City News Group Hits a Home Run by Hattie Strong - City News Group, Inc.

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City News Group Hits a Home Run

By Hattie Strong
Community Writer
08/28/2013 at 07:22 PM

City News Group (CNG) officially launched its website during the City News Group Appreciation Night at the 66ers baseball game held at the San Manuel Stadium. CNG wanted to show their appreciation to those that mean the most: subscribers, writers, photographers, volunteers, and, of course, advertisers. To show that appreciation, CNG hosted a night at the local AAA baseball stadium for a night of the all-American pastime, baseball. Each invited guest received a free ticket to watch the IE 66ers play and a free ice cream to cool off from the hot August night. They also received, on a random basis, gift certificates for tanning sessions, restaurant coupons and coupons for a free car wash from Hand Car Wash USA. The most appreciated guest was Colton Joint Unified School District (CJUSD) Superintendent Jerry Almendarez, who was honored with throwing the first pitch to City News Group Publisher Margie Miller. “Jerry was chosen because of his dedication to the communities we serve and his selfless acts of kindness as he strives to improve the lives of young people throughout the Inland Empire,” said Miller. For Miller and her CNG staff, the night was all about the community. “Every year we try to find a way to say thank you to the CNG family of supporters, from subscribers to advertisers, to community writers and photographers. All of these supporters help make our newspapers a buffet feast for the eyes that feed the heart, mind and soul. They [the supporters] make the long hours worthwhile,” said Miller. The crowds had been ushered in to watch the game between the IE 66ers and their rival, the Bakersfield Blaze; even though Bakersfield won 2–1, it was still a night to remember. City News Group subscriber and friend Nina Torres, a Career Guidance Counselor at Washington High School in the CJUSD, said she would use the words leadership, family and community to describe the event. “I definitely feel like I am a part of the City News family. They bring our city and community to life. I have never seen a community organization and business so dedicated to bringing a community together!” Torres said. Another special treat came during the seventh inning stretch when Joanne Lapointe sang “God Bless America.” The stadium was hushed by her beautiful voice as she sang a cappella. To a packed San Manuel Stadium and a group of over 1,100 CNG supporters come out for a night of fun, camaraderie and baseball, CNG unveiled its latest addition: its new website, to serve its six cities: Colton, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Redlands, San Bernardino and Moreno Valley. Finally, the City News Group has its own interactive online presence, complete with social media interaction, a community calendar, a delivery site locater and much more. With the launching of a new website, the City News Group will be able to provide its communities with a whole host of services, said Miller. “The website will allow us to serve our communities better by giving them access to a state-of-the-art calendar of events that will not only publicize their events, but can also be used as a tool to plan future events,” Miller said. “The website itself will carry the same informative articles but will also allow people to comment and share through their Facebook accounts. Most of all, this website will allow us to sustain our presence as a local media source.” Flashing on the billboard during the first pitch and throughout the game was the announcement of the City News Group website, developed over 18 months of collaborative work between CNG Publisher Margie Miller, CNG Information Technician and Webmaster Dale Dickson and CNG Editor Helena Mitchell. “The nearest I could compare it to is maybe writing a novel. Sleep, code, eat, repeat was my mantra for many months,” said Dickson, who wrote the code to match the design Miller dreamed of—one that is both user-friendly and visually appealing. “The best part is when people talk about the site and how easy it is to use,” Dickson finished. “This website would not have been possible if not for our in-house webmaster Dale Dickson and our Editor Helena Mitchell,” said Miller. “The two of them have made my vision possible and added contemporary touches of their own.” Mitchell said, “A big part of what we do is service—service to the businesses, service to the organizations, service to the residents, and service to our readers—and I know we are all excited about being able to offer faster, more comprehensive information to those who make the work we do worth it. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you online.” Visit the City News Group website at www.citynewsgroup.com, where you can view upcoming events, read local news in your area, and view more photos from the City News Group Appreciation Night by clicking on the "Appreciation Night Pictures" button on the right-hand side of the site.

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