2008 Excellence in Journalism Awards
June 26, 2009
at Dole Ballrooms

For text list of winners, click here

Robbie Dingeman of the Honolulu Advertiser and Keoki Kerr of KITV emcee the event

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Entries were judged by the Greater Oregon and Chincinnati chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Awards video for Daily Newspapers
Awards video for Magazines
Awards video for Nondaily Newspapers
Awards video for Online
Awards video for Open Print
Awards video for Radio
Awards video for Television

DAILY NEWSPAPERS
D1 Business Reporting

First Place
Honolulu Advertiser Staff
"Aloha Airlines"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: Coverage of the Aloha Airlines bankruptcy and dissolution was the best of two competing packages. Very thorough.

Finalist
Jaymes Song
"Banking on Hawaii"
The Associated Press

Finalist
Rick Daysog
"Critics slam CEO Cole on Maui Land & Pine downsizing"
The Honolulu Advertiser

D2 Spot News Reporting

First Place
Staff
"Blackout Edition"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Comments: When a newspaper is affected by the news, its dedicated staff hits the streets and brings hme the story.

Finalist
Honolulu Advertiser Staff
"Aloha Airlines: Sudden Departure"
The Honolulu Advertiser

Finalist
Mary Vorsino, Dan Nakaso, William Cole
"Rescue line problem cited before crash"
The Honolulu Advertiser

D3 General News/Enterprise Reporting

First Place
Honolulu Advertiser Staff
"Child tossed from freeway overpass"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: The judges thought this was an impressive "swarm" by the Advertiser staff that did everything well.

Finalist
Will Hoover
"Obama Slept Here"
The Honolulu Advertiser

Finalist
Ferd Lewis
"University of Hawaii Bowl Travel List"
The Honolulu Advertiser

D4 Feature Writing/Short Form

First Place
Jim Borg
"The Real Indy"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Comments; The judges thought this story was interesting from beginning to end. Great story idea.

Finalist
Mark Niesse
"Living with Lava"
The Associated Press

Finalist
Michael Tsai
Fighting for Life
The Honolulu Advertiser

D5 Feature Writing/Long Form

First Place
Kevin Dayton
"Daysha's Diary"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: A very moving tale that stands far abve all other entries in this category.

Finalist
Chris Hamilton
"Kalaupapa"
The Maui News

D6 News Page Design

First Place
Curt Brandao
"The Big Queasy"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Comments; Simple, bold design perfectly captures the disappointment of the Sugar Bowl loss to Georgia

Finalist
Tressa Verber
"People Who Made a Difference"
The Maui News

Finalist
Mike Rovner/Charlene Robinson
"Heco says outages impossible to stop"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

D7 Feature Page Design

First Place
Russell McCrory
"Daysha's Diary"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: You know you're abut to ready something special.

Finalist
Russell McCrory
"The war within"
The Honolulu Advertiser

Finalist
Bryant Fukutomi, Betty Shimabukuro
"A Fish Tale"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

INTERNET
I1 Online Spot News Reporting

First Place
Honolulu Advertiser.com
"Blackout"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: Impressive coverage of an unplanned spot news event makes the difference here.

I2 Online General News Reporting

First Place
Honolulu Advertiser.com
"Diabetes: Hawaii's Hidden Epidemic"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: Very sophisticated use of Web storytelling tools make this the clear winner. We were very impressed with the thought that went into the presentation.

Finalist
Audrey McAvoy
"Leprosy Settlement"
The Associated Press

I3 Best Online Multimedia Presentation

First Place
Honolulu Advertiser.com
"Crossing the Line: Abuse in Hawaii Homes"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: Sophisticated use of multimedia takes the story beyond conventional journalism to render a community service. Powerful use of victim's diary shows depth of the problem.

Finalist
Craig Gima
"Cambodian teen (Sithan) returns home"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Finalist
Jaymes Song, Kevin S. Vineys, Jae C. Hong, Lucy Pemoni
"Obama Hoop Dreams"
The Associated Press

MAGAZINE
M1 Business Reporting

First Place
David Choo
"What Really Killed Aloha"
Hawaii Business
Comments: Well-reported and well-written look at a specific business, and the broad histrical and economic forces that shaped its fate.

M2 Industry or Trade Reporting

First Place
Roland Gilmore
"Rolling Sculptures"
Hana Hou!
Comments: Vibrant writing makes this piece a joy to read, even for an outsider with no interest in the industry. And it's bolstered by solid reporting and a willingness to include some numbers.

