Webblog connects paper with readers, non-readers

For nearly a year, the Daily Bee has been hosting a running dialogue with readers and non-readers alike and we haven't killed one tree or used one ounce of ink to do it.

So far, we have received 4,348 comments from 2,300 people on our bonnercountydailybee.com webblog system since it went online.

The reason we haven't publicized it until now was we wanted to work all of the bugs out of it before we trotted it out.

We are averaging more than 40 comments a day.

To participate on the webblog, all a person has to do is log on to our very popular Web site and check out any of the stories on our Web site that day.

To comment, just scroll to the bottom of the selected story and type in your comments. After a short time, the comments will appear at the bottom of the story.

If you wish to comment on any past Bee story that was put online, just type in a key word from the story into the archives box. Last names work well in the search. There are thousands of stories archived and many have comments.

To date, the most commented on stories have been:

? 138, Area baby-sitter kills black bear.

? 68 Police issue warning over "Liberty Dollars."

? 50 Property assessments stun, anger residents.

? 49 Tort claim demands sheriff's resignation

? 39 Ex-deputy files lawsuit

? 37 Davis sentenced on battery charge

? 33 Miller says pair's survey misleading

? 31 Broker charged with money laundering

The Daily Bee has the most actively managed web site in the county and this new dimension for communication has been a boon to us as well as the many advertisers on our Web site.

We are testing a few new features on our Web site right now including talking advertisements and streaming video from the Associated Press.

Let me know what you think. Our goal is to continue to be Bonner County's leading news source, in print and online.

David Keyes is publisher of the Daily Bee.