First Air America. Then progressive talk-radio producer Gorty Baldwin. And now this: after a trial run in web-only format, the Vermont Guardian is closing down operations altogether.

A black-op being run out of the NSA, to thin out the best of Vermont’s political discourse? VDB weeps; you decide.

Actually, in this case, Publisher Shay Totten is moving on to greener pastures. Substantially greener: he’ll be the new editorial director at Chelsea Green Publishing.

You know, the folks who published Crashing The Gates, a book that got more than a wee bit of press couple of years back.

Which is all well and good for Chelsea Green and Shay. But the hole in coverage of the Vermont political scene will be substantial, and will not be addressed any time soon.

Shay has been relentless in his pursuit of stories within, without and just on the cusp of mainstream news. As a result, over the last few years the Guardian has become the place to watch exciting, occasionally explosive stories break into the light.

And, of course, along with the online version of the Guardian goes the weekly, column-length version of this site that we launched with such starry-eyed innocence back in 2006.

Great fun while it lasted. And wonderful to work with the talented team over there, from the advertising salespeople to the folk who worked the Brattleboro connection.

Godspeed, one and all.