Published: June 28, 2008 09:59 pm            

Jimmy Espy: Internet options

Many of you are probably already familiar with our Web site, which can be found at www.daltondailycitizen.com.

The site has logged well over a million “hits” and continues to draw a lot of readers every day.

Over the past few months we’ve tried to improve the site by adding more diverse content. We have added more local news and also began posting a lot more information and opinion about events happening in other areas, but still of interest to local readers.

For instance, if you scan our Entertainment section today you’ll find information about events of interest in Northwest Georgia, Cedartown, Blairsville, Chattanooga and Atlanta. Despite the price of gasoline, many of our readers don’t hesitate to load up the family and travel to some of the many unique “happenings” in the region. Hopefully our online Entertainment section will alert them to what’s happening.

One of the great advantages of the Web site is that it effectively gives us unlimited space to publish information. An entertainment story that edited down to less than 100 words in the daily newspaper because of space considerations, might be run in its complete or much less edited form on the Web site.

Another area where the additional “news hole” is welcome is in Opinion. I am bombarded on an almost daily basis by individuals and organizations seeking to get their opinions in print. Much of the material is dreck, but some if it is quite good and definitely worthy of publication. Unfortunately, the lack of space is often a problem.

On the Web site, we have a lot more room to operate.

Right now in our Opinion section you can find pieces by myself, Sean Wilson of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation and Kara Gotsch of the Sentencing Project.

The subject matter ranges from the viability of nuclear power in Georgia to drug sentencing policy to the threat to free speech in Canada.

By the way, you’re welcome to submit guest columns which might be used in the daily newspaper and/or on the Web site. So, don’t moan about how your views aren’t being heard, make them heard.

One other strength of the Web site is the speed with which we can post information.

It’s not unusual for us to post information with a few hours of it arriving at the office.

As part of our commitment to getting local news and information on the Internet, we are putting more items online every week.

For instance, if you’re looking for a vacation Bible school to attend this week, check under Faith on our Web site.

I still have printer’s ink in my veins (trotting out a well worn cliche) but this Internet thing looks like it might come in handy after all.

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The July-August of dalton magazine will should hit the streets later this week.

As usual, it’s jam-packed with local stories and photographs which show our community at its best.

The cover story by Larry Fleming is about the two new football coaches at Dalton High and Southeast Whitfield.

Jamie Jones looks into the colorful and sometimes controversial Miss Resaca Beach contest, which recently celebrated its 25th year.

Charles Oliver talks to local attorney Steve Farrow, who was recently appointed to the powerful state transportation board.

Those three and more stories, columns and photos make up what is the third anniversary issue of dalton magazine.

Please check it out.



Jimmy Espy is executive editor of The Daily Citizen

        

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