Hawaii
Maui News to transition to weekly print edition
WAILUKU, Hawaii — Maui News, the Valley Isle’s only newspaper, will start printing the newspaper just on Thursdays, starting June 6.
Since 2019, Maui News’ onsite printing press has printed the paper six days a week — with no paper on Sundays. For three decades before that, the Maui News was a daily newspaper.
Now, the publication will put a greater focus on its website.
“We will transition The Maui News to an operation that is focused on providing information to you with an as-it-happens, digital-focused publishing strategy, along with a weekly printed edition,” wrote Maui News publisher Chris Minford in a letter to readers about the change.
He described digital news as “the future of local news.”
“It is also a well-known fact that many newspapers have made similar decisions in recent years, and that is the direction that most of the industry is heading,” Minford said.
Four years ago, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser started printing the newspaper six days a week, axing the Saturday print edition. In March, Oahu’s only newspaper was sold to new owners.
In 2000, Ogden Newspapers, a West Virginia-based publisher, bought Maui News. Last year, the publisher announced they were looking to sell the newspaper.
“We’re worried about the possible loss of jobs,” said Robert Collias, who has been a sports reporter for Maui News since 1990, about the change.
Collias is also concerned the news will no longer reach Maui residents who don’t have access to the internet. He also said a lot of readers expressed to him they simply like reading the newspaper and don’t want to read it online.
Minford could not be reached for comment for about the new strategy and layoff concerns.
Collias, who is the representative for Pacific Media Workers Guild, the union that represents the newsroom, said Ogden’s regional publisher Michael Christman and Minford held a Zoom meeting on Wednesday with representatives from the three unions, including Honolulu Typographical Union and Teamsters Local 996, which are involved with Maui News. During the meeting, the decision to print the paper one day a week was announced.
“They said that there are possible layoffs,” Collias said. But he was told that there are no immediate staffing changes planned for the news or advertising departments.
He said the seven employees who print the newspaper are particularly concerned that they might lose their jobs.
When the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires devastated Maui, the reporters at Maui News extensively covered the news, but those fires likely impacted Maui News’ financial situation. Collias said the newspaper lost advertisers after Lahaina businesses burned down. He also said some people stopped paying for their subscriptions after they lost their jobs or moved away from Maui.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.
Hawaii
Father of missing Hawaii photographer Hannah Kobayashi found dead near LAX while searching for daughter
The father of the missing Hawaii woman who vanished while heading to New York City for a vacation was found dead near LAX early Sunday morning.
Ryan Kobayashi, 58, was in Los Angeles to search for his 30-year-old daughter, Hannah Kobayashi, after she missed a connecting flight to New York from Los Angeles International Airport over two weeks ago.
Police confirmed that Kobayashi died after he jumped off from a parking structure near LAX sometime around 4 a.m. on Sunday, according to NBC Los Angeles.
A nonprofit believed to be aiding in the search for Hannah also provided a statement on behalf of the family.
“The Kobayashi family endured a devastating tragedy today,” wrote the RAD Movement.
“After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life. This loss has compounded the family’s suffering immeasurably.”
The nonprofit requested privacy for the grieving family and urged the public to focus on the search for Hannah, particularly after the tragic news about her father.
The Post has contacted the Los Angeles Police Department for comment.
On Monday, Kobayashi spoke with KTLA while in the Golden State, hoping to reach his daughter.
“I miss her,” he said. “Just want her to know that, and just want her to reach out – anything.”
Hannah flew from Maui to Los Angeles on Nov. 8, where she was supposed to hop on a connecting flight to New York for a “bucket list” trip and to visit her aunt.
However, she missed that flight 42 minutes later despite surveillance footage indicating she landed at LAX.
Her loved ones initially became worried after she sent odd texts to her family and friends before she vanished, including messaging a friend that she “got tricked into pretty much giving away all my funds.”
In another message, she claimed she was supposedly fooled by “someone I thought I loved.”
“Deep Hackers wiped my identity, stole all of my funds, & have had me on a mind f–k since Friday,” another message read.
The family previously said the texts supposedly from Hannah were not like her.
“She mentioned feeling scared, and that someone might be trying to steal her money and identity,” her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, said.
“Strange, cryptic messages – things about the matrix, it was so unlike her. And then all of a sudden, no more communication.”
