I like the non bold version. This going in a good direction! (I liked robclaisse version best. Left column right aligned, right column left aligned)
On the other issue: Is this a news site? No. It is a forum. A forum is characterized by its organizational structure. This sets it apart from other sites and well contributes to its success.
Why be like everyone else, when what you have is working so well, attracting so much attention, getting so many interested and motivated people together?
Think about how well the news section worked out? It didn't. You ended up deleting it...