13 Things You Should Know About Burnsville Patch

Burnsville Patch has been up and running for over one year, and we thought it was high time to fill you, the reader, in on all the functions and features of our site.

We're committed to covering all aspects of life in Burnsville, but we also want to promote a healthy dialogue with the community. We want you to feel invested in this site, just like you feel invested in Burnsville.

For those of you who have already started commenting and contributing to the site, thanks! Your voices and perspectives are welcome, and make Burnsville Patch more well-rounded and vibrant. For those of you who are unsure how to contribute, here is a quick guide to some of the free functions on our site:

1. Upload Your Photos and Video 

Are you a fashion designer? A makeup artist? Show us pics of your work by uploading them directly to Burnsville Patch, either in the community gallery or on an article about a topic connected to your craft. Upload videos of high school soccer goals or your little ballerina's first recital. Post photos from local festivals, or send in a snapshot of your favorite local hikes. We invite you to share with the rest of the community the memories you've caught on camera.

2. Comment on an Article

We subscribe to the idea that "news is a conversation." A good portion of our reporting stems from what readers tell us in conversations around town, in e-mails and comments on our sites. Please feel free to share your thoughts and reactions to our articles by posting a comment directly below each story. 

3. Ask a Question

So maybe you want to know when a local construction project is finally going to be completed, or maybe you're a local tree expert just dying for someone to ask what people can do to keep their trees healthy during winter. 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 http://burnsville.patch.com/questions to ask a question or answer someone else's.

4. Post an Event 

Do you know of a book signing by a local author at the library, a comedy show that will raise funds for area schools or an amazing art exhibit in Burnsville? Is there a holiday concert or awards ceremony coming up? If it's not on our Patch calendar, it should be. Feel free to add events to our site and point out things we might have missed at http://burnsville.patch.com/search/events.

5. Send a News Tip

At the bottom of the homepage, there's a link that says, "Send Us News Tips." Tell us about stories you feel we should cover. The tip will be sent straight to Clare Kennedy, Burnsville Patch editor.

6. Post an Announcement

We love to share in your good news! Post births, engagements and weddings in our announcements. Tell us who made the honor roll or share school awards. Inform the community on who has been newly promoted, or give a public thank you. If you're looking for volunteers or searching for your lost dog, we welcome you to call on your community for help. Just remember, announcements should be for personal use and not for advertising.

7. Sign Up for Newsletters

The daily Burnsville newsletter brings you all articles and announcements that have been posted in the last 24 hours. It is delivered to your e-mail every day at 6 a.m. 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.

8. Claim Your Directory Listing 

Our business and organization listings are a free service to all in the community. Our team of researchers actually hit the streets and visited businesses, schools, parks, libraries and more so we can 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. If you own or manage a business or organization in our directory, claim it at http://burnsville.patch.com/search/listings.

9. Tell Us About It!

You now have a way to give input on the site without having to add a comment to an existing article. You can talk to us through the site by using the new "What do you have to say?" box at the top of the Activity Stream on the homepage. Whatever you "say" will go directly into that stream.

10. Advertise With Us 

For all advertising queries, please fill out the following form and submit it to Patch: http://burnsville.patch.com/advertise.

11. Review Restaurants

Do you want to be the first to tell your friends whether the new restaurant in the area gets a thumbs-up? You can post a review of your favorite (or not-so favorite) restaurants at http://burnsville.patch.com/restaurants. You can also search to find what you're craving, filtering results by cuisine, price or seating accommodations. We also invite readers who are interested in reviewing books, movies and public events in the area to contact Editor Clare Kennedy at clare.kennedy@patch.com.

12. Social Media Engagement

You can "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter (@BurnsvillePatch). Immerse yourself in our content, actively contribute and engage on a more informal level via social media. Let's start a conversation.

13. Become a Local Voice

Burnsville Patch launched a series of community blogs in 2011, and we're still interested in finding more bloggers. Blogs are more free-wheeling than the Burnsville Patch homepage and will be a place where readers can check out what local voices have to say about goings on in the community. For the most part, anything that is legal, goes. We want the bloggers to own their blogs. For more information, contact Editor Clare Kennedy at at clare.kennedy@patch.com.