Other footage showed Kobayashi at the Grove shopping center in the Fairfax District of LA on Nov. 9 and Nov. 10, as well as video of her returning to LAX but not getting on a flight on Nov. 11 before she was seen near the metro station, USA Today reported.
Her phone has been off since Nov. 11, the family said.
The family filed a police report with the LAPD, LAX authorities, and the FBI.
Hannah Kobayashi is 5 feet 10 inches tall and about 140 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes and is fair-skinned with freckles.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
Hawaii
Hawaii sees more snow than New York City this fall
MAUNA KEA, HI—An early-season snowstorm blasted the Northeast this week, dropping a foot of snow in some areas. This was the Northeast region’s first snowstorm of the season, but Hawaii has already had a few encounters with fresh powder this fall.
Winter weather arrived right on time at Hawaii’s Mauna Kea summit, home to astronomy observatory facilities from around the world. According to the Maunakea Visitor Information Station, this year, the first snow of the season fell at the 14,000-foot summit on Oct. 28.
WHICH IS THE SNOWIEST MONTH OF THE YEAR?
Unlike the tropical climate at lower elevations on the Big Island, Mauna Kea’s elevation means it experiences a different climate, including freezing temperatures and significant snowfall.
Hawaii’s wet season runs from October through April, during which snow is a familiar sight at the summit of Mauna Kea.
Back on the mainland, a winter storm arrived a week ahead of Thanksgiving and, according to the FOX Forecast Center, dropped more than a foot of snow in parts of Upstate New York and northeastern Pennsylvania.
Meanwhile, New York City has yet to see snow. But it’s still early for the Big Apple. The first measurable snow of one inch or more in New York City happens on average around Dec. 13.
Hawaii
Deadspin | No. 4 Auburn, No. 5 Iowa State test mettle in Hawaii
No. 4 Auburn and No. 5 Iowa State will meet Monday in the Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii, in a clash of college basketball powers that has more the look of a tournament championship game than that of a first-round contest.
While the high-level matchup is unusual for the opening round, it does give the Tigers and Cyclones a chance to see how they stack up among the NCAA elite.
And although Iowa State (3-0) has hammered three mid-major teams, Auburn (4-0) already owns a measuring-stick victory at then-No. 4 Houston on Nov. 9.
Now comes more challenging competition as the tournament includes No. 2 UConn and No. 10 North Carolina, as well as three other teams that arrive in Maui with undefeated records — Memphis, Colorado and Dayton.
“The next four games are against Elite 8-caliber teams,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said, referring to the tournament games as well as including a Dec. 4 date at Duke. “It’ll be a true test and a true measure of where we’re at.”
The Tigers are currently at a good place. In addition to their win over Houston, they’ve beaten up on three mid-majors.
Johni Broome made 13 of 17 shots to finish with 30 points in Auburn’s 102-69 victory over North Alabama on Monday. He also pulled down 17 rebounds, while Dylan Cardwell made 5 of 6 shots to finish with 12 points.
“Our bigs shot an incredible percentage,” Pearl said. “Johni and Dylan are two of the best centers in college basketball and we’ve got both of them.”
Meanwhile, the rest of the Tigers’ starters scored in double figures. Denver Jones delivered 13 points and nine assists in the win.
Playing three games in three days will be a big change for Iowa State, which has been one of the least active teams in Division I. Its only three games have come on the three Mondays in November.
“We’ve had these experiences in years past. Last year it didn’t go as well,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said, referring to last November when the Cyclones lost two of three games in the ESPN Events Invitational.
“Yes, you want to win every game, but last year we had a great season and we weren’t as good at this point,” Otzelberger said of his team, which went 29-8 and reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
With five double-digit scorers, the Cyclones have shown balance, led by backcourt players Curtis Jones (15 points per game), Tamin Lipsey (13.7) and Keshon Gilbert (12.3).
St. Mary’s transfer Joshua Jefferson recorded his first double-double for his new team by collecting 16 points and 10 rebounds in Iowa State’s 87-52 victory over IU Indianapolis last Monday. He made all seven of his shots from the floor.
On Monday night, the Cyclones face a team that is “playing as well or better than anyone in the country,” Otzelberger said.
“They’re a tremendous team. They pressure defensively, really get after you. They’ve got tremendous depth. They try to wear you down,” Otzelberger said. “In the Houston game, Houston had the lead early and that’s what happened.”
–Field Level Media
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