13 Things You Need to Know About Eagle Rock Patch

If two weeks is a long time in politics, as Britain's Winston Churchill famously said, three weeks must be an eternity on the internet. That's how it feels in some ways on Eagle Rock Patch, which turned three weeks old today. We've already covered a lot of ground in our community—from its vibrant arts and culture scene and its hip restaurants and vibrant businesses to Eagle Rock's historic educational institutions. Judging from the traffic we've been getting, Eagle Rockers love our community platform. 

We wanted to take the time to remind you why we're here and what this site is all about. Yes, it's about Eagle Rock, but it could hardly be that if it weren't primarily about what makes Eagle Rock the outstanding community it is. In a word, then, this site is about—you.

Our site is built in a way that allows you plenty of opportunities to comment on stories, share your opinions, post photos and announcements and add events to the community calendar. We certainly hope our site will strengthen our community, and that cannot happen without your participation. So here's how you can deepen your engagement with our site—and with our community:

1. Comment on an Article

We subscribe to the idea that "news is a conversation." Much of our reporting will emanate from what readers tell us in emails, comments on our sites and in conversations around town. Share your thoughts and reactions to our articles by posting a comment directly below each story.  

2. Ask a Question

Maybe you want to know when that pothole is going to get fixed. Maybe you're a neighborhood expert on native trees that have been dying—and you in turn are dying for someone to ask why a particular allergy the trees routinely catch is so bad this year. Our site's Q&A section, next to "Marketplace," is the spot for you to ask your questions as well as share your expertise—while connecting with your neighbors. So, visit http://eaglerock.patch.com/questions and ask a question. While you're at it, answer someone else's.

3. Post an Event

Do you know of an art opening or music concert in the neighborhod, a lecture at a local coffee shop, a wine tasting or special menu at a restaurant? Is there a garage sale or graduation ceremony coming up? A street beautification initiative? If it's not on our Eagle Rock Patch calendar, it should be. Feel free to add events to our site at http://eaglerock.patch.com/events/new. 

4. Send a News Tip

At the bottom of the homepage, there's a link that says, "Send Us News Tips." Tell us about stories we should cover. Your tip will be sent straight to Ajay Singh, Eagle Rock Patch's ever grateful editor. Here's an example of a tip Ajay received just today—details about certain locations have been edited away for privacy concerns: "I am curious what is going on with the now gray colored building with bright orange "Z' patterned paint on it on the corner of ... I have watched that place look completely empty and abandoned for years and it's such a cute building ... I wish we could get a cafe or some cool business in there. Anyway, if you could look into it that would be awesome!"

5. Post an Announcement

Post births, engagements and wedding announcements. Tell us who made the honor roll or share school awards, social notes and thank you shout outs. If you're looking for volunteers or searching for your lost dog, we welcome you to call on your community for help. Just remember, our Terms of Service say announcements should be for personal use and not for advertising.

6. Sign Up for Newsletters

The daily Eagle Rock Patch newsletter brings you all articles and announcements that have been posted in the past 24 hours. It is delivered to your email every day at 6 a.m. You can also sign up for the weekly newsletter, which shows a subset of the content created and featured on our site over the last few days. It is delivered every Thursday at 10 a.m.

7. Claim Your Directory Listing

Our business and organization listings aren't skimpy. Our team of researchers actually hit the streets and visited businesses, schools, parks, libraries and more so we can provide photos as well as detailed information such as products sold and hours of operation. To contact us about the listing for your business or organization, email us at directorysupport@patch.com. If you own or manage a business or organization in our directory, claim it at http://eaglerock.patch.com/search/listings.

8. Shout It Out!

You now have a way to shout out on the site without having to add a comment to an existing article. You can tell us what you have to say right now by using the new shout box at the top right-hand corner of the Activity Stream. Whatever you "shout" will go directly into the stream, right on the homepage.

9. Upload Your Photos and Video

Upload videos of the high football touchdown or your little one's first home run. Post photos from neighborhood festivals—or send in a snapshot of your best holiday recipes. We invite you to share the memories that you've caught on camera with the rest of the community.

10. Advertise With Us

For all advertising queries, please email our Eagle Rock Patch Ad Manager, David Calabro at david.calabro@patch.com or 818-263-5513.

11. Review Restaurants

Do you want to be the first to tell your friends whether the new restaurant in town gets two thumbs-up? You can post a review of your favorite (or least favorite) restaurants at http://eaglerock.patch.com/restaurants. Or, search to find what you're craving—you can filter results by cuisine, price or seating accommodations.

12. Social Media Engagement

Follow us on on Twitter at www.twitter.com/EagleRockPatch. Or "like" us on Facebook. Let's have a conversation here, too.

13. Send a Letter to the Editor

Eagle Rock Patch would like to extend an invitation to every member of the Eagle Rock  community to submit a letter to the editor. Express your thoughts or concerns about anything that might be stirring up conversation around town, and we'll post it. Make sure it's not longer than 300 words and email it to Editor Ajay Singh at Ajay.Singh@patch.com.

The more Eagle Rock Patch serves as on online space for community dialogue, the more useful our site will be. So next time you have something to share with your neighbors, consider taking a moment to send a letter to Eagle Rock Patch. Chances are, you're not the only who feels that way.