So I'm leaving.
But we'll get to that. First, I wanted go back to the beginning.
When Watsonville Patch launched in December 2010 I really didn't know what I was getting into. At that time, I knew Watsonville for its strawberries and it stabbings.
But I hoped that we could create a dynamic news hub reflective of and interactive with the community. I picked the Watsonville site (we have three others in Santa Cruz County alone) because I thought the community might really embrace—and benefit from—Patch's free, hyperlocal news coverage.
Pajaro Valley residents have been kind and welcoming as Patch worked to find its place in the media landscape of Watsonville. Many of you have taken the time to teach me about the city, from retired Police Chief Terry Medina's driving tour to explain the colorful history of Watsonville to the in-depth education on Pajaro Valley farming provided by the Focus Agriculture program.
Simply put: you've made my job easy. Thank you.
We've been touched by tragedy. Teenage driving deaths and gang murders hit the community hard. Devastating fires ravaged historic buildings, shuttered a longtime business and left dozens homeless.
But there are always glimmers of hope, like coverage of Watsonville's diverse business community. And Watsonville residents love to read about their restaurants: openings, closings, what used to be, even the total number of taquerias.
When the city banned plastic bags, Patch gave out hundreds of canvas bags to help residents make the adjustment. Together, locals rallied around a high school student who needed help doing a medical school internship and helped .
Community members have joined the Patch team to blog about everything from politics to music to farming. Watsonville city staff even got into the mix to share about Public Works projects and events at the Youth Center.
There have been a few bumps along the way. To quote another Patch editor, Martin Ricard, "I haven't always gotten everything right. But I tried to be fair. Most of all, I always tried to show that I cared."
I'm moving on to another position within Patch this week. A team of editors will co-manage Watsonville Patch going forward with the goal of providing a forum where people can connect, collaborate and share.
So use the site. Blog. Post your events and announcements. Share photos. Who knows? Maybe one of you will break the news when Watsonville finally gets the In-N-Out Burger people so desperately want!