Finalist
Ronna Bolante
"Hawaiian TM"
Honolulu Magazine

Finalist
Liza Simon
"Mother Nature's Son"
Hana Hou!

M3 Profile

First Place
Ronna Bolante
"Peter the Prosecutor"
Honolulu Magazine
Comments: Creative, well-written and a round portrayal. Uses light, personal first-person tone while managing to convey seriousness and important details. A different look at what could be a very routine profile. Engaging and informative!

Finalist
Julia Steele
"Remembering the Games"
Hana Hou!

Finalist
David Choo
"Copy This"
Hawaii Business

M4 Feature Writing/Short Form

First Place
Dennis Hollier
"Brotherly Biz"
Hawaii Business

Comments: Tightly written story about a new bowling business model with good industry trend sourcing.

Finalist
Sherie Char
"Remembering the Battle: A glimpse into the day that changed O'ahu forever"
Hawai'i Magazine

Finalist
Sherie Char
"NOAA Saves the Whales"
Hawai'i Magazine

M5  Feature Writing/Long Form

First Place
John Heckathorn
"An Authentic Luau"
Honolulu Magazine
Comments: An effective piece that puts readers in the heart of a beloved tradition.

Finalist
Paul Wood
"Teaching Aloha"
Hana Hou!

Finalist
Jason Ubay
"Maui's Bumpy Road"
Hawaii Business

Finalist
Julia Steele
"The Channel Swimmers"
Hana Hou!

M6 Page Design

First Place
Kristin Lipman
"Peter the Prosecutor"
Honolulu Magazine
Comments: A tremendous job of taking a text-heavy package and drawing in readers with quirky elements that echo the subject.

Finalist
Kunio Hayashi, Sergio Goes
"The Channel Swimmers"
Hana Hou!

Finalist
Wes Funai
"HI Life"
Hawaii Business

M7 Magazine Cover

First Place
Kristin Lipman
"May 2008"
Honolulu Magazine
Comments: Clean design. Gets to the point.

Finalist
Kristin Lipman
"March 2008"
Honolulu Magazine

Finalist
Wes Funai
"Real Estate"
Hawaii Business

NONDAILY NEWSPAPERS
ND1 Bustness Reporting

First Place
Janis Magin
"Ewa Beach 96706: Ground zero for foreclosures"
Pacific Business News
Comments: Good understanding of the connection between local events and a  broader financial crisis.

Finalist
Linda Chiem
"Illegal workers booted, but what of their bosses?"
Pacific Business News

Finalist
Chad Blair
"Hard feelings linger in Times dispute"
Pacific Business News

ND2 General News/Enterprise Reporting

First Place
Linda Chiem, Cynthia Gibson
"Hawaii women's pay lags"
Pacific Business News
Comments: Great find in Census data, a story that could have been overlooked easily but was not.

Finalist
Chad Blair
"Fuel prices swell shipping costs"
Pacific Business News

Finalist
Linda Chiem
"Judge quits law to gain appointment"
Pacific Business News

ND3 Feature Writing

First Place
Joe Udell
"Tracing an Indelible Mark"
The Hawai'i Herald
Comments: Very thorough, well researched and nicely written.

Finalist
Jim Kelly
"George Mason Obituary"
Pacific Business News

Finalist
Joe Udell
"Into the Tokyo Abyss"
The Hawai'i Herald

ND4 Community Reporting

First Place
Christine Cabalo
"Give trees a chance"
Hawaii Marine

Comments: Charming story about a school-military effort. The main photo is wonderful.

Finalist
Louise Rockett
"Funding for West Maui Advocacy Center in jeopardy"
Lahaina News

Finalist
J.M.  Buck
"Power Play"
Big Island Weekly

ND5 Page Design

First Place
Christine Cabalo
"Semper Fu: Instructors tackle new MCMAP skills"
Hawaii Marine
Comments: Selection and hierarchy of the graphic elements of the story lend impact and quickly tell me what the story is all about.

Finalist
Ruben Duldulao
"9-19 PBN Page 1"
Pacific Business News

OPEN PRINT

P1 Column Writing/News

First Place
Teresa Dawson
"Board Talk" Column
Environment Hawai'i

Comments: Great use of the long-column format to flesh out details of the extremely complex plicy issues.

