Don’t be alarmed when you visit East Ridge News Online later this week and find that everything looks different; ERNO is undergoing something of a facelift.

For almost two years now, East Ridge News Online has provided the city with dependable and accurate information about the daily events in East Ridge. As publisher and editor of ERNO, I approached online news from the perspective of an old newspaper man. I’ve since come to understand that providing information via the internet is an entirely different kettle of fish.

I’ve enlisted the help of the folks at Pyron Designs, who have a much different perspective on how to present information online that will hopefully provide the visitor to ERNO with a much more “user friendly” and interactive experience. I’ve been assured by the designers that this will be a “sleeker Website designed for the digital age where people carry their computers around in their pockets.”

The redesigned East Ridge News Online will be phone and tablet friendly. It is designed to encourage more reader feedback and comments. One of the goals of the redesign was to try and tailor the new ERNO to fit the needs of the reader.

We have attempted to design a place in the virtual world where the end of the story is just the beginning of the conversation.

What to look for:

You can now vote on the poll no matter what browser you use.

When you go to ERNO on your smartphone, it will be streamlined. You’ll be able to see much more content without any kind of manipulation.

You will be able to search the site easier and find what your looking for.

The most pertinent news will be at the top of the page under the heading “Featured Posts” and “Featured Stories.”

We welcome suggestions; comments can be submitted from the Website.

If you have a hot news tip you would like to submit you can do that

The designers tell me “it will be a completely interactive news experience.”

We encourage your comments and feedback. When the second generation of East Ridge News Online goes live, click the “contact us link” found at the bottom of the page and let us know your thoughts about the design and layout.

Thanks for reading _ Dick Cook