Fountain Valley Patch Turns 1 Today!

'Twas five nights before Christmas in 2010
And an editor's nerves were wearing thin
How would he ever make this thing work?
And not end up looking like a jerk?
But before he knew it, he was happy to say
Fountain Valley Patch is a year old today!

Hard as it may seem to believe, it's been a year since we threw the virtual switch and brought Fountain Valley Patch to life. From humble beginnings, we've done our best to grow into the go-to place to get all your local city government coverage, school news, prep sports and more.

We broke our first big story in March when we that the Fountain Valley School District was considering closing one of its campuses, and our continuing coverage of the issue has been, to say the least, emotionally charged.

Other highlights of our first year include gavel-to-gavel coverage of a murder-for-hire trial, the and of a local teen who shot at the cops, and the city council's to protect redevelopment money.

So how are we doing? What can we do better? Remember: This is your site; we just run it. So not only would we love to hear from you to find out how we can make our second year even better than the first, but we also want to remind you how you can be a part of it:

• Have a particular passion? Blog for us! We're always looking for local voices with something to say.

• Own a business? Claim your listing! It won't cost you a thing, and you can add your own photos, menus, specials, or whatever else will get people through your doors.
• Not looking for such a long-term commitment? Leave a comment or a news tip! Again, this is your sit; tell us what we can do to make it better.

If we listed everything you can do to add your stamp to the site, it would be our second birthday by the time we were through. But you get the idea. Let us know how we can make our second year even better, and we'll do everything we can to make it happen.