The council wants more precise information before taking action that could cost thousands of jobs and millions in lost tax revenue.
Cammy Clark
Cammy Clark joined Civil Beat in January 2024 to report about Maui. Her journalism career began in Washington, D.C., and has included stops in Maryland, Florida and California, with her stories appearing in more than 200 publications.
After growing up in a small town of 3,000 in New Hampshire, she bolted for the big city of Washington, D.C. to attend American with a goal of becoming an investigative journalist like Woodward or Bernstein. But life serendipitously took her in a different direction. A stint as the sports editor of her college newspaper led to 20 plus years as a pioneering female professional sports journalist.
Her first job after college was for NBC Sports, working for The George Michael Sports Machine.
She also covered all the Washington professional sports teams as a stringer for United Press International; was a sports copy editor for The Washington Post; and a sports editor of two weekly newspapers in Maryland. Many of the jobs were held simultaneously for experience and to have enough money to pay her rent, college loans and beer tabs.
In 1990, she decided she needed more sunshine and became a sportswriter for The St. Petersburg Times in Florida (now the Tampa Bay Times), which is owned by the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. She became the newspaper's first beat writer for the then new franchise, the Tampa Bay Lightning. In 1996, she moved west to cover the NHL and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for The Orange County Register in California. Over nine years, she traveled across the United States and Canada to report on nearly 800 hockey games and nine Stanley Cup playoffs.
For the new millennium, she took a break from ice rinks to travel the world by bicycle with Odyssey 2000. The one-year adventure of a lifetime took her to 41 countries on six continents. She biked about 15,000 miles, with only four crashes. She survived the Mountain of Death in Costa Rica, running over a chicken in Malaysia and eating mystery meat in China.
Upon returning to reality, she went to work for the Miami Herald as its auto sportswriter. She got a crash course in NASCAR and the business of car racing. But when the Florida Keys bureau chief position became available, she moved to Key West and spent nearly a decade writing about all aspects of the touristy island chain: environment, business, crime, courts, government, hurricanes, tourism, art, culture, and all things quirk. Stories included county jail inmates scamming the IRS, Cuban exiles setting off fireworks by boat to make Fidel Castro mad, and an intriguing court case of government fraud involving the county’s deceased mayor and The Prince of Darkness.
While in the Florida Keys, she spent 3 ½ years as the public information officer for Monroe County. During that time, the county was hit by Category 4 Hurricane Irma. She led the county’s communications during the disaster, which was quite the challenge after the storm with no cell phone or Internet service.
In 2019, she moved to Maui after her husband retired from a 30-year career in law enforcement. She worked three years for Pacific Media Group as a writer and editor. Her husband works as a dive boat captain.
Cammy’s passions include diving, paddleboarding, tennis, hiking, cycling, golf, trivia night, star gazing, whale watching, local music, photography/videography, exploring new places, rooting for the Patriots — and hanging out with her husband, two cats, family and friends.
Maui Police Chief Seeks Money For Helicopter With Night-Vision Technology
The chopper for law enforcement missions also would be used to help the fire department with search and rescue and battling blazes.
FEMA Is Still Spending Millions On Hundreds Of Empty Housing Units For Maui Fire Survivors
The agency has found available housing but is struggling to get people to move in. On Friday, it ends its support for the emergency hotel program.
Maui Mayor Takes ‘Bold Step’ To Eliminate 7,000 Short-Term Rentals By 2026
Emboldened by state lawmakers’ action this session, Bissen has proposed county legislation to phase out certain vacation units to open up more long-term housing.
Officials Tout Progress On Maui Housing Projects For Fire Survivors As Funding Deadlines Loom
FEMA plans to stop reimbursing the state for emergency housing in hotels after May 10 but the governor expects several hundred likely will be staying there through at least July 1.
37 Fires Along One Maui Road This Year Alone Have Residents Of Nearby Town On Edge
In the aftermath of the Lahaina tragedy, officials are stepping up efforts to protect Paia and other areas considered at high risk.
Maui Strong Fund Providing $40M To Help House Fire Survivors
The 450-unit Ka La’i Ola complex will be constructed in West Maui for families that do not qualify for FEMA assistance.
Maui County’s Property Tax Base Increases Despite Lahaina Fire
The council is mulling proposed tax increases to raise 10% more revenue from property taxes next year.
State Reduces Meal Service For Lahaina Fire Survivors Still Living In Costly Hotels
Although Hawaii has been picking up the tab since FEMA stopped reimbursing for food on Feb. 10, the state says saving money was not the reason for the cuts.