Finalist
June Watanabe
"Kokua Line"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Finalist
Erika Engle
"The Buzz"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

P2 Column Writing/Features/Sports

First Place
Robert Collias
"Between the Lines"
The Maui News
Comments: Excellent reporting in a column format. Mr. Collias identifies issues important to the Hawaiian athletic community and solutions.

Finalist
Ferd Lewis
"Bittersweet Sugartime, An August to Remember
The Honolulu Advertiser

Finalist
Norm Bezane
"Beyond the Beach"
Lahaina News

P3 Government Reporting

First Place
Laurie Au
"Mayor's backers get big rail jobs"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Comments: This is what newspapers are supposed to do! There were a lot of great entries in this category, but this stood out for holding government accountable.

Finalist
Ken Kobayashi
"Reasonable Clout"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Finalist
Richard Borreca, Laurie Au
"Last-minute decisions set off political flurry"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Finalist
Honolulu Advertiser Staff
"Election 2008"
The Honolulu Advertiser

P4 Breaking News

First Place
Honolulu Advertiser staff
"Aloha Airlines"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: Sharp, analytical. Coverage looks forward and explains fallout from airline's failure.

Finalist
Honolulu Advertiser Staff
"Child tossed from freeway overpass"
The Honolulu Advertiser

Finalist
Staff
"Aloha Airlines (Also ATA Airlines) Shutdown"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

P5 Health Reporting

First Place
Craig Gima
"Like being reborn"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Comments: An evocative story written with an economy of words tells an individual's story, and informs readers of a broader system.

Finalist
Christie Wilson, Will Hoover, Dan Nakaso
"Diabetes: Hawaii's Hidden Epidemic"
The Honolulu Advertiser

Finalist
Joan Conrow
"Our Disappearing Nurses"
Honolulu Magazine

P6 Sports Reporting

First Place
Brian McInnis
"Taylor joined by loved ones on birthday"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Comments: Good storytelling with details and strong quotes. Written without verkill, but simply and with good lede and ending.

Finalist
Brad Sherman
"Return Game"
The Maui News

Finalist
Jaymes Song
"Shane Victorino"
The Associated Press

P7 Arts and Entertainment Writing

First Place
Joleen Oshiro
"Inside Bhutan to find Buddha & Bhutan's sacred treasures"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Comments: This was a highly competitive category with another very strong entry on the same exhibit. This stood out for the strong writing, sourcing and presentation, so tell your page designer "thanks."

Finalist
Joe Udell
"Tracing an Indelible Mark"
The Hawai'i Herald"

Finalist
Mike Gordon
"A Tale of Kaiulani"
The Honolulu Advertiser

P8 Editorial Opinion

First Place
Advertiser Editorial and Opinion Staff
"Oahu's rail transit"
The Honolulu Advertiser

Comments: Well reasoned opinions well suported by solid reporting on the facts.

Finalist
Patricia Tummons
"Navy Harms Marine Mammals"
Environment Hawai'i

Finalist
David Bock
"No bailouts for Aloha or ATA"
Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Finalist
A. Kam Napier
"Passive Aggressive"
Honolulu Magazine

P9 Editorial Cartoon

First Place
Corky Trinidad
"Obama & King Knuckles
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Comments: Simple and eloquent

Finalist
Corky Trinidad
"Poor John"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Finalist
Corky Trinidad
"Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

P10 Illustration

First Place
Kunio Hayashi, Christopher Earle, Samuel Lee
"Mapping the Void"
Hana Hou!
Comments: In a stiffly competitive field, this illustration stands out for its beauty, and for its relevance to the associated story.

Finalist
Manny Pangilinan
"Sustaining Hawaii"
Honolulu Weekly

Finalist
Bryant Fukutomi
"Hawaii on Tap"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

P11 Informational Graphic

First Place
Martha Hernandez
"When Pedestrians Die"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: Newsy, useful, thorough and easy to understand.

Finalist
Minette McCabe
"UH Stadium"
The Honolulu Advertiser

Finalist
Dave Swann
"How Hawaii gets its gasoline"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

P12 News Photography

First Place
Bruce Asato
"He Was Our Friend"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: A family at graveside is a compelling moment.

Finalist
Dennis Oda
"Obama Comes Home"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Finalist
Amanda Cowan
"Man dead after police shooting"
The Maui News

P13 Feature Photography

First Place
Kunio Hayashi, Neil Kirk
"Town and Country"
Hana Hou!
Comments: Colorful fashion spread shows off scenery of the island.

