Clayton seems greener nowadays.

This year, the warm approach of spring is not only reviving the flowers and tree lined streets of Clayton, but it is also breathing life into the new sprouting seedling of the Patch in the community.

The Patch was founded in 2007 to provide local news coverage for individual communities through the platform of an engaging and interactive news website.

After being bought in 2009 by AOL, the Patch has flourished, blossoming in over 750 communities and towns in 19 states across the country. This past December Clayton was introduced to the Patch with the creation of the joint Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch.

“Patch is really an effort to give communities throughout the nation, most typically around larger more metropolitan areas like St. Louis, a really good feel for what’s going on in their community,” said Nate Birt, the Editor of the Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch.

All of local Patch Editors live either within or in close proximity of the community they cover.

Instead of working from an office, editors work out of community centers, coffee shops, cafes, or parks to further embrace the atmosphere and livelihood of their communities.

As a result, the Patch reports on specifically community news such as local governmental decisions like the Clayton School Board of Education’s recent approval of the final designs for Wydown Middle School or controversial neighborhood issues like the Hadley Township in Richmond Heights.

The Patch brings these hyperlocal issues to the attention of community residents with regularly updating information.

“St. Louis is a very media savvy area,” Birt said.  “People read a lot of different media and are very engaged in what is going on in their communities…As a Patch Editor, I am here to supplement the media coverage that’s already being given and provide some additional coverage in areas that have not been explored.”

Furthermore, Birt innovatively utilizes the website to engage readers and viewers.
Each evening, a video called a PatchCast is posted to the site that summarizes the highlights of the day’s local news of the region.

“Part of my job as an editor is to use the web medium to best serve our readers and viewers,” said Birt.

At the same time, the Patch seeks to create a conversation between members of the community and their local editor.

Birt, who avidly takes advantage of social media, is always open to comments, story ideas, and recommendations from readers and viewers.

“As a company, Patch is really making an effort to interact with readers not only through its website but also through social media like Facebook and Twitter,” Birt said.  “It promotes a conversation…As an editor for Patch, my goal is to be someone who can interact with readers.”

A central part of the Patch is this community participation.

Anybody in the community has the opportunity to report something on the site that they feel is newsworthy.

“It’s really about interactions with people in the community and giving them kudos and giving them the credit for being our eyes and ears when we are not always able to be everywhere,” Birt said.

The Patch also allows its readers to post announcements about local events on the website’s calendar that, as Birt explains, you might not see on the 6 p.m. news but are still important to a lot of people.

In the end, Birt looks forward to continuing to grow and improve the site by engaging the residents of Clayton and Richmond Heights.

“I am really excited about the possibilities.” Birt said.  “I think it’s a great opportunity and I’m having a blast.”