To Woodbridge Patch Readers and Contributors: Thanks

WOODBRIDGE, VA — Well. It's been nearly eight years since Woodbridge Patch launched. Whether you were late to the party or an early curiosity seeker who decided to stick around and give this start-up local news site a chance, we sincerely thank you for the patronage.

Woodbridge Patch — it went live on Aug. 20, 2010 — is one of 36 such sites in Virginia, and it's one of the more high-performing ones, at that. With Potomac Mills being the largest outlet mall in the state, much less the region, surrounding areas have seen an influx of development and innovation.

Whether we're talking trendy microbreweries or other new businesses arriving, that blends nicely with an area that's already history laden. Woodbridge Patch is fortunate to be in position to cover such a variety of topics, of which there are plenty.

In August alone, more than 58,000 folks visited Woodbridge Patch, up nearly 6,500 from the same month a year ago. Those figures — compiled and verified through Google Analytics — include readers on desktop, laptop, tablet, mobile and our app, and our visitors often access Patch on several devices over the month.

Here are some of the most-read articles in Woodbridge Patch the past few weeks:

• Enraged Man Kills Kitten In Woodbridge: Police
• Woodbridge Restaurant Inspections: 33 Violations At One Place
• In Memoriam: John William Kennedy, 24
• Missing Teen Girl Found Safe
• Lottery Winner Nets $1 Million in Woodbridge
• 12-Year-Old Boy Threatens To Bomb School In Dumfries: Police
• Sheetz Grand Opening Gala Wednesday In Dale City
• Prince William County 2018-19 School Calendar

Not mentioned above are many Woodbridge Patch stories dealing with assaults, particularly those domestic in nature. Many stories such as those aren't newsworthy enough for other outlets. But said stories, especially those involving violence against women, need to be told.

As for me, I'm Skip Wood, your local editor. My previous full-time stops, in chronological order: the Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg (JMU sports), the Richmond Times-Dispatch (Virginia Tech football, NASCAR), USA Today (NASCAR, National Football League, Olympics) and the website for WJLA's Channel 7 in Greater Washington (Daybreak Daily, politics).

Yes, I may have covered sports for the bulk of my career, but a journalist is a journalist—no matter the beat. Send your tips, ideas and questions my way at skipwood@patch.com.

Meanwhile, Woodbridge Patch contributors are among the best out there. For example, Mary Fraraccio is great at knowing what's going on and where to go, along with other tidbits of interest. The calendar has become something of a must-read for those looking to see what Woodbridge offers.

If you'd like to post on Woodbridge Patch, it's easy to sign up for a free user profile. As a Patch user, you can post articles, events, jobs, and announcements. And the "rules of Patch" are easy to follow: "no abusive content, no commercial spam, keep it local, and be awesome."

While many news websites are limiting access to free articles, Patch articles and events by our journalists and community contributors are always free to view. Simply put, it's both gratifying and humbling that you've made Woodbridge Patch a part of your life. Thank's again for your support and readership.

Try The Patch App
We've taken the best of Patch and packed it into a lightning fast, super-clean app that is loaded with features users have told us they want. If you haven't tried the app, give it a try. You can get the latest local news sent straight to your iPhone or iPad home screen on the free Patch app for iOS or the Android app.

Image via Virginia Department of Tourism, virginia.org