What Would You Like to See On Concord Patch?

I've never been able to say the word "Concord" the way everyone else here says it. My accent gets in the way of being able to pronounce the the rolling 'r.' Most people say "Concurrrred" — which for me, having lived most of my life in England, comes out "Con-coooord."

This was the silliest concern I had when my family and I decided to move into town at the start of the summer.

I quickly realized that no one seems to mind. In fact, having an accent is quite a conversation starter, and also makes it much simpler to pick out the new Concord Patch editor from the crowd. I'll be the one sitting on the patio at Panama Red with a giant cup of milky tea, tap-tap-taping away on my Patch-branded laptop. 

Since Monday, when I officially started running Concord Patch, I've been exploring the city in a way I've always wanted to as a resident. I love Concord for its family-friendly attitude, laid-back atmosphere, beautiful downtown plaza and all the scenic spots dabbled throughout — and just beyond — the city's limits.

But most of all, I love the people here — and not just my friends and family, but all the strangers I meet who quickly become acquaintances. Take Jimmy Gale and Chris Switzer, for example. They're the managers of Everything Under the Rainbow, . Jimmy and Chris were welcoming from the start, and chatting with them is a pleasure I look forward to on my increasingly frequent trips to the thrift store.

I'm still a newbie, but being a relative stranger to town gives me more incentive to explore and discover new people, places and goings-on. And that's exactly the way I intend to run Concord Patch.

This week, I've established a few new features, including , a look at , and .

I also plan to do , where Concord Patch users can upload their own pictures and share them with the community. . Next week I'm considering tattoos or dogs, both of which I see a lot of around town.

Above all, Concord prides itself on being a city "where families come first," and Concord Patch will try to reflect that in its coverage. In addition to reporting on issues that affect Concord families, I want to create useful guides, from profiles on all the city parks to trash-collection schedules and more.

I'll also be publishing on Friday mornings, highlighting events happening in the area. If you're running an event or know of one happening in town, please add it to the Concord Patch calendar.

Local voices are an important part of the site. Concord Patch is a place where you can express your opinions, share your experiences or offer insight into local issues. Join or start a conversation by commenting on articles, or start your own blog on Concord Patch at any time. 

That's just a taster from my first week — I'd love to hear your ideas too. Email me at Emily.Henry@Patch.com, come on over for a chat on Facebook, or tweet Concord Patch. It's just me over here at Concord Patch, so feel free to call me Emily.

I'll be at , likely wearing my green Patch t-shirt. Come me on over and say "hello!"

What would you like to see covered on Concord Patch? Share your suggestions in the comments below.