Shout It Out: This Week's Best in Local Opinion & Community News

Patch readers know we’re all about objective news in and around our neighborhoods. But we also like to get things off our chest and hear about the thoughts and experiences that matter to you. Patch has a bevy of great columnists, so if you want to find out what locals are saying in your neck of the woods, read on for this week’s Columns and Community.

Local Editor Bruce Goldfarb brings his work home with him as his knack for storytelling yields some amusing anecdotes with his children. Enjoy his recounting of a family tall tale that keeps on growing at Arbutus Patch.

Relatedly, want to hear the non-fiction version of how Giant got to be so... giant?


Remember the milkman and the corner butcher? There’s hardly any time to cross off the items on our always-lengthening grocery list, but imagine if you had to visit a different produce stand to get each item? Check out this retrospective on the growth of the grocery industry and two men’s vision in changing the way consumers shop and feed their families at Colesville Patch.


Don’t kick yourself for missing the game. With editor David Greisman’s play-by-play of local sports you can still feel a part of the action. Re-live the thrill of the on-court excitement on this week’s Columbia Patch.


Volunteering millions of dollars in time and resources isn’t the only way to become a local hero, but it sure doesn't hurt! Just ask William Peach, an Ellicott City resident featured in the premier season of “Goodfellas of Baltimore,” a new reality show to soon air on FOX 45 TV. The show brings together members of the local business community to tackle various service projects throughout the greater Baltimore area. Learn more about the show and volunteering in your community at Ellicott City Patch.

There may be another reason to stay tuned to your TV this season as...

Traveling with a friend or loved one can be quite the challenge. Imagine how much harder it would be if, say, you were followed by cameras and television producers setting you up for stunts as you jet set from one location to the next in a filmed scavenger hunt? Two women are up for the task as they audition to appear as contestants in next season’s ‘The Amazing Race.’ Eldersburg Patch finds out what inspired them to go for it.


Join Patch as it interviews area Marylanders on their take of the recent same-sex marriage bills. More videos from the You Said It! series can be found on Savage-Guilford Patch.


Learning doesn’t just occur in the classroom, but in taking those experiences outside to the real world. Join contributing writer Amber Slater as she uncovers the joy of travel and appreciating the delight of West Coast adventures in this story from Westminster Patch.