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Today's meetup of bakersfield.com bloggers and contributors was a lot of fun.

We had about a dozen bloggers show up for coffee, cookies, conversation, and some bakersfield.com swag. And it was great to see TomW, who was visiting from the Bay area.

It was great to meet some of the people behind the handles. We had nametags for those we knew would show up, as well as a few nametags reading "Anonymous"  for those who wished to keep their IDs secret (only one person took that nametag, but we quickly figured out who it was).

And, surprise, surprise, while most of the conversations were lighthearted on any number of subjects, a few bloggers broke into on-the-spot political debates. You knew that was going to happen.

I think it's a good bet we'll have another meetup sometime soon. Stay tuned. In the meantime, check out the slideshow . 

We love all the great people who create stuff on Bakersfield.com, whether it’s blog posts or comments, ratings or reviews on our new Inside Guide, personal profiles or Your Words stories.

That’s why we’ve launched a new weekly email newsletter called Ngage, which highlights our bloggers and contributors. You can get a sampling of Ngage here or sign up for the newsletter here (and be eligible for a $25 Borders gift card).

 
That’s why we’re hosting a little shindig on Saturday to celebrate your great work and meet the people behind the profiles and blog handles.

 
So, stop by Dagny’s Coffee Co. between 3:30 to 6 p.m. Saturday and we’ll buy you a beverage, feed you some sugar, hand out Bakersfield.com stuff and get to know one another (more details are in Blogging Bako). This isn’t a sales pitch for a timeshare, so there’s no obligation or commitment. We just want to meet you and get your input on what you like, what you don’t, and otherwise get to know you, even if you only have a few minutes.

See you Saturday!

Sometimes I marvel that someone actually pays me to work for bakersfield.com. I mean, I work at a great place for and with great people who dream big and strive to get better each day. And add to that, we have great readers who share their time and passion to make our site more interesting and engaging. Tell me how that's not paradise?

Anyway, I'm in Tucson tonight, where I have just accepted a bunch of New Frontier Awards from the Inland Press Association, which recognizes innovation at online newspapers. Bakersfield.com earned three awards, while our sister site Bakotopia and The Californian's pressrom picked up one award each. The biggie was first place in the general excellence categories among newspapers with more than 20,000-daily circulation. Believe me, it's a thrill to get this kind of recognition. It's especially rewarding because there was some pretty good competition, including sites like NaplesNews.com that do some amazing work online and which inspire us to be better.  

So, pardon me if I sound like a proud parent, but here's an overview of bakersfield.com's haul, with judge's comments:   

First place, general excellence: The judges said: "The Bakersfield Californian site is newsy - not just "hard" news or "breaking news," though there's plenty of that, but also news about the community, its people and how to get more out of life in Bakersfield, Calif. - and it's easy to read, because of both the writing and the design. The design is clean and uncluttered, and the eye knows where to go, though the homepage is chock full of stuff - news, yes, plus the stuff that's unique to the Web site: video and interactivity (why have a Web site, asks one judge, if you don't offer video and interactivity?). This is a site, unlike many others, where the advertising doesn't interfere with or detract from the editorial content. How often do you see that? Also, said one judge: "This is one sweet site to navigate. Try it via the tabbed menu at the top." The site's blogs, and its Most Read and Most E-Mailed stories give a sense of what people are talking about and what they care about. All in all, it's a winner - and it's our Inland winner."

First place, multi-platform content delivery. The judges said: "No matter where its readers may be, the Californian delivers information that matters to them. In addition to blogs, video news updates and photo essays, the site offers multiple text and video RSS feeds, podcasts by critics as well as reporters, vodcasts and "behind the scenes" lessons on topics such as how to make a great latte and how to make your own online movie. When readers are away from their computers, Bakersfield.com reaches more than 2,100 subscribers via WAP and SMS text message alerts covering local news, alerting parents to school fog delays personalized by school district, updating prep football scores, and offering reminders and tips about ticket deals and entertainment events. The site sent more than 2 million e-newsletters last year and 50,000 text alerts."   

Second place, Best staff-written blog, Steve Swenson for the Eye of Bakersfield. The judges said:  "Readers never know what Swenson is going to be writing about next in "The Eye of Bakersfield" - and that's a good part of his appeal. This longtime Bakersfield Californian reporter writes in a style that is funny, fresh, biting and occasionally startling. In fact, he proposed to his wife in this blog, bringing new meaning to the term "interactive journalism." (She accepted.)" How about a shoutout for our buddy, Steve?