Posts vs pages, redux

Searched and can't find an answer to a dilemma. We are a newspaper site. We are using pages for things that would be better suited as posts. The problem is, I can't find out how to keep the posts from appearing in my posts page and cluttering it up by mixing comment with hard news and so on. I would like a separate post page for OPINIONS and personal COLUMNS by writers. Anyone know if a post can be made to "stand alone" in the way pages do. If you were to visit my site at http://www.pamlicoink.com and look at the Tony Column page, you could see what I am talking about. This page has no space for comment and would be better as a post.

We use 2.8.4 WP and Atahualpa 3.4.2

Would appreciate any help. Thanks, tony