Richmond Magazine Gets Back to the Blogosphere

Happy New Year, and thanks for dropping by Richmondmagazine.com.

If you were lucky enough not to be stuck at home last night (as I was) with the ultimate holiday gift from a co-worker — a cruddy head cold — then maybe you made it out to the Carytown New Year’s Eve celebration organized by RVA Magazine. Kudos to Anthony Harris for pulling together the free NYE hoedown, which apparently drew more than 3,000 people and featured several bands, fireworks and the raising of a lighted ball atop the New York Deli, a la Times Square.

Beginning today you’ll start seeing blog posts at this website Monday through Friday. It’s a new online feature we’ve named The Blog Squad, a reflection of the group effort from our staff and columnists.

As a magazine, we’re not exactly newbies to the blogosphere. In 2005, two of our columnists extended their wit and prognostications to our website. But a year ago, one of those writers, former media columnist Greg Weatherford, pulled the plug on his column to go tackle other writing projects. And last year, Janet Giampietro, our opinion columnist, made a valiant effort to keep a finger in the pie despite the fact that her nonstop schedule as a stay-at-home mom didn’t leave much time to blog.

So, in September 2006, we put our blog on hiatus and took a moment to figure out a new approach. Well, voila. We’re back.

You can expect The Blog Squad forum to be a little more casual and personal than our monthly magazine — but just as useful and entertaining. Our bloggers have divvied up topic areas and localities to watch; however, they’re just loose guides. In other words, be ready for anything. We’re also happy to say that Janet Giampietro will also show up every Friday at this blog site.

I’ll have my eye on local sports personalities and happenings — but more so from the world of alternative sports. I’ll also try to follow what’s going on with various charitable and community-service organizations around the region, as well as current events and issues in the business world.

Look for me on Mondays, and please, as always, let us hear from you — what you like, what you don’t like and anything in between.

Jack Cooksey
Managing editor
Richmond magazine