Chesnut Hill Local to add a Mt. Airy section to its website

 

The Chestnut Hill Local’s website is planning to add a new section for Mt. Airy on its website. At last night’s Chestnut Hill Community Association’s meeting, Associate Publisher Larry Hochberger said that this section will include information and advertising relating to Mt. Airy.

This could also help the weekly newspaper compete online, as the news industry shifts its focus towards neighborhood-level news and its local advertisers.

That shift can be seen as more players are competing for Chestnut Hill and Mt. Airy readers.

*Mt. Airy Independent changes name to Northwest Independent, in an effort to expand its reach into Chestnut HIll.

*West Oak Lane Leader has revived a scaled-back version of the Mount Airy Times Express.

*AOL has set up a Chestnut Hill Patch and a Mt. Airy Patch.

*WHYY launched its NewsWorks website, which is providing enhanced coverage of Northwest Phila.

*Philadelphia Daily News says it will emphasize more neighborhood coverage

The Local’s future appears to be online. Hochberger says readership of the Local online has tripled compared to two years ago. Starting August 1, the website will have a new format for ads, allowing for rotations of ads on pages and specific designations for ads.

A “welcome” page will be added that will introduce viewers to the community of Chestnut Hill.

“We’re just getting started,” Hochberger said with a smile.

The next meeting of the CHCA will be on August 25. On the agenda will be the long-awaited fate of the proposed web.

 

New Community Manager named

The Chestnut Hill Community Association (CHCA) last night chose Celeste Hardester to be its next Community Manager.

Hardester previously served for 20 years as Chief Financial Officer of the Hal Lewis Group, a pharmaceutical marketing and advertising firm in Center City. She help to grow the company grew during her tenure from ten employees to over one hundred. After parting ways with the Hal Lewis Group, Hardester started her own photography business.

Hardester was one of three top candidates recommended by a CHCA search committee. Mike Chomentowski worked with the search committee to find the perfect candidate.

“(The candidate) is the constant, not us,” Chomentowski said, in reference to the term limits of the board of directors.

Hardester spoke deliberately and with great enthusiasm to begin her duties as community manager. Acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead, Hardester said that one of her goals is to involve the community as much as possible moving forward.

“I expect to be well and fully used,” Hardester proclaimed to the board of directors as she listed her credentials—which also included a membership in the Central Roxborough Civic Association.

The board of directors approved Hardester for the position. She will start full-time in September.