It's Happening: A Lois Lane Moment
By Julie Perine on May 19, 2013
My laptop tucked under my arm, I made my way through the nearly 100 attendees of Thursday night’s candidate forum at Benedum Civic Center. I shook some hands and shared some hugs before grabbing a couple apple slices on the way out the door. It was after 9 p.m. and I hadn’t eaten, but I didn’t care. As I munched on the fruit and waited at the Main Street crosswalk, I took note of the warm night-time air and the shining car lights as they passed two by two.
As I was thinking about how much I liked my job, a vision of Lois Lane came to mind. Her reporting work for The Daily Planet might have been on a whole different level than mine with Connect-Bridgeport, but with no more enthusiastic devotion.
At our office in the Civic Center’s top floor – yes, it used to be the city library – there is no hotline for Metropolis news or even a charming Clark Kent. But most days, there is plenty of hustle and bustle. Four cubicles are occupied by myself, my colleague - ok, charming colleague - Jeff Toquinto, Connect-Bridgeport saleswoman and Jill of all trades, Natalie Aliff, and our enthusiastic Greater Bridgeport Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Michelle Duez.
For the record, Connect-Bridgeport is an online news source only. Some believe we are affiliated with the Exponent-Telegram and Bridgeport News – and for good reason. I am former lifestyles editor with the Exponent-Telegram and Toquinto was editor of The Bridgeport News. We were both employed by Clarksburg Publishing Company, which owns both publications.
I came to Connect-Bridgeport by way of the City of Bridgeport, where I held a short-lived position as city clerk. Although I was excited about my newfound career in city government, my attention was diverted when the city and CVB joined forces to launch Connect-Bridgeport, a free news source for the residents, which they had hired Toquinto to oversee. I spent lots of time after hours, including plenty of late nights, writing for C-B. I ultimately traded in my clerk's hat for the journalism position when it became available. I was writing full-time again, which I loved. And I was writing about a city I care about and proudly call home.
So here we are. Connect-Bridgeport has grown from an infant to a toddler, just celebrating our very first birthday. Our team
tries hard to bring you breaking news, features and general information about the city we all love. Sometimes we stay up late, get up early - and skip meals. Starbucks coffee, crackers & cheese snacks and plenty of camaraderie continue to fuel our team’s fire to keep you informed and connected.
There’s no phone booth magic, kryptonite or laps around the globe. We do deal, however, with power outages, occasional equipment malfunction and a variety of other obstacles. But our mission stays true. Thanks for depending upon Connect-Bridgeport for your daily news needs. And with the onset of summer, don’t forget to utilize us as a directory of seasonal services, yard sales and so much more. Be informed and post your own, totally free of charge to registered users. Ditto for job postings, event listings and Trading Post items.
Considering our average daily page views and clicks – as well as our 3,000 Facebook friends and 1,000 plus Twitter followers – our first year of Connect-Bridgeport has been simply super – and so have you.
Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook and register as a Connect-Bridgeport user for the ultimate connection! And, please, send story ideas our way at info@connect-bridgeport.com.
(Also follow @JuliePerine on Twitter.)
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