This page tracks functional updates and improvements to New Glarus 360. It is intended to document changes to the website, user experience, features, forms, navigation, design, and related tools. Story updates, routine publishing, and editorial changes are not included here.

Most recent changes appear first.

August 26, 2026
New Photos Gallery Added

What changed:

• A dedicated Photos page was added to New Glarus 360 and linked from the main navigation.
• The gallery displays feature images from stories specifically selected with an internal photo tag, giving New Glarus 360 editorial control over what appears.
• Photos are displayed in a responsive gallery that adapts from five columns on large screens down to one or two columns on smaller devices.
• Clicking a photo opens a larger lightbox which includes navigation controls and a link back to the original story.
• Additional photos load progressively rather than loading the entire archive at once.

Why it matters:

The Photos page creates a new destination built around one of New Glarus 360’s strongest assets: local photography. It gives readers an easy way to browse the community visually while still connecting each photograph to the reporting behind it.

August 26, 2026
Membership Experience Improved

What changed:

• The login experience was simplified so logged-out visitors see a Log In button while logged-in members see Account.
• The mobile login experience was improved so members no longer have to scroll through subscription options before finding the sign-in option.
• The newsletter signup area at the bottom of pages now changes depending on membership status.
• Logged-out visitors continue to see the newsletter signup.
• Free members instead see an invitation to explore paid membership options.
• Paid members see an option to give a friend, neighbor or family member a complimentary three-month subscription.

Why it matters:

The website now responds more intelligently to who is using it. Members are no longer shown signup prompts that do not apply to them, free members have a clearer path to supporting New Glarus 360, and paid members receive an additional benefit they can share with others.

August 26, 2026
Latest Page Adds Infinite Scrolling

What changed:

• The Latest page now automatically loads additional stories as readers approach the bottom of the page.
• Stories continue loading in batches of 12 rather than loading a large archive all at once.
• The previous Load 12 More Posts button was replaced with a smoother, automatic browsing experience.

Why it matters:

Readers can now move through New Glarus 360’s recent coverage without repeatedly stopping to load another page or tap a button. The change makes browsing faster and more seamless, particularly on mobile devices.

August 26, 2026
Search, RSS and Google Improvements

What changed:

• The website search function was changed from Ghost’s built-in search to Google-powered site search, providing results specifically from NewGlarus360.com.
• New Glarus 360’s RSS feed was activated, allowing readers and outside services to follow newly published content through RSS.
• Member-only stories now include Google member-content markup identifying content that is not fully accessible for free while preserving the same public preview readers see when logged out.

Why it matters:

These changes improve how New Glarus 360 content can be found, followed and understood by search engines. Google-powered search makes the site’s archive easier for readers to explore, RSS adds another distribution option, and improved structured data helps search engines properly recognize subscriber-only reporting.

August 26, 2026
Contact Page Redesigned

What changed:

• The Contact page received a complete redesign to make it easier for readers to understand how and why to contact New Glarus 360.
• News tips and other submissions are now presented through a cleaner, more structured interface.
• Form submissions are routed through another service provider and also generate email notifications.

Why it matters:

Readers now have a clearer and more professional way to send news tips, questions and other information to New Glarus 360. The new design also makes submitted information easier to organize and manage behind the scenes.

August 26, 2026
General Site Refinements

What changed:

• Article bylines were standardized to read “by” followed by the author’s name.
• Photo captions are now aligned left.
• Publication times were added alongside article dates.
• The site’s light and dark themes received updated background and navigation colors.
• Web versions of newsletter bookmarks were improved with better spacing and cleaner presentation.
• Unwanted gaps surrounding advertisements in web newsletter views were removed.
• Newsletter signup was added directly to the Newsletters page.
• Announcement-bar links now open in a new browser tab.
• Footer information was expanded with New Glarus 360’s local-news description and contact information.

Why it matters:

Together, these smaller improvements make New Glarus 360 more consistent, easier to read and more polished across desktop and mobile devices without individually overwhelming the changelog with minor adjustments.

August 23, 2026
Editorial Policy Updated for AI and Bylines

What changed:

The Editorial Policy was updated to clarify how New Glarus 360 uses AI tools and when stories carry a byline. A person who produces a story receives a byline even when AI tools were used to assist. A personal byline is omitted only when a story is created solely by AI, with no human author. Every story continues to be reviewed, edited and approved by a human before publication.

Why it matters:

Readers should be able to see who is responsible for a story, and how AI is used, without confusion. The updated language makes that rule clearer and keeps human editorial judgment at the center of the work.

August 19, 2026
Privacy Policy Page Added

What changed:

A dedicated Privacy Policy page was added to New Glarus 360. Privacy information that had previously been included within the Terms and Conditions now has its own standalone page. A link to the Privacy Policy has also been added below website form fields so users can easily review how their information is collected and used before submitting information.

Why it matters:

Giving the Privacy Policy its own page makes important privacy information easier to find and understand. Adding the link near form fields also provides greater transparency at the point where readers may be submitting personal information, helping clarify how New Glarus 360 handles user data and improving the overall trust and usability of the site.

August 18, 2026
Navigation and Footer Reorganized

What changed:

The order and hierarchy of links in the New Glarus 360 main navigation and footer were updated to make commonly used features easier to find and to better group related content. Menu labels and placement were adjusted so news sections, site tools, reader actions and account functions are presented more clearly.

Why it matters:

The changes make the site easier to navigate by giving the most useful links greater prominence and organizing secondary links more logically. The updated hierarchy also reduces clutter, improves consistency between desktop and mobile navigation, and helps readers more quickly find stories, account tools, participation options and other site resources.

