‘Kukini’ named top Air Force newspaper Published April 19, 2007 By Jeff Nicolay Kukini Editor Hickam AFB, HI -- Please pardon our patting ourselves on the back, but the results are in: A panel of civilian journalists, teachers and public relations professionals last week selected Hickam Kukini as the Air Force's best Metro-Format Newspaper in the 51st annual Air Force Media Contest. "Our goal is to provide an exciting and informative base newspaper," said Col. JJ Torres, 15th Airlift Wing Commander. "I think we got it right." The colonel's comments were echoed by the anonymous panel of judges, who hailed Kukini for being a "nice paper with good variety of coverage" offering a "good mix of local and AF news." Kudos for this unprecedented award go to the following Team Hickam members: Staff Sergeant Sarah Kinsman and Senior Airman Erin Smith, 15th Airlift Squadron Public Affairs, both of whom served as editor during parts of 2006; and graphic artist Sueann Carter, who closes the curtain on an accomplished career at Hickam today with the award as an appropriate round of applause for a job well done prior to moving to Washington state with her husband, Dennis. Way to go, Team Hickam!