I noticed that Miller’s Kenpo Karate Dojo, located on East Main Street in Bradford has recently updated their website. As a website designer I couldn’t help but notice some of the things their webmaster is doing right.

Often, your website is the first introduction people have to your business. Like they say, “You only get one chance to make a good first impression”. Too often designer get caught up in fancy intros, flash graphics, and meaningless paragraphs designed for search engines. I want to know about your business and what it will do for me.

When you see the MillersDojo.com home page everything you want to know about the business is one click away. I can find out what American Kenpo is, the programs offered, the class schedule, and the site addresses the important question, “Why Miller’s Dojo” right away.

In addition, the site makes extensive use of video. Almost anyone can get their hands on a camcorder. The state of web design right now makes it so easy to put video on your website. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video can say so much more. I think every small business has thought about having a television commercial, but the cost is just too much. Adding a few short videos to your site can say volumes more than trying to cram everything into a 15 second spot. A TV commercial has the additional burden of trying to grab their attention. Your audience is visiting your site because they already have some interest in you.

After a few minutes on the MillersDojo.com I really had a sense of what they are all about. The home page has a personal introduction from Sensei Mike Miller (4th degree black belt). There is a really nice video showing the Sensei and students in action, and there are even a few video training lessons.

The webmaster, Rich Platko, isn’t a professional designer. He simply has an interest in promoting the business. There are so many tools available to create a website that require almost no knowledge of web design. The secret is having the desire to promote your business, or whatever the subject of your site is.

MillersDojo.com isn’t the ultimate in web design, but it uses some very important basic principles to get the job done, and that’s what is important.

The Diary of Anne Frank kicks off Bradford Little Theatre’s 11th season September 28-30 in the studio theatre of the Bromeley Family Theatre at UPB. Cindy Matteson directs this new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman. Newly discovered writings from the diary of Anne Frank and survivor accounts are interwoven to create a contemporary, impassioned story of the lives of people persecuted under Nazi rule.

Disney’s High School Musical comes to the Bradford Area High School auditorium January 26th and 27th. Dani Brien directs this stage version of the Emmy nominated Disney Channel movie that charts the struggles of two teenagers, who both want parts in the spring play at the fictional East High School.

The season concludes with Nagle Jackson’s This Day and Age, March 14th through the 16th at the studio theatre of the Bromeley Family Theatre on the Pitt-Bradford Campus. Diane Kerner-Arnett directs this comedy of modern manners dealing with the empty-nesters’ greatest nightmare: the chicks returning home to roost indefinitely.

In a previous post we mentioned the controversy surrounding Bradford Forest Products decision to use a temporary employment agency that specializes in Hispanic workers from outside the U.S.

Reportedly, while BFP is giving the temporary workers overtime, they are cutting the hours of their permanent employees. Apparently they’re having a problem retaining their temporary employees too. You can read the first-hand report and comments at TalkAbout Bradford.com.

Original post:

It was reported this week that Bradford Forest is using a temporary employment agency that specializes in employing Hispanic workers. According to the company’s president, they are not able to fill the positions locally “due to the lack of committed unskilled laborers available here”. While BFP tries this new hiring practice other area businesses find the labor pool satisfactory. This also sparked a lively discussion on TalkAboutBradford.com.

Mutant Beach is an important part of Bradford’s cultural, and recreational, heritage. Now that summer is in full swing I thought it would be a good time to mention the Mutant Beach Preservation Society’s site MutantBeach.com. Take some time to explore the site which features pictures and information on this, and other similar, Bradford landmarks.

From their website:

WHAT IT IS: Mutant Beach is a concrete flood control device that was painted with the words “Mutant Beach” sometime in the 1970s or early 80s. It is a famous local landmark known throughout the community as a place where some children & adults come to swim. The words have faded but the legend remains.

The Society’s Mission Statement

• To research, document & archive historical information about Mutant Beach
• To collect anecdotal information about Mutant Beach to preserve local culture
• To enhance local tourism by promoting Mutant Beach & other local areas
• To explore other local places important to the Bradford culture

Many of you will be wondering where Talk About Bradford has gone. After all, it was one of Bradford-Online.com’s most popular features. If you don’t know, it was our discussion forum. Membership was anonymous and people were free to say almost anything, with light moderation.

Over time Talk About Bradford has become its own neighborhood. The good news is, now it has it’s own zip code so to speak. TalkAboutBradford.com is up and running. Jason Wells, long time admin of TalkAboutOlean.com has also taken over as admin of TAB. Jason knows how to keep things running smoothly. You can also bet he’ll be adding the bells and whistles that make things fun.

As a neighborhood Talk About Bradford is full of personalities, some outspoken, some a little more laid back, but everyone has an opinion. Anyone who is interested in Bradford, PA is invited to join in the conversation. If you don’t feel like talking it’s always interesting to listen to what everyone else is saying.