E-mail: Becca.Manning@patch.com
Phone: 781-217-4233 Hometown: Resident of Newton since 2011. Moved to Massachusetts (South Shore) in 2008. Born and raised in Troy, Ohio. Birthday: November 6 About Me: A Massachusetts transplant, I grew up in Ohio and moved to the East Coast three years ago, spurred by a love of the ocean and a special affinity for Boston in particular. My first job in Massachusetts was working as assistant editor of a community weekly, the Pembroke Express, for the independent, family-owned Clipper Press. I had a great experience there, starting a newspaper from scratch in the town of Pembroke and watching it grow and become well received by the town. I was promoted to editor in 2009 and briefly took over as editor of two other Clipper Press weeklies, the Hanson Express and the Whitman Express, before signing on with Patch. I love community news, and I'm thrilled to be with Patch and especially excited to be covering the town of Needham. Before reinventing myself as a New Englander, I worked for three years for a daily newspaper in Piqua, Ohio (just a few miles from my hometown of Troy). At the Piqua Daily Call, I started out as the education reporter and quickly added on the city government beat as well as page design and copy editing duties. Prior to that, I graduated from Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism with a BSJ in journalism and an environmental studies certificate. During and right after college, I wrote for the independent student newspaper The Post and for magazines including Perspectives, Southeast Ohio, E/The Environmental Magazine and Bird Talk.  I have been writing for as long as I can remember, and telling stories even before that. I'm also an avid reader, and when I can combine all three of my loves — the ocean, writing and reading — with a day at a quiet beach, I am absolutely in heaven. Beliefs At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for me to inject my beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: I hope that the knowledge that my beliefs are on the record will cause me to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that I failed in this mission, please let me know. Politics  Growing up in Ohio, I had many friends and family members with more conservative political leanings, but I have always leaned more to the left, or liberal, viewpoint — possibly because both my parents have been teaching in the public school system for more than 30 years each. But I can appreciate all sides of an argument and strive to always keep an open mind. Religion I was raised in the Church of the Brethren, though my dad comes from a Lutheran background and my mom's family is Catholic. Growing up, church and religion to me was largely about being with family and friends, giving back to the community and learning how to be a kind, good person. I continue to emphasize those aspects of church as an adult, though I am not currently a member of any congregation.