Welcome to Mansfield Today: an online-only news source

While many readers will know me from The Courant, The Chronicle and The Reminder... let me introduce myself as the editor of Mansfield Today and tell you more about this new publication.

The Mansfield Today edition, an HTNP.com publication, launched on Aug. 1, 2008 and little by little, we are making ourselves known as a unique new service to this community: an online-only news source.

I hope that you take time to browse through the stories that have been posted to date, and feel free to post your comments, or to e-mail me with suggestions ( brensullivan@yahoo.com ) for other stories you might like to read here.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself.  Actually, many of you are already familiar with my name and face, because I've been a reporter in this area for many years. I also lived in Mansfield, on Forest Road, for about 17 years. I currently live in Willimantic.

I first began covering Mansfield news when I worked for The Chronicle, which was from approximately 1991 to 1997.

I left reporting for a while to become the publicist for the Northeast Connecticut Visitors District, otherwise known as the state tourism office for the "Quiet Corner." I also worked for the Quinebaug-Shetucket Rivers Heritage Corridor, helping to establish this new "national park."

When the state decided to consolidate the 11 tourism districts, we were combined with the office in Mystic and it became what's now known as Mystic Country -- which, I am sorry to say, gives major attention to the casinos and attractions along the shoreline with only an occasional nod to the northeastern part of the state -- usually, the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry, the Prudence Crandall Museum in Canterbury and Roseland Cottage in Woodstock.

Nice doggie...

Other forays away from reporting led me to work for the U.S. Census Bureau, which paid me to knock on doors and make people fill out their forms (with many a hair-raising encounter with dogs on the loose).

I also had a short-term contract with Windham Schools to publish a quarterly Spanish/English newsletter called Conexiones/Connections.

And I worked for the University Relations office at Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU), where I wrote the annual report, edited the monthly newsletter and produced a plethora of press releases.

I also worked for The Courant, out of the Manchester bureau, for about three years. Every time that paper changed hands (twice, while I was there), there would be a wave of layoffs. After one such wave, I was asked to come back -- but under contract, which meant they didn't have to pay me any benefits.

Most recently, I was a staff writer for The Reminder/Broadcaster. I was the Reminder's first reporter when I was hired part-time about four years ago. Until then, the news consisted of press releases and other reader submissions. I wrote stories for the Manchester edition, and when that proved successful, The Reminder began expanding its editorial staff, and I was brought on full-time to launch the Norwich edition. I also contributed stories to the Broadcaster, which has since been renamed The Reminder.

Adios, paper piles

Now I am involved in this new enterprise, about which I am very excited because like many of you, I no longer have a subscription to a printed newspaper. I read all my publications online (with the exception of my gardening magazines).

As a reader, this means less clutter in my home and not having to call the ciruclation office once a week to ask why my paper wasn't delivered.

As an enterprise, an online-only publication has none of the costs associated with a printed paper: newsprint (which continues to become more and more expensive), ink, printing presses, bundling machines, plastic wrappers, trucks to transport the papers, local delivery drivers, etc. That means we can offer better advertising rates.

It also means we can be more flexible and timely with the news we publish.

Be a part of it

And you can have direct input on the stories you read via the comment link you will see at the end of each item.

I also invite readers to take part in providing information you'd like to see published here.

It might be Little League scores, upcoming events hosted by your civic group, school or church news, a regular column on gardening or car-shopping or home renovations, music or movie reviews -- I am open to suggestions.

If you happen to see me out and about in town, please feel free to say "Hello," and let me know what you think of this publication.

Brenda Sullivan, Editor

Mansfield Today

HTNP.com

brensullivan@yahoo.com