Hello, Acton: I’m Your New Editor

Hello Acton, my new friend. 

My name is Patrick Ball, and I’m excited to be here at Acton Patch, where we have the opportunity to build on the good work of Rob Fucci and Pat Clark before him.

And I say “we” deliberately. 

Because: To make this site all it can be will take a village. That means I, your faithful Local Editor, am going to need you (and you, and you and you) to take ownership of Acton Patch if we’re to make this site into the vibrant hub of local news and information and opinions that it can be ...  and that, eventually, residents won’t want to live without.

We’re dreaming big here, I know. But, Acton, you deserve it.

So, who am I to say all this?

My name is Patrick Ball. I’m a community journalist who’s been working in the area for a handful of years now. I’m Googleable, but rather than making you sift through the scientists and Celtic musicians, let me just tell you a little bit about myself.

I graduated from Framingham State in 2007 with a degree in English and communications. My concentration was then, as it is now, in journalism.

My first job out of school was at the Bedford Minuteman; from there I did some time at The Concord Journal and Belmont Citizen-Herald – all of which are sister papers to The Beacon in Acton. I was Patch’d in as Lexington’s local editor in Spring 2011. Along with a promotion to Senior Local Editor, I took on Concord Patch as a second site 2012.

After living for a few years in Concord, I now live in Maynard with my wonderful fiancé Megan.

(Breaking here for a bit of levity: Hyphenating our last names (which we won’t) has been legend among local mail carriers and fodder for unoriginal comedians – looking at you here, Jay Leno.)

But that’s more than enough about me. I want to—and, really, I need to—hear a little about you.

So drop me a line at 781-530-0029 or shoot me an email at Patrick.Ball@patch.com. If you’ve got a story to share, then I want to share it. If you’ve got a major announcement, then I want you to announce it here, on Patch.

Remember, we’re here for you.