Since Rye Patch launched in December 2009, readers in both Rye and Rye Brook have embraced the site and me, its local editor. I owe a huge debt to every person who visited Rye Patch every day, commented on stories, sent us news tips—and sometimes gave us constructive criticism.
I’ve enjoyed all my interactions with everyone in the community. During the last 15 months, I’ve had the opportunity to interview some truly wonderful people, those who have overcome great struggles, some who are tireless advocates for an important cause and others who aren’t afraid to voice their opinions about what local officials can do to improve the community.
My time with Rye Patch has helped me grow as a journalist, so it’s bittersweet for me to tell you that as of March 1, I will no longer be the site’s editor.
The good news is that I’ll still play a role in helping to make Rye Patch and other Patch sites in the Hudson Valley a great source of local news. I’ve been promoted to Associate Regional Editor, which means I’ll be helping to manage several sites in southern Westchester and Rockland counties.
I’ve left Rye Patch in good hands. Renea Henry, a graduate of Columbia University’s School of Journalism and a frequent contributor to Patch sites across the region, will be serving as interim editor.
I know you all will make Renea feel as welcome as I have been in the community.
I want to wholeheartedly thank you, Rye Patch readers, for making the site a success. This is just the beginning for Rye Patch. Not to sound cliché, but the best is definitely yet to come.
But seriously, the reporting and professionalism I've seen on Rye Patch under your guidance has been the best of all the sites that I read. Other Patches (and yes, I know it's a corporation-wide thing,) have started to swing towards the demographic of mothers, and others have too much opinion or story-based entries. Some have too much reporting on non-news like house sales and reports from state capitals, and some have articles with too much external linking. When an entry is just data collected from a source and reprinted, it's n0t journalism. Thank you for the dedication and real journalism you've brought to Rye and I hope you keep some of these comments about what makes a story interesting enough to read to you in your new position. Congratulations.
I can't say that enough :)