So proud of North Carolina!

I so excited to be writing for Patch. Ever since I came across this wonderful site, I've been enraptured by it. What a fantastic idea - people located all over this country sharing stories from their corner of the world.

From San Francisco to Seattle, from Chicago to Boston, from Dayton to Kingery, from Pensacola to Fort Lee, from Austin to San Diego, we're gaining incredible insights from ground zero.

As someone who loves news, it's a shame to see many local newspapers shutting down. In turn, we're losing all the stories the news rooms could share. Not just the feelgood stories but the hard hitting investigative ones.

How many huge scandals affecting billions of dollars were first discovered by local newsrooms? Away from the rarefied halls of DC, they were there on the ground able to find out how things actually are. One thing led to another and the story broke and Pulitzers were won.

So Patch fills a void that is sorely needed. It's a big responsibility and one I don't take lightly. I'm looking forward to sharing stories with you that make you laugh, sharing stories that make you cry, sharing stories that make you think and share stories to inspire you to share your own stories.

For those who don't know about North Caroline, we're the Tar Heel State. We're the 12th one to join the union. Our state bird is cardinal and our state flower is the flowering dogwood.

Famous North Carolina politicians include Jesse Helms and Elizabeth Dole.
Famous athletes from North Carolina include Stephen Curry, Chris Paul and of course Michael Jordan.

On the Eastern Seaboard, the state has some of the nicest coastline in the country. Some of the best beaches in the country are here.

If you're every in North Carolina, please say hi. I would love to meet you and show you round this most fabulous state. And if I get around the country, you can show me round yours!