From a journalistic perspective, I hate goodbye columns. It makes everything seem so final. But this is, indeed, a goodbye column. As of Monday, I take on new duties helping oversee the launch of the new Joliet Patch. It marks the end of a two-year journey with Plainfield Patch that's been one of the highlights of a long, interesting career. Plainfield was one of the first towns in Illinois to get a Patch, and I remember writing in my first column that the whole process of getting it off the ground was a little like giving birth. When the baby arrives, you think the hard part is over only to …

Editor's note: Looks like I might be a little late coming to the game as today's the end of the cycle where the Girl Scouts actually take orders. However, some cookie moms are still taking orders. And I am getting contact info so we can find out where they'll be selling them at stores on future dates and if you can order via email. Troop 807. Call 815-577-7874 or email v59@comcast.net. They're $4 a box but orders must be placed by 4 p.m. today. Troop 70409. Call 630-212-6464 or email bradynsma@aol.com today. Troop 70233. Call 815-230-9313 or email barbaraseiden@yahoo.com. It's Girl Scout …

The downside to an unscientific poll that places no limit on the number of times people can vote is it can sometimes get hijacked by those who feel strongly about an issue or, in this case, a person. Such was the case with our presidential poll, in which asked readers to tell us who would get their vote for for president if the election were today. By the early morning hours Friday, the day the poll was posted, there were more than 200 votes for Ron Paul and only one each for Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. Given that Paul, while having done very well, has yet to win a caucus or primary, it …

Editor's note: Thanks to everyone who sent a question. The submission deadline has ended; check back later to see the video responses Patch receives! Plainfield Patch may feel like your hometown newspaper but now that there are Patches all over the country, we actually have a little bit of clout with the U.S. commander-in-chief. The White House has asked Patch to extend an invitation to our readers to submit questions to President Obama and his administration. The White House will pick the five best questions from across the country and provide video responses. This is an unprecedented …

Photos with Santa are as time-honored a Christmas tradition as hanging your stocking by the fireplace and leaving carrots for St. Nick's reindeer. Your own childhood Santa photos and those of your children are no doubt a lot different than this but I'll bet one thing remains the same: at one time or another the faces in them are smiling, impish, befuddled, crying or scared. They're precious memories that most parents wouldn't trade for anything. We would love to see them! So, here's what I'm hoping you will do: Send me a photo or photos I can post on Plainfield Patch. You can either post it …

So many choices, so little space. It's a thankless task to try to isolate just a few of the worst Christmas songs in recorded history. However, I've given it the old college try and come up with five that I could happily die without ever hearing again. No doubt you'll disagree; I freely admit that I'm probably too literal for my own good. So what would you choose instead? Tell me in the comment box below and I'll put them together in a poll. In the end, we'll come up with one ditty that should be forever banned from all radio stations, Muzac and CD players. My list: 1. I Saw Mommy Kissing …

Kim Schay was lucky No. 9, the number drawn randomly in Plainfield Patch's Halloween pumpkin contest. Congratulations to her -- the $50 Target gift card will be in the mail today. And thank you to everyone who entered. We had some amazing photos submitted, which made me very glad we didn't have to choose the "best" one. It would have been an impossible choice. As you nurse your sugar hangover today, I encourage you to scroll through all of the photos and take a look at the artwork of some really talented Plainfield residents. Watch for our next contest, which will be coming soon!

Looking at the blocks of strip malls, huge schools and sprawling subdivisions, it's hard to believe Plainfield was once just a one-horse town -- and not so long ago. As recently as 1991, just 4,700 people called the village home, and it's a safe bet most of them didn't live in 4-bedroom homes or commute to Chicago to work.  So it's not a huge surprise that many of the 40,000 who have since put down roots here have no idea what a richly historic village this is. Yes, most know about Electric Park and that two of the most famous pre-interstate country-country roads -- Route 66 and Lincoln …

We're happy to unveil yet another great feature this week — Patch Daily Deals — that will help readers save money and shop local. Patch Daily Deals will help readers save up to 90 percent on products and services at some of the best businesses in the southwest suburbs. This includes not just your hometown, but also several of its neighboring communities. Today, for example, you can get a furnace tune-up and cleaning — just in time for the cold weather to arrive — for $49 from AirTek Heating & Air. That's almost 50 percent off the regular price. Most deals will be available for a week. If your…

We've been around for more than a year now, but now everyone knows how to make Patch work for you. Our Web site is built with plenty of opportunities for you to make it your own, so take advantage of it! The more more you get involved, the more others will respond. So, with that in mind, here are some tips to using the site: 1. Comment on an Article We subscribe to the idea that "news is a conversation." Stories come from what readers tell us in e-mail, the comments left on our site and conversations around town. Share your thoughts and reactions to our articles by posting a comment directly …

