Editor's Notebook: Patch Celebrates Its 100th Site Launch

Today, Patch turns 100.

Not 100 years old, but 100 sites strong (our "centennial" site launched today in Morristown, N.J.).

And though this expansion means more areas covered, it also furthers Patch's commitment to hyper-local news. For this Patch, coverage of Piermont and the Nyacks will remain focused and precise. A bigger company—100 Patches—simply means more communities now have a comprehensive hub for news, arts, discussion and more.

It also means our editors (me) and our readers (you) are part of an ambitious and well-intentioned project—to introduce relevant coverage to news-hungry individuals around the county. No more will you have to slog through irrelevant stories—budget cuts on the other side of the state, problems in a school district 30 miles away—to read what matters most.

Patch's commitment to this goal has been steadfast. In 2009, AOL bought Patch and invested $50 million, and has since expanded to nine states. Which means: over 50,000 articles, and almost 1 million photos.

And on a more local level (after all, that's what we're after): extensive coverage of hot-button issues; profiles on local personalities; sports stories on a village level; and that you can relate to (and laugh with.)

And also, calendars, events and announcements that have a direct impact on readers.

We've encountered obstacles so far—a few reserved readers and skeptical citizens—but that's part of the game.

(My favorite blunder so far? Mumbling during an interview; here's what the interviewee heard: "Hi, I'm Kevin with Match.com. Do you have a few minutes to talk about downtown parking?") 

But Nyack-Piermont Patch represents Patch's overarching intentions—to inform the community and encourage discussions about politics, government and the arts. So make the site a daily destination, and lend your voice (er, keyboard) to our comments section and Facebook page.

See you there.