Welcome: Patch has Sprouted in Marion

Welcome.

My name is Scott Raynor, and I am your Marion Patch local editor. As local editor, my job is to be a source of news that you can trust and to make Patch a hub of information and conversation you can share with each other.

I sincerely hope you participate in Marion Patch by commenting on our stories, posting announcements, sending me news tips, writing blogs and, most importantly, by being an active member in the community. This way we can ensure that Marion Patch’s content is always relevant and captivating.

My greatest hope is for Marion Patch to be a living, breathing, pulsing record of what life is like in Marion. I believe through our words and images we can better understand our city and our neighbors.

I mean to do all this as a living, breathing, pulsing human being, hoping to avoid the stereotype of the arrogant, authoritarian reporter. So, when you see me around town, feel free to stop and introduce yourself; tell me your story and your perspective on what’s going on in Marion. I’d be happy to meet you.

Also, as a human, I have a story. Since I’ll be asking about yours, it’s only fair I share a little of mine.

I’m a recent graduate of The University of Iowa. I spent my time there as a reporter for The Daily Iowan, where I focused on community beat reporting in Iowa City. I was a staff reporter for The Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism, where I reported on state-wide issues. I spent time as a news intern for The Corridor Business Journal, where I reported business news, and, most recently, I spent my summer as an editorial intern for Patch in the northern metropolitan Detroit area.

My focus in my college years was to do everything I could to be a journalist. I’ve chased down the trail of a slain homeless refugee, investigated poverty, covered numerous local-government meetings — both exciting and otherwise — written calendars, delivered countless pizzas and sub sandwiches and donated an undignified amount of plasma. My strong belief is that a well told story creates understanding between strangers, making our world a little smaller.

Lastly, feel free to take advantage of our interactive features.

• Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll tell you what’s new in Marion with a newsletter each morning. And we promise, no spam.
• Want to comment on a story? You can do that in our comments section at the end of every story. You'll need to register to comment; trust me, though: signing up is simple.
• Have a photo you'd like to share or news about an event in the city? Post it — free — on Patch. You can post community events on our daily calendar, too.
• Have a hobby, a passion, expertise or a strong opinion about something others would be interested in? Blog about it on Patch.
• Need to connect with others to solve a problem? Ask on Patch. And there's a place for you to answer questions, too.
• Looking for the best place to get a good steak, a manicure, or an oil change? Check out the Places tab on Patch. If you're a business in Marion and you're not listed on our Places tab, let us know. Listings are free. If you're a business, you can claim your listing – one of the ways Patch seeks to empower local businesses. Again, you'll need to register as a user.

Thanks in advance for talking to me. I'll see you on the streets.

You can reach me by email at scott.raynor@patch.com, call me at (319) 333-5659 and follow Marion Patch on Facebook and Twitter.