12 Things You Need to Know About Half Moon Bay Patch

We wanted to take the time to remind you why we're here and what this site is all about. Simply put, it's about you.

We've built Patch so that you have plenty of opportunities to comment on stories, share your opinions, post photos and announcements and add events to the community calendar. We hope that our site will strengthen the community, but we can't do it without you. So get to it! 

1. Comment on an Article

We subscribe to the idea that "news is a conversation." Much of our reporting will emanate from what readers tell us in e-mails, comments on our sites, 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://halfmoonbay.patch.com/questions and ask a question, or answer someone else's.

3. Post an Event

Do you know of a book signing at our local bookstore, a celebrity chef appearing at cooking store or an art exhibit at a local coffee shop? Is there a garage sale or graduation ceremony coming up? If it's not on our Patch calendar, it should be. Feel free to add events to our site at http://halfmoonbay.patch.com/announcements/new. You'll reap the most benefits of this feature if you sign up for the site and post the event yourself, rather than sending the event to Half Moon Bay Patch's calendar editor, Tracy Ulin, as she is responsible for the calendar of more than one Patch site. If you post the event yourself, you will be able to make edits immediately if the location time or place changes, or if the event is cancelled or rescheduled. You'll also be able to upload your own photos to accompany the listing.

4. Send a News Tip

At the bottom of the homepage, there's a link that says, "Send Us News Tips." Tell us about stories we should cover. Your tip will be sent straight to Kristine Wong, editor of Half Moon Bay Patch.

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. http://halfmoonbay.patch.com/announcements/new

6. Sign Up for Newsletters

The daily Half Moon Bay Patch newsletter brings you all articles and announcements that have been posted in the last 24 hours. It is delivered to your e-mail every day at 9 a.m. You can also sign up for the weekly newsletter, which shows a subset of the content created and featured on our site over the last few days. It is delivered every Thursday at 10 a.m. Look for the Follow Us and Newsletter links in the right column of this and most every page.

7. Claim Your Directory Listing

Our business and organization listings aren't skimpy. Our team of researchers actually hit the streets and visited businesses, schools, parks, libraries and more so we can provide photos as well as detailed information such as products sold and hours of operation. To contact us about the listing for your business or organization, email us at directorysupport@patch.com. If you own or manage a business or organization in our directory, claim it at http://halfmoonbay.patch.com/search/listings.

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 new shout box at the top of the Activity Stream on the homepage. Whatever you "shout" will go directly into the stream, right on the homepage.

9. Upload Your Photos and Video

Upload videos of high school football touchdowns or your Half Moon Bay 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 with the rest of the community the memories you've caught on camera.

10. Advertise With Us

For all advertising queries, please send an e-mail to our Half Moon Bay Patch Ad Manager, Daniel Lopez at daniel.lopez@patch.com.

11. Social Media Engagement

You can "like" us on Facebook here and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HMoonBayPatch. Immerse yourself in our content and actively contribute and engage via social media. Let's start a conversation.

12. Send a Letter to the Editor

Patch would like to invite every member of Half Moon Bay and the Coastside 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 500 words and e-mail it to Editor Kristine Wong at kristine.wong@patch.com.

The more Half Moon Bay Patch serves as on online space for community dialogue, the more useful our site will be. So 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 one who feels that way.