should be careful not to insert his opinion in a main news story, though the sidebars with his comments were appropriate and interesting."

Finalists

A "Operation Ooh-rah Kids deploys"                                               B "'Spam Czar' sends care packages to K-Bay Marines"

Christine Cabalo                                                                            Christine Cabalo

Hawaii Marine                                                                               Hawaii Marine

A Comments: "Excellent art to illustrate a positive, feel-good story. Reporter Christine Cabalo took us to the event through her writing and photos."

B Comments: "Interesting story about what motivates people to send packages to troops. Love the Spam angle too!"

Feature Writing

First

"Graffiti for Good"

Joe Udell

Hawai'i Herald

Judge’s Comments: "The reporter masterfully connects a topic of global concern to current local issues and history through the lens of an artist. He threads together a number of interviews, being thorough while also being careful about making every quote count."

Finalists

"Meet the Chefs: From nine Honolulu women on and off the hot line, what’s it like and why did you leave?"

Martha Cheng, Mindy Pennybacker, Shantel Grace, Ashley Angello, Joe Edmon

Honolulu Weekly

Judge’s Comments: "The reporter takes the initiative to dig into a story based on one question: where are all the women in the restaurant kitchen? After finding good sources and exploring this question, the reporter gives a varied answer, avoiding stereotyping, and shows us the stories of a number of different women."

"Molokai Salt Goes Global—Two entrepreneurs find ways to commercialize traditional pa‘akai"

Christopher Pala, Mindy Pennybacker, Shantel Grace, Ashley Angello, Joe Edmon

Honolulu Weekly

Judge’s Comments: "The reporter found a unique and interesting story in the life of a sea salt producer. The story evokes local pride, while also making the reader crave a taste of this special sea salt. "

Category Comments: "This was very a interesting thing in which to participate. I have never been to Hawaii, so the articles gave me 10 small snapshots of what life is like in Hawaii. There was a lot of great, thoughtful reporting in this category. The selections were all very different, making it difficult to pick a favorite!"

Community Reporting

First

"Graffiti for Good"

Joe Udell

The Hawai'i Herald

Finalists

"Hawaii Survival Guide: The Lazy Guy’s guide to staying alive in paradise"

Don Wallace, Mindy Pennybacker, Shantel Grace, Ashley Angello, Joe Edmon

Honolulu Weekly

"Memorials—Is there space for all our public displays of grief?"

Curt Sanburn, Mindy Pennybacker, Shantel Grace, Ashley Angello

Honolulu Weekly

RADIO

General News/Enterprise Reporting

First

"MEDS"

Wayne Yoshioka

Hawaii Public Radio

Judge’s Comments: "Strongly reported. Good localization of a nationwide story."

Finalist

"Hawaii's 'Big Wind' Power Project Stirs Up Fans, Foes"

Ben Markus

Hawaii Public Radio

Judge’s Comments: "Good mix of sound, well reported with divergent viewpoints of an important topic."

Feature Reporting

First

"Residents Challenge Maui's Strict Dancing Rules"

Ben Markus

Hawaii Public Radio

Judge’s Comments: "Good information here. Mixed in a little bit of fun to a serious story with the Footloose references. Sounded very conversational and was interesting."

Finalist

"DEBR1 and DEBR2"

Wayne Yoshioka

Hawaii Public Radio

Judge’s Comments: "Lots of good information here, but the reporter sounded a bit robotic or automated.

Category Comments: "There were two really solid pieces here. Both had a lot of good information. It was difficult to choose between the two."

STUDENT

Student Journalism in Any Media

First

"The Price of Beauty"

Janel Lubanski

Hawaii Business

Judge’s Comments: "Nicely done: interesting story, excellent layout, good sources, helpful information."

Finalists

"Employers say: ‘Some of my best workers are ex-cons’"

Janel Lubanski

Hawaii Business

Judge’s Comments: "Especially interesting human interest stories."

"Using Marginal Land to Grow Fish and Plants"

Janel Lubanski

Hawaii Business

Judge’s Comments: "Good story with great layout: wish the story had more substance, though."

