New Web site highlights area hot spots
BY MICHELLE L. _START Florida Weekly Correspondent

A Cape Coral woman is hoping her Web site will become the myspace of the 239 area code.

"We do the whole myspace thing and everybody is into blogging," said Susan Milner, 27, of Cape Coral. "We need something for people who live in the 239 area code to be able to find out what's going on."

Milner's Web site - the239blog.com - lists some nightlife events and several news stories.

Launched just three weeks ago, it has 21 members, but there have been more than 2,000 page views. Membership is free and the site has a single advertiser.

"Prices for advertising are really low to entice people to check us out," Milner said. "A front page banner is $300 a year. Interior banners are $150 a year. We also have less expensive ads that are straight text."

According to one of the Web site's polls, nearly 78 percent of the people who have visited the site are between the ages of 26 and 39. Mostly, they reside in Fort Myers or Cape Coral.

"I think it is going to be a go-to place," Milner said. "We have lots of young business people who like to go out and have fun."

As the Web site grows, Milner envisions it becoming a cross between myspace and citysearch. Members will be able to post events, restaurant information and blogs.

"DJs will be posting things that are going on at different restaurants," Milner said. "We want to have information for events, local businesses and restaurants. When people log on, they will be able to use it to figure out where to go to eat."

While this information is available in print publications locally, Milner said the- 239blog.com provides it in a manner that allows visitors to access it from their own homes. ¦