The upgrade will also fix some errors in the program that have been ongoing since we merged the message boards a couple years ago. The merge cause some problems that can only be fixed with this upgrade.

There are lots of other new bells and whistles, some of them are obvious, some are more hidden. We'll explain more of the features as we move forward.

There is an unavoidable inconvenience for all users associated with this upgrade. All Speak Ohio users will need to sign up again for the new system. That means if you have an account with Speak Ohio right now, you will need to register for the new site. While the new system will not be put into use until July 1, we encourage you to SIGN UP NOW.

We know that many of you have been longtime posters and we value your participation. In the event that someone appears to have taken another user's name, we will be able to sort out the rightful owner based on the email address associated with the account.

Another benefit with this upgrade comes because of the need for everyone to sign up again. Those people who only posted once and then disappeared, or who signed up but never posted will be cleared out of the system. Think of it as spring cleaning for Speak Ohio.

Again, this change in the system will take effect on July 1. As of that date, these old boards will remain viewable for a while. This will allow users to refer to it and continue conversations on the new site. All of the threads on this old board will remain locked, and new postings will only be possible on the new system.

Questions or concerns, and we are sure you have plenty of both, just let us know. Click here to send us your questions and comments.

To view the new site and to register today, click here.