GOP, hurricane blogs prove popular

Two of our blogs have been getting a lot of attention from readers in the past week -- and they're both "extras" with postings coming from a lot of Herald newsroom staffers.

The 2012 GOP Convention has been supplying plenty of blog-perfect content, so we spun off this Republic National Convention blog from our regular political blogging.

We also have a special convention section on Bradenton.com: Bradenton.com/Republican-convention/

And then Isaac reared his ugly head, sparing us for the most part, but now is barreling toward Louisiana and Mississippi. We dusted off our "Hurricane Watch" blog and thousands of you visited it in the past week.

We're a partner with the Biloxi Sun-Herald, and have offered them help with production or online work. But we're hoping for the best: a non-event from Isaac. Stay tuned to the most current predictions on our blog.

Send us your back-to-school photos

It's back to school week in Manatee County -- and that means photo opps galore! Herald Metro Editor Marc Masferrer decided to tap into that, asking readers to send him photographs capturing their children's first days back.

And almost 60 of you have sent in such cute photographs! Here's the gallery:
The first day of school in Manatee

Everyone likes it so much that we'll make it back-to-school week. All you need to do is email your photograph to mmasferrer@bradenton.com, and he will add your child's photo to our gallery. And it's by far the most popular posting on Bradenton.com this week. Check it out -- it's guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Jayleen, 8, Jestany, 7 and Jasity, 7, students at Virgil Mills Elementary.
PROVIDED PHOTO.

Our 'Recipe of the Day' newsletter launches

My favorite daily newsletter has arrived from Bradenton.com:
Recipe of the Day!

Each weekday, right after lunch, you'll receive a scrumptious recipe to try, courtesy of the Bradenton Herald. There's usually a theme each week -- and this week, it's Back to School (though I have to admit, that used to mean PB&J, not Chicken Avocado Pitas!).

Sign up by Friday, Aug. 17, and you'll have a chance at winning a $500 room makeover gift certificate from Kirkland's, the new store at The Shoppes at University Park.

Click here for all the information and directions. And get your kitchen or your grill and your taste buds ready for some mouthwatering experiments.

Readers following Delmer Smith trial

I just got this email from Herald crime reporter Elizabeth Johnson, who is in the Manatee County Courthouse covering the opening testimony in the murder trial of Delmer Smith III:

Crazy. People are making accounts to follow me. I'm the only person many of them follow.

That followed a comment early today on Elizabeth's breaking news coverage on Bradenton.com from a reader, irritated that there wasn't live streaming of the trial:

Marjie, Although there isn't streaming of the trial, which I too would like, you can follow it live on Twitter from a BH reporter ( @EJohnsonBHcrime ) who is in the courtroom. If you don't have a Twitter account, you may consider setting one up. I just found this. She is tweeting often about what is taking place, being said, and who is on the stand. Hopefully this helps.

Elizabeth and photographer Tiffany Tompkins-Condie will be sending us coverage all week from the trial. We'll update throughout the day with trial developments and galleries. On Twitter, follow #DelmerSmith. And on Bradenton.com, we're compiling all the coverage in a special section, Murder trial of Delmer Smith III

TIFFANY TOMPKINS-CONDIE/Bradenton Herald
Delmer Smith, charged with the murder of Terra Ceia's Kathleen Briles, sits at the defense table between attorneys Daniel Hernandez and Bjorn Brunvand on the first day of his trial in Manatee County's Judicial Center.