Former KHNL-TV anchor and reporter Diane Ako will fly to San Francisco to be a presenter at the 39th annual Northern California Area Emmy Awards on May 15.

She is also a nominee, as is former KHNL videographer and editor Tracy Arakaki—bittersweet, as the two lost their jobs with dozens of co-workers when KHNL, KFVE-TV and rival KGMB-TV consolidated last fall.

“;After 10 years in the biz, I finally celebrate my first personal Emmy nomination,”; Arakaki e-mailed.

The NorCal region of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences asked Ako to present six awards, and as a nominee she will represent herself, Arakaki and the former KHNL news department at the gala. She and her husband, Claus Hansen, decided to make it a family vacation, “;a nice bonding time,”; she said. “;This is how I will look at it even if I don't win.”;

Hawaii is well-represented among nominees from Visalia, Calif., to the Oregon border and including Reno, Nev.

Hawaii News Now leads with nine nominations, including some for work that aired on KGMB prior to the newsroom merger, and for a Shinnyo-en Hawaii special on the annual floating lantern ceremony.

Its biggest nods came in the top categories, Station Excellence and News Excellence. Others were for a story on the American Samoa tsunami by reporter Tim Sakahara and videojournalist Oscar Valenzuela; “;Black Friday in Alaska—The Tsunami of 1964”; by Malika Dudley; “;The Genius of Aging”; documentary by Karisse Sakahara; the news promotional campaign leading up to the KGMB debut of former KHON anchor Tannya Joaquin; and for graphic arts by Christopher Drew.

KITV garnered five nominations, though its station's call letters were the only ones not bolded in the academy's nominations news release. Too bad, as KITV weekend anchor and double-nominee Pamela Young is on the organization's board of governors.

Young was nominated for “;A Conversation with Makia Malo”; and for “;A Man Called Kamiano,”; a St. Damien special for which photographer Rex Von Arnswaldt was also nominated. Her husband, Gary Sprinkle, was nominated for “;Poop Power: Hawaii Going Green,”; and meteorologist Justin Fujioka was nominated for his work as a weather anchor.

KHET-TV, or PBS Hawaii, received three nominations, including two for “;Bhutan: Taking the Middle Path to Happiness,”; and Michael Harris received a directing nomination for “;Keola Beamer & Friends.”;

A graphic arts/set design nomination went to Raymond Jatico for ”;Chang Apana”; by Cinemama and Oceanic Time Warner Cable.

Surfin' sensation

The Sunday episode of ”;Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”; will have even more Hawaii in it than the Hawaii Surf Simulator by local businessman Paul Goo. The featured Carr family of Texas will be shown in the isles with Hawaii surfer and shark-attack survivor Bethany Hamilton, as she guides the kids through life with physical challenges. Comedian Bill Engvall is also featured in the episode, which will air at 7 p.m. on KITV.

Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Reach her by e-mail at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).