We don’t know about you, but we love to talk. We think you do too, based on the comments we see growing in Patchland. We thought you’d enjoy a selection of highlights from some of the comments you posted on our sites last week. Join in and respond if something catches your eye. “Just thinkin'. If schools all went to iPads, what would they do when the electricity goes out? Of course everyone would be home anyway if an ice storm was predicted. I guess one could still check their FB on their cell phones until there is a major area wide outage.” - Joan Brannigan, Ladue-Frontenac Patch, on Carrie …

Why would anyone want to stay home on New Year's Eve? Well, as it turns out there are lots of reasons to ring in the New Year in the comfort of your own home and lots of creative ways to do so.  Of course staying home negates the need to designate a driver and keeps everyone safer, but a lot of folks just enjoy being with the ones they love as the year draws to a close — reminiscing about the ups and downs of the past 12 months. With or without alcohol some people choose to cook lavish meals and share them with their immediate families or a few close friends or neighbors. My neighbors enjoy a…

Wentzville Holt alumnus Jud Birza has won Survivor: Nicaragua – and the $1 million prize. The Lake Saint Louis resident graduated from Holt in 2007. He modeled with Mother Model Management of Dardenne Prairie. Birza moved to Venice Beach, Calif., two years ago and plays drums for Space Funk Odyssey. "Fabio," as Birza was nicknamed by the other contestants, prepared for his experience in the jungle by running on the beach and practicing survival skills, as well as studying past Survivor shows. He took a less aggressive approach to the usual alliance strategies of the other contestants, …

Here at Wentzville Patch, we hope to start a conversation within the community. In addition to the news your team of reporters and editors brings to you daily, this is a place for you to get information you need to know now. Is there a question you need answered — where to get late-night food, find a last minute babysitter or how to avoid the traffic hot spots? Go ahead and ask!  The Q&A forum on the top of the page allows you to ask a question and provide answers to other queries. Other members of the community will answer your queries and you will get an email response. You can even rank …