Welcome to Hopatcong Patch!

Ever had a new neighbor you just weren't sure about?

Maybe he only left his house to check the mail. Or perhaps he seemed to have more secrets than the KGB.

Well, as your newest neighbor, Hopatcong Patch promises to not be that guy.

And as this website's editor, I pledge to be one of the borough's most visible and approachable residents.

Yep, that's right. I live here. In fact, I grew up in town and graduated from Hopatcong High School in 2005.

So I've got extra incentive to make sure Hopatcong gets the coverage it deserves.

How does this thing work? Glad you asked (OK, fine, we asked for you).

Hopatcong Patch is part of Patch.com, a hyperlocal news organization with dozens of sister sites throughout the state and country. And that total is growing by the week.

And by "hyperlocal," we mean: We're going to cover the heck out of this town. Name it and we'll probably be there.

School board meetings. Sporting events. Community gatherings. We're on it.

Feature stories. Public notices. Government issues. We'll be there.

The best part? We'll constantly update our site with fresh news, photos and videos. Check back several times a day to find something new.

Plus, we're free. (Maybe that's really the best part.)

Aside from our newsgathering, we'll also try to promote community building through various interactive features.

First, we've compiled a directory listing containing virtually all of Hopatcong's businesses, parks, fields and town buildings. This will let you keep up with the borough's hot spots.

Also, we've got pages for events and announcements, where you can post things you think Hopatcong should know. Did you recently get engaged? Did your child make honor roll? Got a block party coming up? Create a profile, log in and tell us!

Finally, we want you to comment on all our stories. Are we doing a good job? Did we miss a vital point? The more you tell us, the better we'll serve you.

Because, ultimately, that's why we're here: to ensure Hopatcong's 16,000-plus citizens are a well-informed public. A lot happens every day in our town. Not everybody realizes that.

You can read more about me here, but here's a quick rundown:

I spent my childhood playing basketball and baseball with friends at Jefferson Field. And after I went through our school system, I graduated from William Paterson University with a degree in journalism and public relations.

My reporting career began when I was in college. First, I was a desk clerk at the Daily Record, where I eventually became a part-time staff reporter. Then I moved onto Sportsnet New York and covered local professional sports. Most recently, I was a New Jersey Herald reporter.

I've loved every minute of my profession, just as I've loved my time in Hopatcong. This town means a lot to me, and so do the people.

Can't wait to see you around, neighbor.

If you want to talk sooner, contact me at (973) 280-9602 or Brendan@Patch.com.

Editor's note: Click the video on the right for a message from Hopatcong Patch editor Brendan Kuty.