It's been a few days since we launched the weblog portion of 5280.com, and now that most of the initial kinks have been worked out, I wanted to take a moment to officially welcome you to the latest step in the evolution of 5280 magazine. With Nov. 2 fast approaching, our initial priority is to bring a little bit of clarity to what's become a nasty and confusing time in our nation's history. It seems ever-more-likely that Colorado will play a decisive role in this election's outcome. We couldn't sit by and not make our voices heard. To that end, we've assembled a team of reporters who will be covering the election and its aftermath in blog format -- meaning reports that are short and to-the-point, with links to other Internet sites that will add to your understanding of the day's events. We're covering all of the races that affect Colorado, as well as providing timely info on such vital issues as what you should be doing to make sure your vote is counted. Our reports will be written by members of 5280's editorial staff, as well as by two of Denver's most-respected bloggers:

• Jeralyn Merritt is the talented (and prolific) force behind TalkLeft: The Politics of Crime, Colorado's most widely read weblog. Jeralyn is a Denver criminal defense attorney and legal analyst, most frequently appearing on Fox News and MSNBC. Her blogging has been featured in The New York Times and the Washington Post, as well as numerous other national and local publications.
• Luis Toro is Denver attorney who has lived most of his life in Colorado. He is a former contributor to Political State Report and The American Street.

This will not be a partisan site, but we definitely have a point-of-view. We're ignoring the soundbites (or at least scrutinizing them), and instead trying to connect the dots in a way that we think offers real insight. It's not what you're probably used to getting from today's traditional corporate media. And don't worry. We'll be reporting on more than just politics -- we're also covering dining, nightlife, and the other kinds of entertaining subjects that you've come to expect from 5280, but in a way that helps to bridge the gap between the print editions of the magazine. On that front, we're happy to have the contributions of Kat Valentine, the well-known and popular Denver entertainment reporter, who also writes for 5280's print edition. Kat's posts are a welcome reminder that, even in polticially charged times, it's still OK to have a little fun. As you've probably already seen, the site is being updated frequently and throughout the day; we hope you'll make us part of your regular web-surfing routine. (For our more technically adept readers, the blog is also available in RSS format. Point your feedreader at http://www.5280.com/blog/wp-rss2.php.) As always, we thank you for your support of 5280 magazine. Feel free to let us know what you think of this new service -- use the "Email Us" link at the bottom of this page to make your voice heard.