Editor's Notebook: Strong Finish in Maplewood
It's not quite goodbye, but your Patch editor is off to Union County. A new Maplewood editor should be announced in the coming months.
Susie Adamson took this picture of me at last year's Seth Boyden 5K as I struggled across the finish line — near the back of the pack.
She captioned it, "Strong finish for editor, Mary Mann!"
This past week or so, I hope I've provided a stronger finish than my race performance as I end my tenure as local editor of Maplewood Patch and head slightly south (no pun intended!) where I will begin work as Associate Regional Editor for Union County Patch. There, I will help oversee seven local Patches.
My last official day as editor of Maplewood Patch is Friday, April 27. We have not yet announced a new full-time Maplewood Patch editor to take my place. In the next few weeks, you may see a few different bylines as we pilot a few of our superstar substitute editors and look for a permanent replacement.
In the meantime, please contact the Essex County Regional Editor Liz Moore at elizabeth.moore@patch.com or 973-803-8768 or the Essex County Associate Regional Editor Jack Durschlag at jack.durschlag@patch.com or (973) 487-9351 with story ideas, news tips — and perhaps your resume!
Some of you may know Liz and Jack already. Combined, they have more than three decades of experience at the Star-Ledger before coming to Patch.
Meanwhile, I am still at Patch. Same email, same phone, same mobile, same laptop on my dining room table. Please always feel free to reach out (I'm at mary@patch.com).
Finally, let me say that it has been an absolute delight, pleasure and privilege to report on this town, this school district and all the institutions and residents therein. I have been writing for Patch from the day that Maplewood, Millburn and South Orange launched on February 4, 2009 — the first three Patches in a network that now numbers almost 900. I became the full-time Maplewood Patch editor on October 5, 2009, and have enjoyed watching this Patch grow and become an important part of the conversation in our community.
While I am sad to leave, I am excited about the prospect of helping Patch on a bigger, broader scale. Another thought that comforts me as a leave the helm at Maplewood — I still get to continue to enjoy living here in Maplewood even as I get to better know our nearby neighbors in Union County!
Marcia Worth
1:21 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Congratulations, Mary! Best wishes in the next stage of your career. Working with you has been a pleasure, every single day of the past months and years. I'll miss your passion for the community, your unfailing professionalism, and your humor!
Carolyn Maynard-Parisi
1:29 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Maplewood's loss is Union County's gain. You will be sorely missed in town, but I'm glad you're still in the Patch "family." I have enjoyed working with -- and learning from -- you. Good luck in the UC!
Laurie Zlotnick
1:48 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Congrats, Mary! What an exciting step this must be for you. Best of luck! (And glad we'll still be seeing you around town.)
Mike Quick
3:31 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Sorry to see you go. I might have to check out the Union Patch now....
Shelley Emling
4:05 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
You will be sorely sorely missed by those of us in Essex -- that goes without saying but I'll say it anyway!
Julia Burch
4:14 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
A strong finish indeed. Thanks, and Happy Trails!
Tina Kelley
6:00 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Congratulations, and very sorry to see you go! Your good humor, classy politeness, humongous work ethic, and sunny disposition will be missed here, as well as your great coverage of the town!
Morrisa da Silva
6:05 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Congratulations and wishing you the best in your new bigger role with Patch. You will be missed.
Barbara Goldberg
9:12 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Mary, your very visible presence on the Maplewood site will be missed! You took this job and ran with it, and our community benefited from your enthusiasm. Thanks for giving me a chance with the MapleGOOD blog - it was so much fun. Wishing you all the best in your newest adventure.
Laura Griffin
9:25 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Mary, we'll miss you and your tireless coverage of all things Maplewood! Union County is lucky to have you.
Andrew Lee
10:18 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Congratulations Mary! Best wishes in your next endeavor.
Amy Higer
10:27 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Definitely a strong finish, Mary. You raised the level of conversation on issues of importance to our community, and were fair and balanced in the process (that's "fair and balanced" in the real sense of those words!) So nice to see talent rewarded in this way. Our loss is the region's gain.
Claire Sinclair
4:54 am on Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Thank you for everything Mary!!
Chris Hildebrand
7:24 am on Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Thank you for everything you've done, especially to publicize Friends of Eagle Island efforts to reopen our beloved camp. We will still need your help in Union County as well and soon a follow up article will be appropriate. Congratulations on your new job.
Clawson Architects, LLC
7:24 am on Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Wow! I can't say it any better than those above! All the best!
Sharon Adarlo
9:46 pm on Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Congrats!
W.S.H.
1:22 am on Monday, May 7, 2012
I think you're pretty awesome though we've never met. Will miss your leadership.