WPTV.com Webteam Blog

Check flights and travel forecasts at WPTV.com

dpeterson — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:45:00 GMT

WPTV.com has several tools you can use before your holiday travel. There are also some useful things for you if you're picking up loved ones at the airport.

On our NEW area airports page, you can check arrivals and departures at PBIA and Ft. Lauderdale. The page also contains a link to a real-time flight tracker for flights around the U.S. and links to Miami and Orlando International Airports.

Go to the weather page and LIVE VIPIR 5 Interactive Radar to check the winter weather forecasts, plus 5-days and current conditions for wherever you're planning to travel.

Here's a how-to video by Chief Meteorologist Steve Weagle on how to use the new radar.

Happy holidays and safe traveling from WPTV.com!

WPTV.com has a new weather page!

dpeterson — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:58:00 GMT

Please direct your browser to www.wptv.com/weather and check out the new weather page at WPTV.com. We're very excited to bring some great new tools and areas of content to our users.

The centerpiece of the new weather page is the LIVE VIPIR 5 Interactive radar. Take some time to explore the new radar. Here, you can track showers live by animating the map and zooming down to your community. You can switch from the default terrain view to map view or satellite view. The radar is interfaced with Google mapping so you can zoom all the way down to your own house in satellite view.

Check the boxes below the radar to see current conditions, 5-day-forecasts, severe weather information, etc. There are many features that will be invaluable to us during the rainy season and hurricane season, in addition to the day-to-day functions of it.

Watch Chief Meterologist Steve Weagle's step-by-step video on how to use the LIVE VIPIR 5 Interactive radar.

Also new on WPTV.com's new weather page: LIVE webcams from around South Florida, pages on golf, surfing, scuba diving, running/fitness, fishing/boating, area airports, weather calculators, and beach forecast.

Please comment and let us know what you think about the new interactive radar, the new pages on the site, and what you would like to see that would make the weather page better.

Find local gas prices by entering zip code

DaveD — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:39:00 GMT

If you're like us, you're looking for any way you can to save money at the pump. To help you find the gas stations with the lowest prices, use our Pump Patrol tool.

Follow the link below to the page and enter your local zip code in the box. Click the red arrow or press enter to see a list of gas stations in your area, sorted by gas prices.

Data for gas prices is updated several times per day from stations and spotters like you. You can also use the tool to monitor crude oil prices or check gas prices nationwide. We'd like to help you find gas for the lowest price. Let us know how you use the Pump Patrol tool and if you have any ideas to improve its functionality.

You can find the Pump Patrol tool at: http://www.wptv.com/pumppatrol

>>wptv.com webteam

Resources on WPTV.com for managing your money

dpeterson — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 18:10:00 GMT

WPTV.com has all the latest business news and several resources available that might help you make the financial decisions that are best for you and your family.

In our business section, you can check in and monitor the stock ticker, read the latest stories from the business wire and watch the latest video report from Bloomberg news, updated several times daily.

Also, WPTV.com has several guides that may be of use to you.

The WPTV.com credit counseling guide answers your questions about credit problems, budget help, debt collection and your credit rights.

The WPTV.com banking and finance guide covers personal finance, debt, loans, investments and retirement.

We also feature a mortgage guide and a tax guide.

Our colleagues at the Scripps Howard News Service have produced a series of stories that you might find useful in navigating the current economic climate:

What if I can't pay the minimum payment on my credit card?

Which bill do I pay off first?

What life is like after foreclosure

Financial problems affecting the military

How to find a job in a tough market

Check out our Interactive Storm Map

DaveD — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:44:00 GMT

It looks like South Florida can finally rest easily. For the first time since Tropical Storm Fay's landfall, our region sits outside any imminent hurricane/tropical storm threat.

Since Sept. 10th marks the midpoint of the peak of Hurricane Season, we've posted an interactive storm map on the site that allows the user to monitor most parameters (wind speed, spaghetti models, track, etc.) of storms past and present. Although we'd prefer to not have to use the feature, it's there for you and so far response has been positive. Here's what you're saying:

"I love the new addition to the weather section on the wptv web site. Thank u because I can interact with it and not just look at a screen." -George, via email

"I enjoyed the interactive hurricane site. I looked for the tides for Delray Beach and Boynton Beach. There doesn't seem to be a link to that information. That would be a helpful addition for those of us who like to walk the beach front." -Phyllis, via email

"We are all absolutely in love with the new interactive map!! It is beautiful. Everyone cant stop looking at it. People walking by are asking for the website." Main Summit Post Office, via email

>>You can find the page here or by visiting our HurricanePlus section. Feel free to let us know what you think of the interactive storm map. Post a comment or email webteam@wptv.com.

-Webteam

Upload your high school football highlights, photos and articles to WPTV.com

dpeterson — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:49:00 GMT

Would you like to report for WPTV.com on high school football?

We've added a new folder to our YouReport page, so that users can upload high school football video, photos and articles to WPTV.com.

You can do something as simple as reporting a score and listing game statistics, or you can upload your own video reporting on a game for the rest of the WPTV.com community to view.

To participate, just click on this link, and then click on the High School Football folder. Click the "create a story" button and you can send photos, video or text about your game.

If high school football is not your game, check out the other folders on the page and upload your photos, videos or community calendar entries. If you think we should add folders for other types of content you'd like to report on, send us an email at webteam@wptv.com.

WPTV.com's Community Calendar feature

dpeterson — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:58:00 GMT

WPTV.com now features a "Community Calendar" function.

If you want to see what's going on in your neighborhood, check the calendar for any events that have been entered.

Just like our "YouReport" section, the community calendar belongs to our users. You can add your organization's events; from huge community festivals to small neighborhood barbeques.

Click here to access WPTV.com's Community Calendar. Just click "Add your calendar event here" and enter all the necessary information, links and contacts. Once a WPTV.com moderator approves the entry, it will be visible to all visitors.

Too much Fay coverage, or not enough?

dpeterson — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:49:00 GMT

What do you think? Tropical Storm Fay is slowly inching its way out of our television viewing area. Was the television coverage from WPTV Newschannel 5 too much, not enough or just right?

Fay had a minimal effect on Palm Beach County, outside of the tornado damage in Wellington and a canceled school day. The effects on the Treasure Coast, however, were much greater.

Take a look at some of the hundreds of photos sent in by WPTV.com users:

Click here for the user galleries.

As the storm moved north throughout Tuesday, the water level in the photos got progressively higher. Now, Treasure Coast residents are still figuring out how to get out of their driveways and neighborhoods.

Throughout the course of our on-air coverage, we received several emails regarding our coverage. About half were thanking us for breaking in to the Olympics with updates on Fay and its effects on the area. The other half were very upset that their Olympic viewing was being interrupted by "rain with a name".

So what do you think? How much is too much coverage? Please comment below and let us know where you live, because that may or may not have something to do with your answer.