A New Frontier

The Saline Reporter and Milan News-Leader are entering a new frontier, facilitating an online dialogue with their readers via blogging on the World Wide Web. The newspapers were the first in the Heritage group to post video online of local events, sports coverage, man-on-the-street and athlete interviews, as well as movie reviews. Blogging is another way for us to reach a wider audience and share community news, insight and perspective, while encouraging our readers to join in the conversation. We welcome your thoughts and hope you will initiate discussion on topics of interest to you. Staff reporters Brian Cox, Jerry Hinnen and Sue G. Collins will be contributing, as well. We plan to have something fresh for readers on a regular basis.

For my first official blog, I'd like to congratulate Brian and Jerry on their recent awards. Brian won first place in news column writing and honorable mention in feature writing, while Jerry captured first in sports column writing and swept the sports page design category with first, second and third place in the Society of Professional Journalists Excellence in Media Awards contest. They picked up their awards June 19 at the San Marino Club in Troy during the SPJ Detroit chapter's annual banquet.

I was on hand to support them and capture the moment on video. You can view the video on our Web site. In particular, it was nice to see the emcee marvel at Jerry sweeping the sports page design category and noting that this young reporter covering small-town Milan is someone to watch in the industry. We're lucky to have Jerry, who came here last year from Alabama.

And Brian, of course, is our shining star, having been named Heritage Newspapers' Star of the Month in February. A multi-talented reporter, he has won journalism awards from the Michigan Press Association and has impressed me with his ability to write news, features, sports, entertainment reviews and news columns, a talent not all journalists possess.

Sue rounds out our reporting staff. She joined us five months ago and has helped raise the bar at the newspapers. A graduate of the Saline Leadership Institute, she knows many people in our area and has a strong desire to report on all facets of the community. Just a few months ago, she emceed a school board candidates' forum in Saline that the newspaper sponsored and did an outstanding job. Video coverage is still on our Web site, so check it out. She's very impressive. She carries herself well in front of an audience and has a commanding presence. I've encouraged her to launch a new video venture called "Two with Sue" in which she interviews local officials, characters around town and community leaders in two-minute videos posted on our Web site.

Well, that's it for now. I will return and I am eager to hear what you have to say. Please join the discussion. I want to know what your thoughts are on a variety of topics that affect Saline and Milan, and we're always looking for story leads.