If you happen to see a Post Metro columnist wandering around next week, you should know that it's probably because the section is undergoing a revamp that will shift them off the standard left-hand side of the page.

Joe Strupp reports on changes and the redesign, quoting Marc Fisher as saying, "No writer would be happy about being displaced by an index... I worry about toying with reader habits at this difficult time for the industry. But I love writing the column and I am hopeful readers will look for it elsewhere."

"We love the columnists," said Bob McCartney, assistant managing editor/metro, who said the changes will take effect on Dec. 20. "The main goal here is not to reduce the visibility of the columns, it is to give readers an index for one-stop shopping of local coverage."

The redesigns and the giant rail index is angled to give occasional readers a better sense of what's in the paper's section. Of course making the paper harder to read for regular readers is always a plus too -- nothing like making your post loyal clientele work hard to boost sales, huh?