Finalist
Matthew Thayer
"Here Piggy, Piggy, Piggy"
The Maui News

Finalist
Matthew Thayer
"A Grammy Party String-Along"
The Maui News

P14 Sports Photography

First Place
Eugene Tanner
"University of Hawaii Warriors Perform Their Haka"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: A stunning, emotional sports event is captured.

Finalist
Matthew Thayer
"Daniel Chopra"
The Maui News

Finalist
Jeff Widener
"Air Bourne"
The Honolulu Advertiser

P15 Photo Essay

First Place
Sergio Goes
"HI Life"
Hawaii Business
Comments: Diverse, well composed pictures come together well to tell a story.

Finalist
Kunio Hayashi, Sergio Goes
"On One Breath"
Hana Hou!

Finalist
Jamm Aquino, George F. Lee, Dennis Oda, Jay Metzger
"Lights Out"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

P16 Special Section

First Place
Kevin Dayton, Jeff Widener, Russell McCrory
"Daysha's Diary"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: A poignant story that's well-told and a public service.

Finalist
Mike Rovner, Charlene Robinson
"Left in the Dark"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Finalist
Christie Wilson, Dan Nakaso, Will Hoover, Jon Orque, Christine Strobel
"Diabetes: Hawaii's Hidden Epidemic"
The Honolulu Advertiser

P17 Investigative Reporting

First Place
Ilima Loomis
"Gleam Off Maui Gold"
The Maui News
Comments: This is a fantastic story of two wealthy Silicon Valley types bungling a company and its culture irreparably. Only Loomis's tenacity could have produced it.

Finalist
Rick Daysog
"Tourism chief sends racist, sexist e-mails"
The Honolulu Advertiser

Finalist
Ferd Lewis, Stephen Tsai, Rick Daysog
"UH bowl trip payback"
The Honolulu Advertiser

P18 Public Service Reporting

First Place
Rob Perez, Kevin Dayton, Jeff Widener
"Crossing the Line: Abuse in Hawaii Homes"
The Honolulu Advertiser
Comments: Daysha's Diary is one of the most compelling pieces of journalism I've ever read. The newspaper's commitment to this project is remarkable.

Finalist
Rob Perez
"When Pedestrians Die"
The Honolulu Advertiser

Finalist
Susan Essoyan
"Justice for All"
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

RADIO

R1 General News/Enterprise Reporting

First Place
Heidi Chang
"Barack Obama's Hawaii Roots"
Voice of America, Weekend America
Comments: Indepth and well sourced. Does a great job of letting sources' voices shine through and adding audio touches.

Finalist
Ben Markus
"Foster Care in Hawaii"
Hawaii Public Radio

Finalist
Kayla Rosenfeld
"Gender & Math Series"
Hawaii Public Radio

R2 Feature Reporting

First Place
Wayne N. Yoshioka
"Remember Sergeant Rafael Peralta, USMC"
Hawaii Public Radio

Comments: Good storytelling and use of natural sound.

Finalist
Heidi Chang
"Kealii Reichel (Global Hit)"
Public Radio International's The World

STUDENT

S1 News Writing

Three awards withheld pending an investigation.

TELEVISION

T2 Business Reporting

First Place
Pamela Young
"You Can Bet on It"
KITV

Comments: Interesting look ahead at an area of development very personably traced.

T3 General News/Enterprise Reporting

First Place
Mari-Ela David, Tracy Arakaki
"Mapunapuna Flooding"
KHNL News 8/K5 News

Comments: Good use of a stand-up to help further explain the story.

Finalist
Leland Kim, Edward Matthews Jr.
"Generations of Pioneers"
KHNL News 8

T4 Feature Reporting

First Place
Pamela Young, Oscar Betham
"Mixed Plate: Pacific Parade"
KITV

Comments: Well written. Beatifully shot. Good use of letting "the people tell the story."

Finalist
Leland Kim
"Headstone Heroes"
KHNL News 8

Finalist
Gary Sprinkle
"Heart Beat to Heart Break"
KITV

T8 Series Reporting/Documentary/Special News Program

First Place
Pamela Young
"Mixed Plate in Macau"
KITV
Comments: Wonderful use of natural sound. Great wraparound writing.

Finalist
Gary Sprinkle
"Humpbacks in Hawaii"
KITV

T9 Public Service Reporting

First Place
Leland Kim
"Hawaii's Crisis II"
KHNL News 8
Comments: Relevant issue affecting the entire community. Balanced and fair reporting.

Finalist
Pamela Young, Oscar Betham
"Tagaloa's Footsteps"
KITV