Add Customized Sierra Madre News to Your Page With The New Patch Widget

Want headlines from Sierra Madre Patch delivered directly to your blog or Web site? Now, you can stream all the Sierra Madre news — or just certain categories — directly there for you and your visitors. It was one of several changes made to the Sierra Madre Patch site this past week that also includes free classified ads and a news feed from nearby Patch sites.

With a new widget feature, you can create a box that's easily insertable into blogs and Web pages. It's also customizable by topic, so if you just want sports, you can limit to sports or if you just want police and fire news, you get police and fire news. Just scroll down to the bottom of the main page and click on "Widgets" to find the directions of how to insert the news feed. Or click here.

And for those who might still might be wondering: What is a widget (Also, called gadgets in Blogger)? Not far from its mechanical origins, here's how our experts explain it:

"A widget is a self-contained piece of HTML code that you can embed into your site to add a cool new feature. All you have to do is paste the code into your website. Patch's first widget offering is a News feed, but there are all sorts of widgets out there, including clock widgets, countdown widgets, and lots of other fun features."

Why would you want one? Again, the experts:

"Depending on what it does, a widget can add awesome functionality or content to your site, with you barely lifting a finger to get it. For example, our first Patch widget is a cool local news feed. So if you have a local business, government or school Web site, or maybe a local blog, the Patch News Widget can be an easy source of awesome local content for your site!"

OTHER NEW BELLS AND WHISTLES: In addition to widgets, the site also is featuring news feeds from four nearby sites: Arcadia Patch, Monrovia Patch, South Pasadena Patch and San Marino Patch. We hope this will help keep you apprised of other close-by communities that we also cover.

And, do you need a classified ad? We've had them on the site from the start, but this past week we've made them completely free.

To place a classified, click on the "Marketplace" tab at the top of the site.

Thank You, Sierra Madre: We've been live for almost four months now, and the reaction from the community has been exceptional. We've gotten a remarkable number of comments and feedback from users. Local readers have also helped out by sending story tips and posting videos and photo galleries.

If you're checking this site regularly, then you're helping it grow. Don't forget to sign up for the daily newsletter so you have news from Sierra Madre waiting in your inbox every morning.  And while you're at it, please make sure to "like" us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and spread the word to friends about Sierra Madre Patch!