Star-Bulletin big
winner at Pa‘i awards

The newspaper sweeps the
editorial series category
in the annual judging

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin swept the editorial series category in the annual Pa'i awards competition presented by the Honolulu Publishers Association.

Reporter Lori Tighe's "Horror of Crystal Meth" took first, a "State of the Unions" series -- which several reporters worked on -- took second and reporter Craig Gima's look at the new child-support computer system, "A System Gone Haywire," won third.

The awards were presented yesterday in 22 categories, with the Star-Bulletin winning15 awards, including five firsts, for writing, photography and graphics.

Tighe's two-part "Crystal Meth" narrative told how the drug, known as "ice," dragged one Waianae family down and how it fought back up.

The "State of the Unions" package highlighted state and county government inefficiency and made a case that bureaucracy is burdened by outdated collective bargaining and civil service systems that do little to promote efficiency, innovation and risk-taking.

Reporters were Richard Borreca, Christine Donnelly, Rob Perez, Jaymes Song and Ian Lind.

Gima's contribution aired state difficulties in properly routing child-support checks with a troubled computer system.

Photographer Dennis Oda won first in Spot News Photography for photos of a raging Ewa brush fire.

He also won first in Essay Photography for photos of hula dancers on Kahoolawe preparing for the Merrie Monarch Festival.

Corky Trinidad won first in the Editorial Cartoon competition.

Artist David Swann took first in Excellence in Graphic Design (Newsprint) for his Battleship Missouri graphics, "Mighty Mo."

The awards:

Spot News Reporting

First, Honolulu Advertiser
Second, Honolulu Advertiser
Third, Star-Bulletin, staff, election coverage

Editorial Feature

First, Hawaii Magazine.
Second, Star-Bulletin, Mary Adamski, "Bitter Battleground"
Third, Hana Hou, Pacific Travelogue-Hawaiian Air Magazine

Investigative Reporting

Honolulu Weekly.
Second, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Rick Daysog, Bishop Estate
Honolulu Advertiser

Sports Reporting

Hawaii Magazine
Second, Star-Bulletin, Paul Arnett, stories on June Jones
Third, Spirit of Aloha (Honolulu Publishing)

Sport News Photography

Black and White

First, West Hawaii TODAY
Second, Star-Bulletin, Ken Sakamoto, photo of Tiger Woods

Feature Photography (Newsprint)

Black and White

Maui News
Second, Star-Bulletin, Ken Sakamoto, shark victim Michael Coots' rehabilitation a year after losing right foot in shark attack, "Triumph Over Tragedy"

Spot News Photography

Star-Bulletin, Dennis Oda, Ewa brush fire
Second, Star-Bulletin, Ken Sakamoto, Battleship Missouri
Third, The Maui News

Excellence in Illustration (Newsprint)

First, Honolulu Advertiser
Second, Star-Bulletin, David Swann, Super Bowl Preview

Excellence in Graphic Design (Newsprint)

First, Star-Bulletin, David Swann, Mighty Mo
Second, Honolulu Advertiser
Third, Honolulu Advertiser

Editorial Cartoon

First, Star-Bulletin, Corky Trinidad
Second, Honolulu Weekly
Third, Hawaii Business