3 Months of Kent Patch

Today marks the three-month anniversary of Kent Patch since launching our site Dec. 23, 2010.

In that short time, thousands of readers have found Kent Patch, and a few hundred more follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

We've produced more than 350 articles — more than four every day — and hundreds more event and announcement listings all about Kent.

But we're still growing. And every day experts at Patch.com are tweaking things behind the scenes to give you the best online news and social gathering point for people who live and work in Kent.

With that in mind, we thought our three-month anniversary would be a good time to remind you of all the cool features Kent Patch has to offer. Take a look. If you've only tried one or two of our features, try a few more. You just might like it.

1. Comment on an Article

We subscribe to the idea that news is a conversation. Much of our reporting stems from what readers tell us in emails, comments on the site 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

So maybe you want to know when that pothole is going to get fixed, or maybe you're a local expert on native trees just dying for someone to ask why their allergies are so bad this year. Patch's Q&A section is the place for you to ask your questions and show off your expertise, all while connecting with your neighbors. Visit http://kent.patch.com/questions and ask a question, or answer someone else's.

3. Post an Event

Do you know of a book signing at a local bookstore, a celebrity chef appearance or an art exhibit at a local coffee shop? Is there a garage sale or graduation ceremony coming up? How about a fundraiser for a local charity? If it's not on our Patch calendar, it should be. Feel free to add events to our site at http://kent.patch.com/events/new. 

4. Send a News Tip

At the bottom of the homepage, you'll find a link titled "Send Us News Tips." Tell us about stories we should cover. Your tip will be sent straight to , Kent Patch's (incredibly grateful) editor.

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 Kent Patch newsletter brings you all articles and announcements that have been posted in the last 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 content created and featured on our site over a multi-day period. Weekly newsletters are delivered every Thursday at 10 a.m.

7. Claim Your Directory Listing

To create our comprehensive directory, our team of researchers hit the streets and visited businesses, schools, parks, libraries and more to provide photos and detailed information from products sold to hours of operation. To contact us about the listing for your business or organization, email our ad representative Brandon Tidd at brandon.tidd@patch.com. If you own or manage a business or organization in our directory, claim it at http://kent.patch.com/search/listings and begin managing and updating your own content — at no cost!

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 shout box at the top of the Activity Stream on the right hand site of the home page. Whatever you "shout" will go directly into the stream, right on the homepage. You can respond to others' shouts or shout something completely new.

9. Upload Your Photos and Video

Upload videos of the high school football touchdown or your Kent Little Leaguer's first home run. Post photos from local 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 contact the Kent Patch ad manager, Brandon Tidd, at brandon.tidd@patch.com or by calling 330-523-6543.

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://kent.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

Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ and follow us on Twitter.com. Immerse yourself in our content and actively contribute and engage via social media. Let's start a conversation together. And, a lot of our breaking news posts first on Twitter.

13. Send a Letter to the Editor

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

Patch would like to extend an invitation to every member of the Kent 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 Matt Fredmonsky at Matt.Fredmonsky@patch.com.