HawaiiNews.com is the latest incarnation of the "Hawaii NewsList," an independent, volunteer-run online news source that was originally established in 1994 at the University of Hawaii as a community service for former Hawaii residents living out-of-state and abroad. Nine years later, HawaiiNews.com still provides local news summaries (via the web or e-mail), but additionally offers a range of resources including a community calendar, a website directory, a discussion forum and e-cards.

At one point the only Hawaii news outlet available on the Internet, the "Hawaii NewsList" was a lifesaver for kama`aina who didn't have access to local newspapers and TV news broadcasts. Thanks to the World Wide Web, information about Hawaii is readily available today. And distributed freely and powered primarily by obsession, HawaiiNews.com cannot compete with mainstream and commercial news sources. Instead, our aim is (still) to provide a helpful, informal digest of current events, including citations and links to noteworthy articles and essays from leading island media outlets.

HawaiiNews.com will hopefully grow to include original spot news and in-depth reporting, features (including reviews, profiles, and columns), and opinion pieces — ultimately offering an independent, alternative venue for writers, photographers, and journalists (and student journalists). If you have a suggestion, or would like to become a part of the HawaiiNews.com team, please contact us.