Have you ever sent a press release to the editor of your local Patch site and wondered when it was going to post? How about a birth announcement or an obituary—which are published for free on Patch sites, by the way—or a school award only to wonder if it was ever going to be published? Well, our Patch sites are designed in a way that is easy for users to post their own announcements without having to wait for editors to post it for them. It really is the best way to share your news if you are a nonprofit agency, for-profit agency, government body or other group. Get your stuff on Patch …

We're excited to inaugurate a new series for our Patch Readers: "DisPatches: The Changing American Dream."Every day, the national media is full of stories about how American families, businesses and neighbors are adjusting to these trying times. There are so many changes happening so fast that it's dizzying: national debates about unemployment, foreclosures, debt, religion, government and private enterprise all touch on fundamental ways in which we see ourselves and our communities. At Patch, we want to explore that conversation on a daily basis so we can better understand how our neighbors …

One of my favorite local blogs, Clarendon Culture, posted a list of their favorite restaurants in Arlington. I, personally, agree with the majority of their list. (I am a big fan of El Pollo Rico, too.) Check out their list here, and let us know your favorite Arlington spot.  This as inspired me to work on my own best of Arlington list ... stay tuned. 

We recently launched a new look for our local listings pages, changing the name from "Directory" to "Places" on our navigation bar. You'll notice on our Places page an increase in featured local listings as well as an easier way to rate and review listings you have visited. Here are a few things to check out: - Rate your neighborhood right from our Places page and quickly reshuffle listings by clicking "Get More" at the top or bottom of the page. - To rate a listing, simply click the number of stars under the business name. - Have something to say about a listing? Write a review by clicking "…

Patch has been a part of Ballston for seven months now. Judging by the number of visitors we are getting, we've become a part of the community. But as we've grown, so have the demands on our time. There's a lot going on in Ballston and throughout Arlington, and that is why we need the community's help in making sure we can cover it all. Or at least most of it. We are hearing from you on a daily basis about events and stories. Here are some tips to have a shot at your news or event getting on the site. 1. Post it! If you are organizing an event - say a fundraiser or school fair - you can add …

After going to college in the South, I became quite accustomed to having doors opened and held for me by everyone. Upon returning home the Washington, D.C. area, I was borderline appalled at how rude people can be. But, recently, I have been very pleasantly surprised in the Ballston area. Nothing against Clarendon, those folks aren't bad, but the past couple of weeks I have noticed friendlier people in Ballston. Whether it's holding the door at the mall, holding the elevator when someone sees you running towards it, or letting you go ahead to order at crowded Rock Bottom, people have gotten …

In an effort to, I think, make people's lives easier, Arlington County is trying out a couple different meter options. First, of course, are the standard old-school meters I hate because frankly, I just don't have enough (if any) quarters! Now most of them do accept iPark, so that's a plus if you have an iPark, but I don't.  The meters, which are color coded, are either for 30 minutes or one, two or four hours. Then, there are the meter machines, where you pay at the big box and then put the receipt on the dashboard. At these you can use coins or credit cards, a big plus. At first, I really …