Civil Beat Staff
John Hill
John Hill is the Investigations Editor at Honolulu Civil Beat. He meandered back and forth across the U.S. for two-plus decades as a newspaper reporter — with stops in Northern California, New York City, New Orleans, Albuquerque and back to Northern California — before abandoning the mainland altogether to come to Civil Beat in July 2016.
In 2005, he won the George Polk Award for documenting abuses of the California pension and disability systems, most notably by the top brass of the California Highway Patrol. In New Orleans, he was part of a team of reporters that did a year-long series on race relations honored for public service by the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Headliner Awards.
In 2009, John left journalism to work for a California Senate office that investigated shortcomings in state government. His reports focused on the state’s failure to prevent elder abuse and monitor deaths in residential drug treatment programs, among other topics, and led to legislation and administrative reforms.
In 2014, the Senate eliminated his office and he worked for a year-and-a-half as press secretary for the California State Controller.
John recognizes that the best investigations start with tips, and encourages Civil Beat readers to contact him with stories of skullduggery, malfeasance and garden-variety ineptitude.
![Case Against Hawaii Attorney Exposes Inner Workings Of Illicit Marshallese Adoption Business](https://d1l18ops95qbzp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/2019/11/20132104/HISAW-2015-103-400x258.jpg)
Case Against Hawaii Attorney Exposes Inner Workings Of Illicit Marshallese Adoption Business
A state investigation alleges Laurie Loomis used an account she failed to disclose to the state bar to collect adoption fees and make payments to birth mothers, a facilitator and herself.
![Lawyer In Illicit Marshallese Adoption Scheme Now Accused Of Paying Texas Inmates For Babies](https://d1l18ops95qbzp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/2024/07/31151155/feature-hall-mug-400x267.jpg)
Lawyer In Illicit Marshallese Adoption Scheme Now Accused Of Paying Texas Inmates For Babies
Jody Hall previously arranged for pregnant women to fly from the Marshall Islands to the U.S. through Honolulu in violation of international law. It's unclear if this new investigation will examine those actions as well as the jail accusations.
![Hawaii Supreme Court Will Review Judge’s Decision To Withhold Abused Girl’s Case File](https://d1l18ops95qbzp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/2021/11/12130444/Missing-girl-pics-400x217.jpeg)
Hawaii Supreme Court Will Review Judge’s Decision To Withhold Abused Girl’s Case File
Public First Law Center is trying to open files that would show why the state and Family Court placed Isabella Kalua with the couple accused of killing her.
![John Hill: Judge Hides Records In Child’s Death Because We Might Get The Wrong Idea](https://d1l18ops95qbzp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/2021/11/12130444/Missing-girl-pics-400x217.jpeg)
John Hill: Judge Hides Records In Child’s Death Because We Might Get The Wrong Idea
Judge Matthew Viola admitted that the public has an interest in how the state and Family Court placed Isabella Kalua with the parents accused of killing her.
![Lawsuit Accuses State Of Negligence In Placing Boy In Household Where Geanna Bradley Died](https://d1l18ops95qbzp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/2024/02/16135803/33Karsten_1-400x266.jpg)
Lawsuit Accuses State Of Negligence In Placing Boy In Household Where Geanna Bradley Died
The boy lived for five years in the Wahiawa home of Thomas and Brandy Blas and like Geanna suffered severe abuse and neglect, the complaint says.
![John Hill: State Investigators Need To Take A Much Closer Look At This Honolulu Property Management Company](https://d1l18ops95qbzp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/2024/05/21123007/240521-dc-TylerMarkman8537-400x267.jpg)
John Hill: State Investigators Need To Take A Much Closer Look At This Honolulu Property Management Company
A tenant named Tyler Markman told the state that his property manager was using unlicensed workers to show apartments. Despite a very clear 2015 directive, regulators said the law was too vague to take action.
![John Hill: A Lawsuit Against The Child Protection System Digs Up Troubling Facts](https://d1l18ops95qbzp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/2019/05/08163528/Victoria-Kamamalu-Building-4th-floor-Dept-of-Human-Services-400x267.jpg)
John Hill: A Lawsuit Against The Child Protection System Digs Up Troubling Facts
In the absence of legislative oversight, litigation is one of the few ways to find out what went wrong.
![Unequal Treatment By Lenders Is Hurting Lahaina Homeowners](https://d1l18ops95qbzp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/2024/03/29162125/230810-kf-Maui-Fire-252-400x267.jpg)
Unequal Treatment By Lenders Is Hurting Lahaina Homeowners
The lenders' policies and an obscure thicket of state and federal regulation and law determine which homeowners will get interest on their sizable insurance payouts.
![John Hill: The Strange, Slipshod Demise Of Hawaii’s Pay Phones](https://d1l18ops95qbzp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/2024/03/15163750/rovegno-hawaiian-payphone15-400x320.jpeg)
John Hill: The Strange, Slipshod Demise Of Hawaii’s Pay Phones
Once a part of the urban fabric, pay phones are disappearing. In Hawaii, some are being removed, but others seem to be decaying in place.
![](https://d1l18ops95qbzp.cloudfront.net/wp-content/2016/07/John-Hill-Office-2-300x210.jpg)