AOL's Patch Media is spreading its network of community-specific local-news sites with plans to add 11 new sites in New York's Long Island and Westchester County to its 12 existing sites in New Jersey and Connecticut and two others set to launch at the end of the week: Livingston, N.J., and Ridgefield, Conn.

Long Island will get four Patch sites: Bellmore, Garden City, Merrick and Port Washington. And seven are slated for Westchester County: Bedford-Katonah, Chappaqua-Mount Kisco, Harrison, Larchmont-Mamaroneck, Rye, Scarsdale and Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow.

Patch also expects to add sites for Basking Ridge, Chatham, Madison, Springfield and The Caldwells, N.J., and Westport, Conn.

Patch president Warren Webster said:

Launching in New York is a major milestone for Patch and we are very happy to enter our third state and one of the most exciting media markets in the United States. At a time when more and more outlets are charging for online content, our users have free access to professionally written news and directory information. We know that residents of Long Island and Westchester County will value all that Patch has to offer, as do our current users in New Jersey and Connecticut.

Editor in chief Brian Farnham added:

The past few months have been very exciting and fast-paced as we have ramped up our expansion plans. There may be a shift occurring as media moves online, but that doesn't change the consumer's need for great journalism at the local level. There are great journalists out there, and we want them on the Patch team.