Well, here we are, back with a new Commonsnews.org. It doesn’t look substantially different from the older site, but we’ve done quite a bit under the hood  — work that will let us add new capabilities and some graphics over time, under pressure, and with a higher degree of quality and reliability. Now that we’re back online, we’re not going away.

The most significant change is that we now have moderated comments on our stories. Especially in light of the recent controversy in Rockingham over the Topix message boards, we want to create an environment that is analogous to talking on the street or on the floor at town meeting. Our terms are commonsense, in the service of balancing civility with encouraging comment. Our rationale is simple: we don’t print anonymous letters, so why should we encourage an environment where people are empowered by anonymity to say things they wouldn’t be comfortable having their name associated with?

We also will be cycling news off the site after two issues, and eventually we will offer a version of the site with full archives to members of Vermont Independent Media as a benefit of membership. (We hope you will consider joining.)

We have a plethora of other features that will follow soon — expect slow, steady evolution from here — and we hope you’ll check back on this blog for more behind-the-scenes insight on The Commons and the local media scene. Joining me here is our new news editor, Randolph T. Holhut, who comes to us after a long career at the Reformer, and our other staffers here, who will be posting occasionally.

—Jeff Potter, editor