After three weeks of being inaccessible through the Internet, the MARIPOSA GAZETTE’S Web site has returned to the cyberspace.

“The last week of October, our ISP (internet Web site had been ‘hacked’ by a third party,” explained Publisher R.D. Tucker. “An unknown third party had uploaded numerous corrupt files through what the ISP described as a ‘back door,’ and when search engines, like Google, discovered the bad files, they listed the site as a potential ‘attack site’ and blocked its access through their protocols. Regardless of how many ‘scrubs’ the ISP conducted, we had to completely reconstruct the site.”

“Maybe that was a small blessing in disguise,” Tucker said. “The response to our new, enhanced site has been overwhelmingly positive.”

The new site with the same address (www.mariposagazette. com) offers a number of features that have never been available before.

Currently, the entire content of the most recent print edition is available online, including classified pages and public notices. The site is categorized, just like the newspaper, with drop-down menus under most listings. There is also a full digital edition employing “page flip” technology so readers can actually “flip” through the pages, just like the hard copy.

“There are a number of enhancements we have added to make this site a greater value to our readers and advertisers,” Tucker said.

Residents can now stay informed with up to date news stories by two methods. They can still send an e-mail “link me” request to mariposagazette@ mariposagazette. com, and they are added to the GAZETTE’S Breaking News Alert e-mail service. They can also sign-up on the Web site in the upper left hand corner at a drop down menu entitled “Get News Updates” and they will receive an e-mail any time new material is posted to the Web site.

There is also a defined “advertising” section under the main news headings. Current advertisers appear there, and the advertisements are enlarged with one mouse click. When the larger ad appears, it also displays a “visit our Web site” tab which takes the viewer to the advertiser’s Web site. The ads also rotate down the right side of each page, and skyscraper advertisements with direct Internet links float next to the main news frames. There is also an advetisers’ index which lists phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and contains Web links.

There is a search capability for previous archived stories by subject, and older editions can be searched by dates. The site also has a “poll” capability among other features, that will be launched in the near future.

“We are updating the archives every week, and will be doing so throughout the next several months,” Tucker added. “Everyone is invited to visit the site and send us their feedback.”

At this time, the entire site is accessible online. At a date to yet be determined, only print edition subscribers will have free access to the complete content of the site through a user name and password, and “online only” subscriptions will also be available. Other online visitors will only have access to the most recent updates.