To Puyallup Patch Readers: A Thank-You Letter

PUYALLUP, WA - About eight years ago, Patch began launching hyper-local news sites in the Puget Sound area, including in Puyallup and other Pierce County cities. We've come a long way since then, and we owe it all to you, Patch readers.

We want to send a sincere thank you to all our readers, and update you on how much Puyallup Patch has grown over the years.

This August alone, Puyallup Patch had over 20,000 visitors, which more than half of Puyallup's total population. Our visitors hail from Puyallup, Pierce County, and across the state. That figure — compiled and verified through Google Analytics — includes readers on desktop, laptop, tablet, mobile and our app, and our visitors often access Patch on several devices over the month.

Here are 10 of the most-read articles on Puyallup Patch in August:

• 3 Dead In Pierce County Crash That Sparked Brush Fire
• Old West Saloon For Sale Near Mt. Rainier- And It's Cheap
• Washington's 100 Best Public High Schools: New Rankings
• 2 Guns 'Donated' To Puyallup Thrift Store
• 2 Motorcyclists Dead After Fleeing From Pierce Deputies
• New WSP Chief Is Puyallup Boy, 6
• Man Who Stole, Crashed Plane From Sea-Tac Identified
• Lily Christopherson Speaks Out About Human Trafficking
• West Nile Virus Found In Pierce County Mosquitoes
• Washington State Fair Hiring Event On Tuesday

Other facts about Puyallup Patch: We've added nearly 500 Facebook followers since the beginning of the year and posted more than 2,000 news stories and features on the page. We've also added more than 1,700 subscribers to our breaking news and morning email newsletters.

Got a news tip? I'm Neal McNamara, your local editor, and I have personally instructed at least 1,000 out-of-towners how to pronounce the world "Puyallup." Send your tips, ideas and questions my way at neal.mcnamara@patch.com.

I get to write a lot of stories about Puyallup, but my favorite thing to do is update our events calendar - especially if it's an event that supports a local cause. So if you have something going on - be it a garage sale, a play, or a car show - please email me so I can add your event to our calendar.

Of course, you can always sign up for a Patch account to post your own events and items. If you would like to post on Puyallup 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."

If you own a local business and are interested in getting your message on Puyallup Patch or our nearby Patches, please visit the page and tell us what you need. One of our sales reps will be in touch.

Here's another fun fact about Patch: Did you know that Patch is among the 100 biggest websites in the United States? Patch ranks 91st on the most viewed websites in the country, according to Alexa. Puyallup Patch is part of a broad network, with 16 other Patch sites in Washington and more than 1,200 across the United States. That's a lot of local news!

Many news websites are limiting access to free articles, but Patch articles and events by our journalists and our users are always free to view.

We're thrilled you've made Puyallup Patch a part of your life. Thank you so much for your support and readership!

Photo courtesy Puyallup police