24 | August | 2011 | Hawaii News and Island Information

Former Garden Island Publisher Moving Up in the Publishing World

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Damon

Well it looks like the former publisher of the Garden Island Times, Cynthia Schur, is moving up in the world since first announcing that she was leaving the Garden Island paper over nine years ago.

Santa Maria Times Publisher Cynthia Schur has been tapped to head up the California Newspaper Publishers Association (CNPA), the state’s largest newspaper trade organization.

Schur, who has guided the Times and its sister publications in Lee Central Coast Newspapers as publisher since 2003, has agreed to step into the position of president-elect, the organization announced this week…

…Schur is a veteran publisher, having served in the top job at the Garden Island in Lihue, Hawaii, prior to coming to the Central Coast.

Calif. Assembly passes cell-phone privacy bill (sfgate.com)
Leading Bay Area Newspaper Group Announces Major Changes, Layoffs (huffingtonpost.com)
Popular Hawaii swimming hole gets deadly reputation (msnbc.msn.com)
But America IS a Police State (lewrockwell.com)
California Digital Newspaper Collection will expand with California weekly papers (teleread.com)

Filed under: Kauai, Newspapers, Something New? | Tagged: California Newspaper Publishers Association, Cynthia Schur, Santa Maria Times | Leave a comment »

The Big Island… “Top Hawaiian Island”

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Damon

Readers of Travel + Leisure vote Hawai’i, The Big Island the Top Hawaiian Island, and #7 in the World

When the annual Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2011 readers‘ survey results were announced in the magazine’s August issue, Hawai’i Island won big in two important categories.

The readers of Travel +Leisure voted Hawai’i, the Big Island the top Hawaiian Island, and ranked the island No. 7 on the list of Top Islands Overall in the World’s Best Awards 2011 readers’ survey. Voting took place from Dec. 1, 2010 through Mar. 31, 2011.

Hawai’i Island is also home to the top resort hotel in the state: the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai is ranked No. 1 on the World’s Best Award s 2011 list of Top Resorts in Hawai’i and is also ranked No. 28 on the list of Top Hotels Overall. And Travel + Leisure‘s list of the Top 25 Resorts in Hawai’i includes four other Big Island resorts: the Hapuna Beach Prince at #6, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel at #7, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows at #11, and The Fairmont Orchid at #15. Rankings are based on ratings hotels received by readers in five categories: Rooms/Facilities, Location, Service, Restaurants/Food, and Value.

In the Best Islands category, readers ranked their favorite islands in five categories: Natural Attractions, Activities/Sights, Restaurants/Food, People, and Value.

“These outstanding rankings show that Travel + Leisure readers have discovered all that is special about our island, and they are recommending us to their friends and family,” said Hawai’i County Mayor William Kenoi. “With our five national parks, our world-class lodging options, our rich living history, and residents who welcome visitors with aloha – not to mention the world’s most beautiful erupting volcano – I’m not surprised that our visitors love our island as much as we do,” he said.

For more information and complete survey methodology, visit www.TravelandLeisure.com/worldsbest.

The award announcements come at a great time for visitors who might now be considering a trip to Hawai’i, the Big Island. Since June, there have been new nonstop flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Hilo International Airport, as well as other daily nonstop flights from the U.S. mainland and Canada to Kona International Airport, and a host of interisland flights from Honolulu to both airports.

Big Island Visitors Bureau Presents Check to Hawai’i Island United Way (damontucker.com)
Big Island Agriculture Products Featured at KCC’s Farmer Market (damontucker.com)
Treasure Hawaii Auction – Benefits Friends of the Future (damontucker.com)

Filed under: aloha, Announcements, Big Island, Entertainment, Hawaii, Tourism | Tagged: The Big Island of Hawaii, Travel + Leisure | Leave a comment »

Wordless Wednesday – Maka Meets Jackson

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Damon

I heard one of my dogs barking profusely yesterday and I went out to see why he was trying to get underneath my car. I figured a cat must have been trapped under there… but boy was I shocked when I saw that Maka had found himself a Jackson Chameleon and he was set on getting it!

Maka Meets Jackson

The chameleon ran out the other side of the car… but Maka quickly figured it out and stopped him in his tracks.

I got you!

The chameleon ran back underneath my car… so I figured instead of just sitting there and letting my dog bark his head off until he caught the damn thing… I figured I would tie up my dog and then let the buggah run off on his own.