TELEVISION

Government Reporting

First

"Abercrombie: Civil unions law ‘the essence of the aloha spirit’"

Gina Mangieri

KHON2 News

Finalist

"Maui's Agriculture Inspection Facility"

Marisa Yamane, Greg Lau, Terry Sagawa

KHON2 News

General News/Enterprise Reporting

First

"Parents track down stolen bags using GPS"

Gina Mangieri, Greg Lau

KHON2 News

Finalists

"Pearl Harbor Shipmates Reunited"                                                                 "Devastation hits Kealakekua Bay"

Marisa Yamane, Taires Hiranaka                                                                    Brianne Randle, Justin Kanno

KHON2 News                                                                                               KHON2 News

Feature Reporting

First

"Mystery of a ring lost more than 50 years ago is solved"

Gina Mangieri

KHON2 News

Judge’s Comments: "I liked how the beginning was foreboding - you kind of knew that the owner would be deceased, but you couldn't have guessed the circumstances. The reporter segued nicely into a historical perspective of the high school experience, using the most research I've seen of any other pieces in this competition. Finally giving the son a memento of happier days for his mother, tragically taken from him much too early, was this story's crowning achievement. This story successfully took in three strains of plot that could have stood on their own and combined them into a completely poignant story of chance, tragedy and happier memories for a son without his mother."

Finalists

A "Hundreds of Marines & Sailors return just in time for Thanksgiving"             B "Inspirational Paddleboarder"

Olena Heu, Tai Hironaka                                                                               Marisa Yamane, Taires Hiranaka

KHON2 News                                                                                              KHON2 News

A Comments: "Hundreds of Marines & Sailors return just in time for Thanksgiving The reporter showed a good nose for finding the best stories amidst hundreds of people. I especially enjoyed Amy Upchurch talking about her husband Thomas meeting his daughter America for the first time. Could you catch a more poignant story of patriotism and reunion than that? To top it off, the reporter catches the exact moment Upchirch first sees her husband's plane coming and announces "look there's daddy." That story displayed a great knack for timing and searching out the best story in the midst of hundreds of people. To top it off, the reporter catches the father meeting his daughter for the first time. It's beautiful."

B Comments: "I love how the reporter slowly builds the anticipation, Mark so far being just another paddle boarder. Then boom; he comes wheeling out of the ocean on a wheel chair. Once again, this is a great example of culling the best story from a large event, also using Mark to inspire the audience to greater things."

Category Comments: "I was impressed with the story-telling. The entries that caught me the most were the ones in which the reporter researched and drug out a much larger story from a small object or culled the best human interest story from among hundreds of people. The best entries also had a theme that connects with the most people, whether it be remembrances of a lost parent, a reunion of a family or a person overcoming life-altering difficulties to accomplish something amazing."

Spot News Reporting

First

KITV4 News 2011 Tsunami Coverage

KITV4 News Staff

KITV4 News

Finalists

"APEC Security Restrictions"                                                "H1 Freeway cement truck crash causes chain reaction for hours"

Taires Hiranaka, Marisa Yamane                                           Brianne Randle, Greg Lau

KHON2 News                                                                      KHON2 News

Category Comments: "Congratulations Hawaii journalists! All of the entries demonstrated superior work. But I liked the indepth tsunami coverage the most, especially the sum up at the end with the musical overlay,"

Videography

First

"Fight Club"

Diane Ako, Tracy Arakaki

Staradvertiser.com

Judge’s Comments: "Excellent editing and storytelling about fascinating people who have come together into a fascinating community".

Finalist

"Pearl Harbor Shipmates Reunited"

Taires Hiranaka

KHON2 News

Judge’s Comments: "A touching story that hits all the right notes."

Series Reporting/Documentary/Special News Program

First

"Japan’s Recovery: Stories of Hope, Stories of Resilience"

Ron Mizutani, Greg Lau

KHON2 News

Finalists

"Hawaii Investigates with Matt Levi: Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility"

Matt Levi, Malia Zimmerman

Hawaii Reporter

"Kokoro: Hearts Across the Pacific"

Lara Yamada, Rex Von Arnswaldt, Rich Fewell

KITV

Judge’s Comments: "KHON's reporting stood out from the rest, both in its breadth of coverage and its depth of emotional impact. Using terrific visuals and strong writing, the station displayed the best of local television journalism."