Wednesday, May 25, 2011

How to find videos on Bradenton.com

It just got a lot easier to find videos on our website.

Thanks to Bradenton.com Web Developer William Winter, the links to “Video” in the navigation under Local News and in the Site Map at the bottom of the website will now take you here:

http://www.bradenton.com/video/

This section is still evolving, but already you'll find:
Latest Local Videos, produced by our staff
Editor Picks
Hot Videos Now
Business
Sports
Entertainment (check out Oprah today!)
and Weird News

Enjoy!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Win a $100 Publix gift card, and Go 'Canes!


We're unabashedly cheering on our Manatee High Hurricanes, the local high school baseball team that's a state contender, with the Collectible ’Canes Cards.

Photographer Grant Jefferies spent an afternoon shooting each player for the cards, designed by editor Brent Conklin and web developer William Winter.

On 1A today and on Bradenton.com, we introduced the team's six Seniors, and spelled out a $25 gift card contest. Well, since then, Publix stepped up today and upped the ante to a $100 gift certificate!

Here's the skinny: Collect all 19 baseball cards by clipping from the Herald or printing from Bradenton.com. Seniors are today, Juniors publish Thursday and Sophomores on Friday.

Deadline to receive entries: Thursday, May 26. Include your phone number.

Send the entire set to:

Collectible ’Canes Cards
c/o Bradenton Herald
102 Manatee Ave. W
Bradenton 34205

Random drawing will be noon May 27, and the winner will be announced here on Bradenton.com and on our Facebook page.

Go ’Canes!!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Kristofferson package tops week's best list

Topping my list of "Best ofs" for May 2-8 was Wade Tatangelo’s in-depth profile of Kris Kristofferson in Weekend. Wade had a fantastic phone interview with Kristofferson, who talked frankly and freely about his compelling life story. Wade wove the legend's timeless songs and the memorable characters he has played on screen throughout.

Wade followed with his Sunday A&E column on his favorite Kristofferson songs and with his BuzzWorthy blog entry on the top Kristofferson covers.

The story did great online, and was one of McClatchy-Tribune wire services' top headlines of the day.

Also making the Best list:
A great duo on last week's deluge Thursday, with photographer Grant Jefferies' tricky shot from the middle of Manatee Avenue, and Night Metro Editor Brent Conklin's clever headline: "Manatee Avenue Wet"

Sunday, May 8, 2011

What joy to share a Happy Mother's Day

It's a glorious Mother's Day here, a picture-perfect day as they say. And it has been a special treat for me, with my best friend, her daughter and her daughter's new mother-in-law all visiting for the weekend.

Joyce and daughter Jen have been here before, and never stop raving about our beaches, fried grouper and my magic margaritas. Cammie paid her first visit, and fell in love with everything except the grind called Manatee Avenue (yep, another chance to take a shot at that mess, as this previous blog post still holds true!).

This morning, I expected everybody would want to make one last trip to the beach and work a bit more on those tans before they head back home -- to Boulder, San Francisco and Fritch, Texas (I'll let you find that dot on the map). Instead, Jennifer took us to Mother's Day brunch -- "my three Moms," she declared.

I've known her all of her 27 years, through thrills and tears and triumphs. And those words made me so proud and humbled.

The same emotion runs through Vin Mannix's Mother's Day column today. Whatever you do today, make sure you hug your mom. Or hug somebody's mom. Or have a conversation with your moms, wherever and whoever they may be.

“Twas heaven here with you.”

That's Joyce next to me, with daughter Jen across from her with Cammie.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Bradenton.com viewers set another record

We've had record traffic on Bradenton.com since news broke that Osama bin Laden had been killed. That is yet another telling indication of the historic nature of this event: It is rare that international news drives our site, where local news and local photo galleries almost always top the most-viewed list.

That actually still held true, creating quite a dichotomy of top stories and galleries. The most popular throughout the weekend and into the work week? The DeSoto Grand Parade photo gallery.

By Tuesday, however, topping the list were photos from Osama's hideout in Pakistan and McClatchy Washington reporter Jonathon Landay's story of how the Navy SEALS slid down ropes from their hovering helicopters and pulled off the raid on bin Laden's compound.