Your local newspaper has always encouraged its readers to take an active role in shaping the contents through polls, submissions and letters to the editor. What's happening now is nothing short of a revolution in how we think about the news and our role in it. Readers can become journalists, photographers, opinion writers and videographers by logging on to their local online newspaper.
 For your interactive connection to the community and the world, log on to oaoa.com.
The OA Online is an interactive news source that lets you get breaking news quickly and share your comments, pictures and videos with the community.
 "We're often the first to cover an event," says Sean Maggio, interactive manager. "As time passes, we constantly update the story to keep our readers informed."
 Now it's easier than ever to be heard and seen online. OA Online has introduced a place for readers to blog. Just click Join Now under Publish Your Stuff, fill out a simple form, and you're in! You can set up your own blog, share photos, comment on editorials or join a discussion forum. While the OA asks readers to police the site to keep comments from being too offensive, no topics are off-limits, and many free-wheeling discussions take place.
 The OA Online homepage makes it easy for readers to find practical information. Click the local gas prices icon to discover the best place for your next fill-up. Garage sale aficionados can type in the date they're planning to go hunting and find out what's for sale and where. The Map It feature gives you directions. You can even post your own garage sale information.
 In today's economy, employers and employees alike are trying to match the right person to the right job. Type in a key word at BasinJobs.com to begin your Monster search.
 In a town where "What's the score?" is on nearly everyone's lips, it's important to keep up with your teams. Sports fans from tee-ball through the pros can find stories and stats on their favorite teams, or contribute pictures and videos of their hometown heroes.
 "Our mission with OA Online, as with the print version of the Odessa American, is to educate the public and deliver the news quickly and accurately," Maggio says. "We encourage our readers to set their homepage to oaoa.com so that they can keep up with the news round the clock and join the growing community of interactive users."