East Hampton Patch Turns One

East Hampton Patch turns one today and I would like to personally thank you all for your support as you continue to make Patch the community hub for news, information and events.

Since launching on Oct. 29, 2010, we've published nearly 2,900 articles ranging from community events to disturbing arrests. This has been a year of memorable stories.

I was so honored to bear witness to the in East Hampton following the passage of the Marriage Equality Act in New York this summer. Thank you to Ralph Gibson, a local doctor, and his longtime partner Andrew Jacobyansky were so gracious to let all of our readers in on their small ceremony at village hall.

During an interview last month, deeply touched me with her brutal honesty about battling cancer for the past two years. She wanted her "true story" to be told about doctors she felt weren't honest with her and about the choices she made for her treatment now.

Remember the community outrage to the potential loss of the food truck's spot? And, how the came together to stand up for beach access? When this community comes together, we really get stuff done.

Our most read story of the year started with a woman in Springs who spoke up after she said she witnessed "" involving an employee at a Starbuck's in Centerreach.

Then, there was the harrowing story of . In November 2010, Ross died after having a heart attack in his Wainscott house. Days later, the story borke on East Hampton Patch that an address mix-up delayed help for 13 minutes. His widow Sherri has struggled with the difficult question: Would it have made a difference?

Looking toward the second year, we will continue to try to tell the important stories in the East Hampton community. We hope our dedicated readers will keep reading and share the site with friends.

There's ways for you to get involved too. In addition to commenting on stories, sending in news tips, and sharing your photos, there's a Local Voices blogging platform. Thank you to our many bloggers who are already sharing their experiences and views.

Thank you, again, for your support.