Oconee Patch serves community

     Stephanie Gross, Oconee Patch editor, wants to make the local news site a hub for the community.

      The site acts as a communication tool for Oconee County residents to share their thoughts and concerns as well as stay updated on breaking news, explained Gross during a presentation to University of Georgia journalism students.

Stephanie Gross, Oconee Patch editor,
speaks to students on Monday.

     “We want to be user friendly,” Gross said about the blogging and comment tools on the site. The neighborhood gallery offers residents the opportunity to upload and share their pictures and videos. These galleries and blogs are featured on the Oconee Patch home page as they are posted, which gives a voice to the local community.

     New to the site are commute, real estate, job and volunteer and grocery store resources. The additions are designed to aid county residents in their daily lives. The commute tool allows users to check current traffic conditions and gas prices, while the grocery store page houses current coupons and displays specials for local grocery stores.

     Oconee Patch is an Internet only news source that was created in 2007 to offer continuous news coverage of small and metro communities.