You are invited to become involved in the community building process. There are several ways you can contribute, outlined below. You may submit your content from this website, email it, drop it off in person, or send it by post.

Letter to the Editor: 350 word maximum
A letter to the editor can be an expression of your opinion, a response to a story printed in the Dispatch, or a community mahalo. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication.

News Release: 450 word maximum
A news release is an official announcement to the media or public from an organization, business or department. It favorably highlights and briefly describes the who, what, when, where and why of an event or product. Sometimes the Dispatch prints them as a news release, and sometimes uses them as a starting block for a full story on the topic. Don’t forget to include the name of your group or organization for the by-line.

Opinion: 550 word max
An opinion piece is a well-formed view or belief relevant to the Molokai community. Even if the information presented is factual, but expresses some opinion on the material, it fits in this section.

Community contributed story: 650 word max

This type of story is factual, well-written and provides objective information about a newsworthy issue or event. Please provide the sources of your information within the story (said so-and-so, according to such-and-such). Story ideas may be discussed beforehand with the Editor.

Website Comments: 350 word maximum
Occasionally, we will select comments for print from registered users of the Molokai Dispatch website. Comments are generally chosen because they provide thought-provoking prospective on our community. However, any letters or comments drawing attention to specific individuals or organizations which could be regarded as controversial will not be printed without the author’s name. If you write such a comment on the website and would like it printed, please email us or include your full name in the comment.

Photos:
Photos to accompany a story are always encouraged, and will be printed space permitting. Please include a brief caption that describes the photo, names any people pictured from left to right, and notes the photographer.

You may also submit stand-alone photos that have their own story to tell. Examples include historical photos, those that document a current event or portray a Molokai scene. Please also submit a caption to go with the photo (see above).

Please email all photos in the highest quality version jpg file form. We can also scan hard copy photos depending on their quality.

General guidelines:
Please remember the power of the written word. Take responsibility for your words, and be aware of the impact they could have on others. We will not print anything that personally attacks a group or individual, or could directly cause harm in the community.

All submissions are printed at the discretion of the Editor, and content may be edited before print. Edits may include content, grammar and length.