I met Leonard McGrane on a park bench in the Common on a hot July evening. My journey with Salem Patch literally began with Leonard (read it here). An end to that journey would not seem complete without one final lap around the Common on my way to that bench where I met Leonard over two years ago. Thank you for taking the journey with me and for sticking with me as I make one last lap. Yes, you read that correctly. My time with Salem Patch has just about come to an end. Halloween will be my final day. Believe it or not, I didn't intentionally plan an exit on the Witch City's biggest day of …

Do you have a question for the Salem Police? Friday is your chance. Salem Police Chief Paul Tucker will be live chatting with Salem Patch beginning noon on Friday, May 4.Be sure to head on over to our homepage at noon and join our chat. You'll simply have to provide your name, and you'll be able to ask your questions immediately. The chief will be fielding your questions — from concerns about your neighborhood to questions about how our police get the job done — until 1 p.m. Be sure to mark your calendar today to get your questions answered in our first ever live chat, and thanks to the chief…

Salem Patch allows its readers to use the site in so many ways to learn about what is happening around Salem and to share information. On April 2, the editor of Salem Patch will join forces with the editors of Danvers Patch and Hamilton-Wenham Patch to hold our first Patch Academy at the Peabody Institute Library of Danvers from 7 to 8 p.m. We want to show you, our readers, how to: upload photos and videos to our Patch sites; use Places, our business directory; and introduce you to Local Voices, a special section where members of the community can have their own blogs to write about things …

Salem Patch strives to be the go-to place online, where you can find everything that is going on in the Witch City, from the latest on Bridge Street to the latest from the City Council elections. But we need your help. If you’re organizing an event – or simply hear about an event that is planned locally – please let us know. You can either send all the pertinent information to Calendar Editor Erica Foster at ericalfoster@gmail.com or, even easier and quicker – add it yourself. If you wish to post an announcement or press release on your own, we have you covered. First, be sure you are a Salem…

At Salem Patch, we bring you the details on recent home sales and information on open houses. Now, we're hoping to help you out by sharing a list of rentals in the Witch City every Wednesday in our new section — Rent It! If you're hoping to find a renter, we're here to help you get the word out.  If you're looking to find a new apartment, condo or home that suits your needs, we're hoping to help you out too. Send rental listings, including photos, descriptions and pertinent stats to Editor Aubry Bracco at aubry@patch.com. Our first guide to renting in the Witch City is schedule to run on …

Summer is almost here, but we know there are still great kids doing great things in the Witch City. It doesn't matter how big or small an accomplishment is — kids find countless ways to make their parents and loved ones proud. And we'd like to spread the word. Help us identify the next Patch Whiz Kid honoree. We'll be selecting a kid a week from submissions sent to us by parents or legal guardians (or sent to us by others, but OK'd by parents). It's not a competition —we hope to be doing this for a long time, and want to spotlight all the wonderful accomplishments of our local kids. So, know …

Whether you were sitting in traffic on 114, in the middle of a test at school or strolling through the Common during your morning walk, we're sure you remember where you were on Sept. 11, 2001.Now that the man behind the attacks is dead, it's hard not to reflect on what feels like the end of an era.Though we've all been touched by the Sept. 11 attacks and the War on Terror in different ways, it's defined who we are as a nation and as a city. Just five months ago, Salem lost one of its own — Sgt. James Ayube Jr., who was serving as a combat medic on a mission in Afghanistan. On this historic …

Salem Patch strives to be the go-to place online, where you can find everything that is going on in the Witch City, from the latest on Bridge Street to the latest from the City Council. But we need your help. If you’re organizing an event – or simply hear about an event that is planned locally – please let us know. You can either send all the pertinent information to Calendar Editor Erica Foster at ericalfoster@gmail.com or, even easier and quicker – add it yourself. If you wish to post an announcement or press release on your own, we have you covered. First, be sure you are a Salem Patch …

Do you grab your latte from Jaho while running to work? Or, do you savor your herbal tea at Front Street while reading a good book? Perhaps you prefer a hot apple cider from Gulu while eating breakfast or bumping into locals over your green tea at Coven. Maybe you enjoy a hot cup of free-trade coffee from Cafe Valverde while walking down the Pedestrian Mall. Perhaps dashing into Starbucks or driving through good old Dunkin's Donuts does it for you. Whatever your hot pick-me-up of choice, Salem has you covered when you need to take the chill off with a warm drink.  Here at Salem Patch, we …

We already know moms are awesome. That's why so many of them have signed on to work with Patch to help their fellow local mothers get the type of information that really matters to them. But now we want to hear about awesome kids, too. Did your daughter just help win a big game, or is your son wowing the neighborhood with his violin skills? Did she get straight As last marking period, or did he help the community with an Eagle Scout project? It doesn't matter how big or small an accomplishment is — kids find countless ways to make their parents and loved ones proud. And we'd like to spread …

Salemites can now get local news and coffee in the same place. Starbucks today announced the launch of the Starbucks Digital Network, in partnership with Yahoo!  in U.S. stores. Serving up a collection of hand-picked premium news - including SalemPatch, entertainment and lifestyle content along with local insights and events, the Starbucks Digital Network, is powered by free Wi-Fi and available only in Starbucks stores. Salem has a Starbucks located at 211 Washington St., just a few steps from downtown stores and attractions. "Our customers are the inspiration for the Starbucks Digital …