After two full months of posting news and information here at Manchester Ink Link, it seemed like a good time to pause and reflect on some of the most popular stories posted so far – and to talk about the future.
In the past two months I’ve brought you updates on the Market Basket boycott; Bronstein Park woes – including the underlying problems of drug use and homelessness; crime updates; school and city government meeting highlights; police logs; weekly calendar of events; and coverage of some of the quirky things that make Manchester a great place to live and work.
This is just the beginning.
As editor and one-woman army, my goal is to get beyond the “breaking news” headlines and continue to beat the streets for more in-depth coverage and next-day stories.
What can you do to support my efforts?
- Keep reading, for one.
- Sign up for the daily newsletter, which is delivered via email every morning around 6 a.m. It’s free, btw.
- Send me news tips and story ideas. I want to bring you the information and news you want to read, for free. I don’t have an editorial agenda. I won’t be chasing ambulances or swarming crime scenes too often, unless it’s a story with high news value because, let’s be honest: If you listen to a police scanner all day you will end up feeling like you live in a world gone mad. And while that is certainly part of life in a big city like Manchester, there’s so much more going on just below the surface. That’s where I come in.
- Submit opinion pieces for The Soapbox, or letters to the editor for publication and get your voice out there. Are you a blogger with a particular hobby or passion? I’d love to share your blog via the InkLink! Email me at robidouxnews@gmail.com for more info on that.
- Share stories you find interesting across your social networks, including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, reddit, Instagram, Pinterest – or wherever you know people are hungry for interesting news, an upcoming event, or solid independent journalism.
- Speaking of which, I am a professional journalist with more than 20 years in the trenches (see more about me at robidouxinklink.com. My husband and I live and work here. My kids went to Central High School. This venture, to launch my own independent news site for all things Manchester, was made possible in part by a program called Pathway to Work, which is supported by the state Employment Security office. I would like this to be my new full-time job, which means I’d like to generate some revenue.
- To that end, consider advertising on the site – we are prepared to provide you with a first-class advertising experience through our ad server, Broadstreet Ads, complete with weekly reports and exciting features, like “selfie” ads, which you can post and edit yourself. I’m also open to business and individual sponsors for the site, or any other creative idea you might have to partner with me.
- Send me feedback. I love when readers post comments directly on the site, or via our Manchester Ink Link Facebook page and @ManchInkLink on Twitter. I also appreciate your email comments, and will always respond promptly. Keep them coming.
- Come say hello during the Sept. 17 Taste of Downtown from 5-8 p.m. I’ll be there to introduce myself, and my site, and give you a virtual tour.
Below is a list of stories from the past few months with 100 page view or more. Maybe you missed some of them because you’ve only recently found the site. I encourage you to click through these stories, or just scroll through our archives by category using the tabs across the top of the site.