Close to two years ago, I embarked upon the journey of starting a daily news website called Half Moon Bay Patch.
I couldn't have been more thrilled. With its coastal setting, strong roots in farming, a harbor, natural beauty and love for all things pumpkin, Half Moon Bay was my kind of town and an ideal place for me to work as an editor and reporter. It also wasn't completely unfamiliar. Growing up on the Peninsula and visiting Half Moon Bay throughout the years — the first time on a nursery school field trip to the beach, in fact — my return has also been somewhat of a homecoming.
Since the months leading up to our launch in October 2010, I've met and spoken with community and city leaders, local authorities, residents, business owners and members of the Latino community. I've also gotten to know an eclectic group of farmers, fishermen, surfers, activists and artists — and many of you.
A journalist rarely gets the chance to directly engage with such a diverse group of people that make up the Half Moon Bay Coastside region. I've learned a lot from you and hope that our reporting has offered a valuable source of information which has benefited and enhanced your lives.
It's not without some sadness, then, that I will be leaving my position on Friday to further my passion for environmental journalism at GreenBiz, an environmental and sustainable business news site in Oakland where I will be both an editor and reporter.
Hearing your stories and reporting from the Half Moon Bay Coastside region from Montara to Pescadero over the last two years has been an amazing experience as a journalist. We've covered a , a of , the of the city's 50-year-old police department and a at Mavericks, as well as its more joyous . We've focused on , , and the around us. Our series of columns shared the voices of a group of local Latino residents in Half Moon Bay rarely heard from before. And who could forget the fun covering annual traditions like the and the preceding , , and ?
Along the way, you've trusted me and my incredible team of reporters and photographers to bring your stories to life through online print, photography and video. Contributions from , , , , , , , , , , , and have been indispensable, along with those from , columnists and , Día a Día coordinator and columnists , , and . Spanish translators and made the series possible. And the bulk of our directory was set up by , Melanie Samse and Wayman Barnes.
Many of you advanced our stories even further with your cogent comments and insightful conversations with fellow readers and residents. Others contributed through sending me news tips and photographs. Bloggers , , , , , , , , and took the time to share their expertise and perspectives. Thank you.
While Patch searches for my replacement, you'll be in good hands. Longtime Half Moon Bay Patch contributor Christa Bigue will be your guest editor. Please send all correspondence, news tips and press releases to her at xtapalmer@gmail.com. You can also contact Peninsula Patch Regional Editor Jamie White at jamiew@patch.com.
They say that it takes a village to raise a , and in the last two years, Half Moon Bay Patch has certainly grown up from the combination of daily reporting and your loyal support.
It's been both an honor and a pleasure to be your news editor, and I wish you all the best.
Onward!
To receive news feeds about Half Moon Bay and the unincorporated Coastside between Montara and Pescadero, visit Half Moon Bay Patch on Facebook and "like" us here. Follow us on Twitter here.
Want to blog for us? Click here.
It's hard to leave a place like HMB once you've gotten attached...so maybe we'll see you again in the future :) Good Luck in your new endeavours.
Happy trails. Manu, Well Kiddos
When Kristine started HMB Patch, I got my first real look; and I was impressed. I was on the east coast when HMB Patch came out, and didn't get the opportunity to fully appreciate it until I got home. The wide range of stories, topics, activities and engagement was mind bending. How did they (she) do it? The research in reporting, the unbiased reporting, the diversity of the pieces, the depth of the pieces was good; very good. She raised the bar. I first met Kristine from a silly picture that I guessed the location of. We did coffee. I found Kristine to be very engaging, a very good listener, very bright and well educated. She was friendly, polite, curious and all the things one wants in a friend, let alone a reporter / Editor. And she made / makes it look easy. A start-up anything is difficult enough. But to come to a place that one is not intimate with, set up shop and get busy catching up, and keeping up while all the while managing the site, her time and the time of others with such skill and grace is truly remarkable. Kristine has proven her multitude of skills day in and day out from day one. We all have benefited from Kristine's work. I have no doubt that Kristine will excel at whatever she does, wherever that may be. Thank you Kristine for coming here 1st