Certain days are ingrained in your memory, probably thanks to that lethal combo of adrenaline, stress and fear. Aug. 26, 2010, was one of those days for me. It was the day before Plainfield Patch would go live, and I was in a cold sweat finishing the million and one corporate prerequisites before my final review. Did I have enough stories? Were they sufficiently interesting? Did I load the photos properly? Was the business directory complete? Was there some glaring error I was missing and would want to slit my wrists over later? By 7 that night, I had the green light. It was full speed ahead …

On Aug. 9, 2011, Plainfield Patch published a story in which the reporter led readers to believe that Brenda Morse, wife of Wheatland Township Supervisor Todd Morse, had been contacted for a comment about her role and did not respond. Instead, the reported actions of Brenda Morse were unverified. Plainfield Patch regrets the errors.

Plainfield Patch will have a booth at Plainfield Fest, so please drop by and say hello. We'd love to meet you. What's that? You don't want to meet us? Well, fine, be that way. Maybe some of the amazing—and free!—Patch stuff we'll be giving away will change your mind. We can't tell you what we have because that would ruin the surprise, but we know these are items you'll treasure for years to come and may even pass along as family heirlooms. On a more serious note, we hope you'll drop by because we love meeting our readers. Everyone in town has been so open and embracing of what we've been …

Somewhere, ''Pomp and Circumstance'' is playing, and someone is struggling to keep that mortarboard in place. It's graduation season, and whether it's your preschooler moving on to the big K, or your college senior heading out into the real world, you can brag about it on Plainfield Patch. First, make sure you are a registered user of your Patch (if you aren't, click on Sign Up in the top right corner of the home page). Once you are logged in, scroll to the bottom of the home page and under Contribute on the right side, click "Announce something to everyone." In the announcement template, …

Things change fast at a new Web site like Plainfield Patch. Up until now, we've primarily been a news operation, written by our staff and freelancers. But now, we're hoping to add a new voice to the site: Yours. There are already plenty of ways to contribute to Patch — by leaving comments  on our articles, by posting to our events calendar, by posting announcements and by taking part in our Q&A forum, among them. But now we're introducing a new site section, for community blogs. And we want you to be a part of it. Got something to say about life in Plainfield or news to spread? Need a forum …

Why do I not feel joyous that Osama bin Laden is dead? It’s a question I’ve been pondering since Sunday night, as I watched the hundreds of people outside the White House chanting “U.S.A.” and breaking into spontaneous renditions of “Ha Ha Ney Ney Goodbye” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.” What I did feel was relief, certainly, and a sense of vindication and pride, but I wasn’t moved to dance on a table or take to the streets with a flag. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saddened by bin Laden’s death. There’s no one more deserving of going out in a hail of bullets than this man, who treated life …

Plainfield Patch is looking for bloggers, and strong community voices like yours are needed. Are you passionate about something in Plainfield? Do you consider yourself a local expert in a given field or issue? Or are you just that person that people look to for a strong opinion? Whether it's food, family, schools, government, business, social issues, shopping, running or hamster training techniques — if it's your thing, we'd like you to consider blogging for Plainfield Patch. Anyone may apply. Parents, grandparents, favorite aunties, crafters, shopkeepers, baristas, hobbyists, nonprofit …

Are you hopelessly addicted to your smart phone? If so, make Plainfield Patch an app on your iPhone or Android to be up to date on all the latest village news, sports scores and events or announcements.  Adding Plainfield Patch as an app on your phone is a great way to stay in touch with home, even when you're not there. To make Patch an app on your phone, simply follow these easy steps: For iPhone users... Open the Safari Internet browser and type in bolingbrook.patch.com.  Once the page opens, press the "+" sign on the bottom toolbar. Press the option that reads "Add to Home Screen". After …

Blizzards are scary things, reminding you just how powerless you are when Mother Nature shows her might.  But there's something starkly beautiful about them too. The glow of street lights barely visible through the blowing snow, the leafless tree limbs coated in ice, the evergreen boughs brought low by the weight of the deluge. Of course, there's also the element of fun. It helps if you're somewhere between the ages of 5 and 12, where it's all a great adventure capped off by  school being canceled. And what must be going through your mind if you're my dog, standing about a foot off the ground…

Can you be bribed? If you're thinking, "Well, maybe," I have a deal for you, and it's one I hope you can't refuse. Plainfield Patch is my baby. I spend countless hours nurturing it and feeding it and trying to get it to thrive. I don't want my baby to be a wallflower; it needs readers to grow. You've already found us, and believe me when I say you're my hero for seeking out local news and wanting to know more about your community. But many of your friends and neighbors don't know about Patch yet, and this is where the "bribe" comes in. I will give you a free Patch water bottle or a free Patch…