In early 2009, AOL started launching these small community websites called “hyper-local” news sites. Today, the Echo Park Patch launched, adding to the coverage of our little up-and-coming community. Hiring one local main editor to manage the site and freelancers to write most of the content, expect to see some freelancing writers running around Echo Park looking for your quote and your news.

There’s a lot of talk about AOL’s endeavors: Is it evil? Will it kill local newspapers? Is it sustainable? I’ve thought about the pros and cons of the site, and the pros outweigh the cons: It hires and pays local journalists and writers who are most likely out of work, it will bring to light a lot of community issues people need to know about, and did I mention it pays?

Echo Park resident Lea Lion has taken on the helm of Echo Park Patch, and so far we’ve met some pretty awesome local journalists writing for the site as well. Jenny Burman, who writes Chicken Corner for LA Observed, will also be contributing. It always amazes me how many creative and hard-working people like in our little community!

I will also be writing some articles for the site, specifically an opinions series called “Think Echo Park.” My first article is about the news-worthy Sunset Flats development, which I’ve written about before on this website. Hopefully you’ll enjoy my articles both on Echo Park Now and on Patch!