Meet Your New (Old) Orland Park Patch Editor

ORLAND PARK, IL — Well folks, I'm back. After years spent in different roles at Patch, most recently including hiring our editors across the country, I've stepped back into the role of editor of Orland Park Patch, as well as several other communities.

If you don't know my name or face from my previous time here, hi. It's nice to meet you. Quick facts about me: I am a lifelong south suburbanite (by choice, which so many of my friends just cannot wrap their heads around), an avid equestrienne, dog and cat mom (two of each, and two horses), bowler (devastated by the closing of Orland Bowl), and longtime player of sand volleyball. But most importantly, I am a believer in local news as the tie that binds, and I love it more than I could possibly describe.

Honestly, I'm essentially old news around this neck of the woods. I started at Patch in 2010, and neighboring site Oak Forest Patch was the seedling I nurtured and grew into a full-fledged news website. I took such pride in growing the audience from scratch, both on the site and on social media. I went on to later cover your beloved Orland Park, Tinley Park, Homewood-Flossmoor, Chicago Heights, Palos, Lemont, Homer Glen and Lockport, Evergreen Park, Frankfort, Mokena, New Lenox, and Manhattan—all for Patch.

I've covered the most granular stories you can imagine here and in other towns, but I've also tackled big breaking news as it happened. I've met some wonderful people and written about them accomplishing amazing things. I've stood alongside some of you as you've experienced loss and grief; I've also celebrated with many of you, too. You've shared with me your successes, struggles, and slices of your lives. Years ago, Orland Park readers trusted me to deliver the news they need to help them lead informed, safe, fun lives in their community. I'm pleased to have the honor of taking up those reins again, and I hope if you don't already trust me with your stories, you will soon.

I'm a big believer in being present in the towns I cover, and I encourage you to stop me to say hello if you see me out and about (unless you run into me at the grocery store late at night, and I'm clearly in sweats. Then, let's just pretend you never saw me, OK?).

Orland Park Patch is as much yours, as it is mine. I aim for this to be a place that truly reflects your town, its character, and the people who live here. You can reach me any time at lauren.traut@patch.com. I welcome your questions, feedback, story suggestions, and local food recommendations.

I hope to meet those of you who are strangers, and reconnect with those who've been a part of Patch in the past. And if you happen to bowl in the mixed league every other Saturday at Tinley Bowl this fall, let's just see who has the better team, shall we?

Cheers, Orland Park. See you all soon.