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

After two years of opening hyper-local community news sites around the continental United States, Patch has officially launched its 100th site in the country in Morristown, New Jersey.

Since our inception in February 2008, Patch has spread its wings from coast to coast, with sites in Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, Calif, all the way to Lexington and Concord, Mass. The first Patch sites launched simultaneously in South Orange, Maplewood and Milburn Short-Hills., N.J. in February 2009, and now, there are Patch sites in nine different states.

Patch was acquired by America Online in June 2009, and since then, the multimedia giant has invested more than $50 million into Patch. We have produced more than 55,000 articles since our day of inception, as well as nearly one million photographs.

Slowly but surely, Patch is becoming the community's resource for hyper-local news. With daily updates and news stories on everything from high school sports to village government decisions, there are no avenues we don't cover.

Though we are fairly new, Rockville Centre Patch has become a place for local heroes and volunteers to get recognized; a place that makes life easier for Rockville Centre residents, either by locating the lowest local gas prices or by finding local jobs in the village. We are not just a news source. We are the eyes and ears of Rockville Centre, and intend to make Rockville Centre Patch a meeting place for everyone in the community.

Here are a couple of stories Rockville Centre Patch has covered in its first two weeks.

• A local resident rides to Montauk to raise money for autism and breast cancer research.
• A village doctor is accused of sexual misconduct with an inmate at Rikers.
• The village is forced to repeal its breed-specific legislation against pit bulls and rottweilers after staunch opposition. See the video here.
• South Side soccer star chooses University of North Carolina to continue stellar career.