LIHU‘E — The Garden Island has named reporter Jessica Else as the new editor-in-chief.
The promotion moves Else from her position as a daily staff writer in the newsroom, where she’s been writing stories for five years about Kauai’s community, government and natural resources.
She said she’s looking forward to continuing the legacy of Kaua‘i’s longstanding daily paper and working with the community she’s grown to love and respect.
“The past five years writing on Kaua‘i have been full of many learning experiences and many amazing people; I’m honored to continue that journey as editor of The Garden Island paper,” Else said.
Else began her journalism career at The Argus Observer in Ontario, Oregon. In that rural town of 11,000 people, she covered all aspects of community new, learned photography on the job and got her first award in the news industry — first-place recognition for educational news coverage from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association.
She brings with her almost a decade of journalism experience and a bachelor’s degree in print journalism.
Else moved from reporting with The Argus Observer in the high desert of Oregon to the newsroom at The Garden Island on Kaua‘i in 2015. In 2019, Else got married to her husband, Michael Vincent, who moved to Kaua‘i from Wisconsin in 2013.
Stepping into a new position from a familiar newsroom, Else said she realizes she has the advantage of an established relationship with a skilled team.
“We’re all working hard together to put this paper out every day,” Else said. “I’m very confident in the people I work with.”
When she’s not in the office, Else is out hiking or dropping by local events, working in her little herb and lettuce garden, or enjoying dinner with friends — Michael’s a great cook. Other interests include health and wellness, like making original herbal-tea blends, as well as music and the arts.
“I’m looking forward to continuing what has been an incredible journey as a journalist here on Kaua‘i. How amazing to do what you love in such an inspiring place to call home,” Else said.
How wonderful to have an editor whose mission isn’t to ‘convert the natives’. The last editor moved to the island to print a church bulletin instead of a newspaper. Welcome back, news and information! We’ve missed you.
You mean we might actually start seeing articles in TGI that aren’t promoting Christianity?
Congrats. But have one request – fix the silly reCaptcha app that times out before I can type one sentence
Aloha Jessica, Welcome to your new Editor career. I know that the folks employed by TGI are Great people, and i am not quite understanding why Mr. Buley gave in and decided to retire, got scared, was moving, is medically compromised! Why? i write a Lot of very important issues the community needs to hear and if they wish can respond to. I would email argue with Mr. Bill a Lot, especially when “guest” writer or letters were not printed or the commentators kept asserting i seek psychological intervention due to their not giving equal time to people who know and are now living truth and integrity, not Liars that our “leaders” exchange with the general public,. Straight-faced liars and they all know whom i am referencing. There are still unEXposed “guilty stolen kealoha mailbox” leaders who will pay the price having given up their once fine legacy to ring hells bells for eternity due to the criminal behavior in our courts, politics, military and overrun by americas voters that keeps Hawaii-nei captives or like Niihauan slaves, their slave driver land “owner” fraud.
The newest gig is the Encircled Yellow star on our DL. If you do not have one, you do not fly or leave whatever island you are living on. To me, this is a ploy to political prisoner levels of fraud and corruption.
There is a lot that TGI may be able to “switch up” with a new unbiased Editor. One with an open mind and heart. WE are not liars, thieves or indian chiefess, like on the DHHL, not DHHL lands that now another wahine without necessary blood quantum percentages, <25%, and she speaks in council meeting last wednesday with all her corporate nonprofiteer buddies on the council, who will do everything it takes to get what they want, for sure not lessee status on the deathlist, ONLY them.
So Jessica, you have a perfect position to open the gates and let the GAME OVER effect, affect the entire group of islands, no longer military-tourist complex important! We want our space and it does not include peoples who are cartel or rabid sick people that will, if necessary be transported via FEMA prison barges. Ee are going to be able to Lock them all up!
Im only an educated messenger, as Mr Sai says, "Don't Kill the messenger". I say as i did running for Kauai Mayor, Pay Attention! It is all not what it appears, but we warriors are fixing what the others refuse to do. We "stewards" do no longer have to bend over to the assaults of the last 127-years.