A few months ago, I got this idea for a website, so I launched it. It’s called One  Salisbury.com

Its purpose is to promote the positive things about this community of ours, this One Salisbury. It’s got a Facebook page, and, on a good day with a story that captures the right mood, it might get a few thousand people to check it out. It’s a hobby. It’s fun.

It wasn’t designed to be, and isn’t meant to be, a breaking news site. It’s more of a place to go for – I hope – some thoughtful commentary on the people, places and things that make this city tick.

I honestly believed that the website was needed. Over the last decade, a steady drumbeat had gotten louder and louder around here. It was gaining ground and, with each passing day, sucking just a little bit more out of our collective psyche.

The rhythm of this drumbeat was based on a few things – none of them positive. Conspiracies. Negativity. Anger. Blame. You could hear it, or read about it, everywhere.

It was making it virtually impossible to get things done, to think about the future in a positive way, or to remember all of the good things that make this city of ours a fairly cool place to call home.

I thought it was time for a different perspective, a new voice. So, I threw in mine.

And now, thanks to the brand spanking new Salisbury Independent, the idea of One Salisbury.com has another place where it can be found. Right here. On a regular basis, thanks to the offer made to me by Greg Bassett, the Editor and General Manager of this new weekly paper.

I wrote the following words in a OneSalisbury.com piece I did a few weeks ago about this (also) emerging new voice called the Salisbury Independent.

I stand them today: One Salisbury thinks our fair city can only benefit from the addition of The Salisbury Independent. Years ago, we were a two newspaper town. There’s no reason we can’t be again. No one, myself included, thinks the newspaper business is what it once was.

But, so what? People will always want to read stories, and get perspective, and find out what’s going on. Online – and/or in print.

So, welcome the new kid on the block – ready to go toe to toe with the old one. One Salisbury wishes success and good community service to them both.

Here’s to new voices.