Dear Northbrook Patch readers, As of today, I am officially moving over to become editor of Evanston Patch. I say that with excitement at a new challenge but also with regret, since I have truly enjoyed my time in Northbrook.  From the hospitality in the checkout line at Sunset Foods to the friendly faces at the Starbucks on Cherry Lane, it’s the people I’ve met who made this job so much fun. Writing stories, I got to learn about such inspiring individuals as Scott Crane, Dan Jariabka, Roda Patel, Collin Wehr and Lacey Horwitch, among many others. I want to extend a big thank you to everyone …

Does your son or daughter play a sport? If so, we want you to help us share their successes, stats and smiling faces on Patch. This spring, we're looking for bloggers to write about their kids' sports teams--whether that's freshmen, JV, varsity or Little League. Parent Warren Bruhl is paving the way with his blog on the freshman A baseball team (which is tearing it up, by the way), but we don't want to limit our coverage to just baseball. Softball, track and field, martial arts, dance...we want it all. If you're ready to give your kids' sports team some love by blogging on Patch, please …

Mark your calendars now for the village’s annual Earth and Arbor Day celebration Saturday, April 21, on the Village Green. More than 50 businesses—including Northbrook Patch—will be on hand to talk about ways to save money, save energy and help the environment.  The day begins with an opportunity to give back and clean up the village. Anyone interested in helping to pick up debris and trash should meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Village Green.  Following the clean-up, families can explore the environmental exhibits on the green, sample healthy foods and pick up free tree seedlings from the village …

At Northbrook Patch, we're all about helping local businesses and charities serve our community. So we've come up with a way to help Breathe Deep Deerfield while supporting local businesses at the same time. We’re calling it our "Patch Click and Claim for Charity" program. Breathe Deep Deerfield is a 5K fun run, 1-mile walk, and balloon launch held Saturday, May 6, to raise crucial funds for lung cancer research. The event will honor the memory of two local women who lost their lives to lung cancer, and will also serve to remember others in the community whose lives have been affected by the …

  I’m thankful for a heaping serving of stuffing, a side of mashed potatoes with butter and a thick slice of turkey with crispy skin. Oh yeah, and pie—any kind of pie will do.  But seriously, if I’m stopping to count my blessings, the list of what I’m thankful for begins with people. In my role as editor of Northbrook Patch, I’m especially grateful for the dozens of people in this community who welcomed me when I first took the job, and for the many incredibly inspiring individuals I’ve met since then. There are countless people I’ve met who are making a difference in this community, but I’d …

Membership has its privileges--and that's certainly true of what we offer at Patch. By creating a free account on Northbrook Patch, you gain access to a wide range of ways to interact with the site, including the ability to leave comments on stories, review restaurants and add your own photos to galleries. This tutorial shows how to create an account, how to activate it and then how to log in.  Becoming a user of Patch allows you to: Comment on stories Sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter or our breaking news alerts Upload photos or videos directly to the stories Post announcements for …

Maybe you're a personal trainer who'd love to share fitness tips. Or a real estate agent who can advise people what to do in this tough market. Or a chef, a financial advisor, a dentist or other expert who's got wisdom others can benefit from.  You're invited to blog on Patch, which will give you, as well as your business, exposure to legions of Patch readers. Maybe you love being a mom or dad, or you're passionate about cooking, or you want to write about pets or alternative rock or travel adventures. We'd love to hear about that. Blogging on Patch is free. You write what you want, when you …

We're excited to launch a new series for Northbrook Patch readers, called "DisPatches: The Changing American Dream." Every day, the national media outlets offer 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 the fundamental ways in which we see ourselves and our communities. At Patch, we want to explore that conversation on a regular basis so we can better understand…

There are two great ways to help your college student stay in touch with hometown news. Sign your student up for a Patch newsletter, and let them know about adding the Patch apps for iPhone and Android phones.  Did we mention it's all free? Your family scholar can keep up with local news, including the wide variety of events going on at their high schools and in their communities back home. That means not missing out on prom photos, our high school columnist's latest thoughts on Glenbrook North or the not-so-savory goings on listed in our police blotter. As for us, we'd like to stay connected…

I was saddened today to learn of the passing of Scott Crane. Scott was a 23-year-old Northbrook resident who recently founded a nonprofit that pairs gourmet chefs and individuals with disabilities or serious illnesses for “cooking therapy.” Scott, a Glenbrook North graduate who suffered from a rare form of muscular dystrophy, passed away on Saturday. That same day, his family received a letter stating that he had been selected to receive the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s National Personal Achievement Award. Out of the 50 winners of state-level awards, Scott was chosen for the national …