March 30, 2026
Navigation, Ticker and Account Updates

What changed:

• A major round of site improvements was made across New Glarus 360 including... The footer was expanded with new navigation links.
• The footer logo was enlarged, the copyright line was updated.
• The top menu item previously labeled “All” was changed to “Discuss” with a direct link to the Facebook group.
• The site ticker was also improved so its label can be changed more easily, its colors better match the New Glarus 360 theme, spacing and buffer were refined, and speed can now be adjusted in code.
• The contact page was redesigned.
• Bookmarks were cleaned up visually on desktop and mobile devices.
• Feature images at the top of stories were set to open in the gallery.
• Embedded videos were adjusted to better fill the content column.
• The account page was upgraded to include a more complete side-by-side membership comparison and a clearer pricing layout.

Why it matters:
These changes improved some of the most important reader-facing parts of the website. Navigation is clearer, the ticker is more flexible for breaking news and special updates, the contact page looks more professional, article pages behave more intuitively, and the account page does a better job of helping readers compare subscription options. Altogether, this update made New Glarus 360 easier to use, easier to manage, and more polished across both desktop and mobile.

March 13, 2026
Changelog Page Added

What changed:
A dedicated changelog page was added to New Glarus 360 to document functional website updates, feature additions, fixes, and other site improvements, with the most recent changes listed first.

Why it matters:
The changelog gives readers a transparent way to see how New Glarus 360 is evolving over time. It also creates a clear record of improvements, helps explain changes to the user experience, and reinforces that the site is actively maintained and updated.

March 4, 2026
About and Help Pages Added

What Changed:
About page Added to Website
Help page Added to Website

Why It Matters:
The addition of an About page and Help page gives New Glarus 360 a stronger foundation for both new and returning readers. The About page helps explain what New Glarus 360 is, what it covers, and why it exists, while the Help page gives readers a clear place to go for answers about subscriptions, login issues, newsletters, and how to use the site. Together, these pages make the website more welcoming, easier to navigate, and more useful as New Glarus 360 continues to grow.

February 4, 2026
Website Functionality and Presentation Updates

What Changed:
▸ Google Analytics was integrated into the site.
▸ A public tag page issue for announcements was fixed.
▸ The 404 page was customized and corrected for dark theme display.
▸ Dark-theme background colors in newsletter were adjusted to improve contrast.
▸ Mobile launch icon/logo quality issue solved.
▸ A desktop “back to top” function was added to match mobile behavior.
▸ Other general improvements.

Why It Matters:
These updates improved analytics tracking, visual consistency, dark-mode usability, and mobile presentation.

January 30, 2026
Expanded Site Controls, Forms, And Reader Experience

What Changed:
▸ An archive issue affecting January 2026 entries was fixed.
▸ The downloadable file box was redesigned.
▸ Article share icons were reordered, putting Facebook first.
▸ Additional spacing was added around the top logo area.
▸ Article dates were changed to American formatting.
▸ A custom “Internal Trending” page was created so New Glarus 360 can manually control ticker text and links rather than relying only on trending posts.
▸ Right-click was disabled across the website.
▸ Announcement page text alignment was adjusted, and email links were made clickable.
▸ Custom forms were added or planned for event submissions and news tips, including file uploads and a contributor rights acknowledgement checkbox.
▸ Other general improvements.

Why It Matters:
These changes gave the site more editorial control, improved branding consistency, and expanded the tools readers can use to submit events, tips, and materials.

January 23, 2026
Navigation, Footer, Social Sharing, And Form Improvements

What Changed:
▸ The homepage right rail was adjusted to show seven items with tighter spacing.
▸ The black navigation strip was refined to better match the dark theme.
▸ Featured post star icons were removed.
▸ Footer social links were updated to include Facebook, Instagram, X, and Email.
▸ The site copyright message was linked to the Terms page.
▸ “Member discussion” was relabeled as “Comments.”
▸ A content-width issue affecting single images inside articles was reviewed.
▸ Future flexibility for video, linked category art, and display ads added.

Why It Matters:
These updates cleaned up article pages, improved footer utility, and made the site feel more polished and reader-friendly.

January 19, 2026
Initial Theme Customization and Structural Setup

What Changed:
▸ The tags menu bar was changed to black with white text.
▸ The menu bar was set to a static manual order rather than auto-sorting.
▸ A hyperlink was added to “Latest.”
▸ Homepage images in the left column were adjusted for a 2:3 aspect ratio.
▸ The footer logo was resized to match the top logo.
▸ Footer category links were alphabetized.
▸ Instagram and email links were added to the footer.
▸ Reddit sharing was removed from article pages.

Why It Matters:
This was the first major round of work shaping the site’s look, navigation, and overall structure into something more custom and more aligned with the New Glarus 360 brand.

January 18, 2026
Website Launch

▸ New Glarus 360 officially launched as a standalone website on Jan. 18, 2026.

Why It Matters:
This marked the beginning of the public website experience beyond social-only distribution and established the foundation for ongoing improvements, subscriptions, newsletters, archives, forms, and future advertising.

September 1, 2025
Facebook Groups Page Launch

▸ The New Glarus 360 Facebook Groups page launched on Sept. 1, 2025.

Why It Matters:
This was the first major public foothold for the project and helped establish the early audience, community engagement, and distribution channel that preceded the standalone website launch.

Have a suggestion for the site, or notice something that is not working as it should? Email editor@newglarus360.com and include “Changelog” in the subject line.