Editor's Notebook: My New Year's Resolution

Before I became local editor of Lacey Patch, I had yet to step foot in Lacey Township.

A typical rule of thumb when hiring an editor of a Patch website is that they reside in the town they work. At the time, I had lived in Ocean County for just six months.

When I was hired I drove into town daily. I went to the library and read about Lacey’s history, I scanned the town with my eyes, introduced myself to as many people as possible and immersed myself into the daily life of a typical Lacey resident.

All seemed well and good when Lacey Patch debuted on Dec. 21, 2010. But we were really tested just days after we launched when a record-breaking blizzard hit and the true meaning of Lacey Patch unfolded.

Lacey Patch is not your typical newspaper. It’s the difference between old and new media. Since our presence is entirely online, pages do not limit our coverage and we are live 24/7.

So you didn’t have to wait until the following morning to know if you could drive to work. We were there to give you moment-by-moment updates.

Since then I’ve come to know the town, its people, the neighborhoods, the hot spots, the way it functions, its perks and its quirks.

I’ve been able to experience the good and the bad, like every Lacey resident does.

I’ve been there to cover the happy moments — school concerts, food drives and events such as Lacey Day — and I’ve been there for the not so happy moments- accidents, deaths, memorials and controversies.

I’ve come to know and enjoy my daily interactions with the people in Lacey. And although, I still do not reside in the township myself, I feel like a local.

You welcomed me with open arms and have come to trust Lacey Patch as a dedicated and accurate news source. You make my job worth it. For that I am forever grateful.

As we ring in the New Year together — starting with the Annual Reorganization Meeting — it is only right to kick off with a resolution.

When Lacey Patch launched just over a year ago, we pledged to be your source for everything local. That pledge still stands strong.

But there is still so much more to Lacey Patch. On our first anniversary we ran a , the reader, to get more out of the website.

We encouraged you to talk to me, contribute, comment, interact and participate. And although some of you may get the most out of Lacey Patch already, my new year resolution is to submerge myself into the Lacey community even more.

I want to become involved in the community, interact with more of you and enlist the help of others.

After all, Lacey Patch is for you.

I hope you have a happy and healthy New Year. See you in 2012.