ArlingtonPatch Cranks Out Widget Feature

Want headlines from ArlingtonPatch delivered directly to your blog or Web site?

Of course you do.

Now, you can stream all the Arlington news — or just certain categories — directly there for you and your visitors.

One of several changes made to the ArlingtonPatch site this past week, the feauture 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 a widget is, 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."

So what's so great about a widget?

"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!"