When I graduated from Penn State and came to work at the York Daily Record as a night copy editor almost three years ago, Facebook was more for connecting with your friends than connecting with your community, and Twitter was just beginning to take off.

About eight months ago, I got a crash course in everything York County when I left the night news/digital desk and joined the staff of the Weekly Record.

Now, using Twitter and Facebook to engage with the community on a regular basis is part of my job.

I've learned a lot about social media, York County and how the two intersect within the past eight months.

Social media helps the Weekly Record get news to you and answer your questions faster than ever before. It also lets us have a conversation with you more easily.

And that's exactly what we want to do with the new "York pipeline news" Facebook page. It was created to get members of our community to talk about how proposed natural gas pipelines in York County will affect them.

Here's the original email I sent out to the YDR newsroom notifying everyone about "York pipeline news":

Earlier this week, we launched the "York pipeline news" Facebook page. The page is for news and conversation on anything and everything that has to do with the proposed -- and existing -- natural gas pipelines in York County.

It's a pilot program of sorts to see how we can engage the community on an issue that could affect many people in out area in a big way. It's the

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first almost completely hyperlocal Facebook page for the YDR. If the page does well, we might make other pages for other issues in the future.

Please "like" the page -- www.facebook.com/YorkPipeline -- and join in the conversation.

The page will serve as a hub for all things pipeline. From news to commentary to resources, I want you to be able to find everything you want to know on the page. And if something isn't there that you would like to know about, just post a question, and someone will do their best to get you the information you want.

And my email doesn't apply only to people who work in the newsroom. I hope you'll join the conversation, too.

Read more from the YDR Insider blog at www.yorkblog.com/ydrinsider.