1 Year Later: 13 Things You Need To Know About Cleveland Heights Patch

On our first , we thought it would be helpful to share an article all about how to use Cleveland Heights Patch.

The article has been revised a bit, but we the day we launched in December 2010.

Whether you're new to the site or you get our newsletter everyday, take a look below and make sure you're getting all you can out of Cleveland Heights Patch. And thanks for reading and contributing!

Welcome to Cleveland Heights Patch! We knew you would have questions about what the site is all about, so here are a few answers. Simply put, Patch is for you and your community. We're here to provide you with updates on breaking news, city council and school board meetings and information about new restaurants and businesses in town. But that's not all. 

We've built Patch with you in mind. Readers have plenty of opportunities to comment on stories, share their 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. 

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. Write a Blog

We have a list of blogs in a column called "Local Voices," and a green button underneath invites you to blog on Patch. 

If you missed  announcing this, don't worry. We're always looking for people to blog on Patch. Do you want to share your opinion about local issues? Write about your experience running a marathon? Give tips on how to grow food in your lawn? Ask parents questions about raising children and provide your own advice? Whatever you'd like to write about, there's space for it on Patch.

3. Post an Event

Do you know about a book signing at one of the libraries, a must-see movie at Cedar Lee Theatre 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. 

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 Michelle Simakis, Cleveland Heights 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 Cleveland Heights 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. 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.

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. You can us to add a listing for your business or organization. If you own or manage a business or organization in our directory, claim it 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 new shout box at the top of the Activity Stream. 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 Heights High football touchdown or your Cleveland Heights Little Leaguer's first home run. Post photos from the Cain Park Arts Festival, 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

Send advertising manager Joe Strailey an email for all advertising questions.

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. 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 and follow us on Twitter. Immerse yourself in our content and actively contribute and engage via social media. Let's start a conversation together.

13. Send a Letter to the Editor

The more Cleveland Heights Patch serves as 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 Cleveland Heights 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. Email it to Editor Michelle Simakis.