Sonoma Patch, A Users Guide

Here's a brief user's guide on how we can make the most — together — of Sonoma.patch.com: 

Comment on an Article

1. We subscribe to the idea that "news is a conversation." Much of our reporting will emanate from what readers tell us in e-mails, comments on our sites, and in conversations around town. Share your thoughts and reactions to our articles by posting a comment directly below each story.  

2. Ask a Question

Maybe you want to know when that pothole is going to get fixed, or you want to find out when reading hour is at the public library, or where to find a reliable plumber. Patch's Q&A section is the place for you to ask your questions and show off your expertise, all while connecting with your neighbors. Visit sonoma.patch.com/questions and ask a question, or answer someone else's.

3. Post an Event 

Do you know a show going on at the Community Center? Or do you know of a fair or festival, or maybe a fundraiser at your school? Is there a garage sale or graduation ceremony coming up? If it's not on our Patch calendar, it should be. Feel free to add events to our site at sonoma.patch.com/events/new. 

4. Send a News Tip

At the bottom of the homepage, there's a link that says, "Send Us News Tips." Tell us about stories we should cover, tell me what's going on in your community. Your news tip will go right to me. You can also call it in to my cell phone, at 707-239-9418!

5. Post an Announcement

Post births, engagements and wedding announcements. Tell us who made the honor roll or share school awards, social notes and thank you shout outs. If you're looking for volunteers or searching for your lost dog, we welcome you to call on your community for help. Just remember, our Terms of Service say announcements should be for personal use and not for advertising.

6. Sign Up for Newsletters

The daily Sonoma newsletter brings you all articles and announcements that have been posted in the last 24 hours — so sign up to find out about news you might have missed. It is delivered to your email every morning. You can also sign up for the weekly newsletter, which shows a subset of the content created and featured on our site over the last few days. It is delivered every Thursday at 10 a.m. Look for the Follow Us and Newsletter links in the right column of this and most every page.

7. Claim Your Directory Listing 

We publish a comprehensive directory with every single business in town, including neighborhood parks, hospitals and schools. We go out of our way to make sure our information is up-to-date and accurate, so the people who live here don't have to! We all know the frustration of searching out a dentist who is no longer there or going to the community pool only to find out it's closed due to budget cuts. We provide photos as well as detailed information such as products sold and hours of operation. To contact us about the listing for your business or organization, email us at directorysupport@patch.com. If you own or manage a business or organization in our directory, claim it at sonoma.patch.com/search/listings.

8. Shout It Out!

You now have a way to shout out on the site without having to add a comment to an existing article. You can tell us what you have to say right now by using the new shout box at the top of the Activity Stream on the homepage. Whatever you "shout" will go directly into the stream, right on the homepage.

9. Upload Your Photos and Video 

Upload videos of your school events, your little league game, your favorite restaurant — anything! Post photos from local festivals or send in a snapshot of your best holiday recipes. We invite you to share with the rest of the community the memories you've caught on camera.

10. Advertise With Us 

For all advertising queries, please contact our very hardworking Sonoma Patch Ad Manager Sandy O'dea at sandy.odea@patch.com. 

11. Review Restaurants

Do you want to be the first to tell your friends whether the new restaurant in town gets a thumbs-up? You can post a review of your favorite restaurants or a favorite dish at rohnertpark.patch.com/restaurants. You can also find what you're craving by filtering results by cuisine, price or seating accommodations.

12. Social Media Engagement

You can "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sonomapatch and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SonomaPatch. Immerse yourself in our content and actively contribute and engage via social media. Let's start a conversation.

13. Send a Letter to the Editor

Patch would like to invite every member of the Sonoma community to submit a . Express your thoughts or concerns about anything that might be stirring up conversation around town, and we'll post it. Make sure it's not longer than 300 words if it's written and email it to Editor Alexis Fitts at alexis.fitts@patch.com. You can also send video letters to the editor as long it's not longer than two minutes.