Email: cindy.micco@patch.com
Phone: 724-799-9982
Hometown: Gibsonia, Pa.
Birthday: Nov. 25
Bio: A journalist for 30 years. Married, two sons. Love to read and write.

Cindy Cusic Micco  has extensive experience as an editor, writer and proofreader.

Her articles have been published in newspapers throughout the country, including the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Los Angeles Times; San Diego Union; Contra Costa Times in Walnut Creek, Calif.; Daily Press in Newport News, Va.; The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Va.; The Orlando Sentinel in Orlando, Florida; The Alexandria (Va.) Gazette; Amherst New Era-Progress in Amherst, Va.; The Fauquier Democrat in Warrenton, Va.; and Catholic Virginian, a biweekly newspaper in Richmond, Virginia.

 She proofread copy for U.S. News & World Report, as well as proofing at nearly every publication for which she worked full time.

Micco served as managing editor and writer for St. Mary's College of California's alumni magazine, Update. She also helped create SMC Online magazine for the college's Web site and served as managing editor.

She was an editor/writer for Tribune Media Services in Orlando, Florida, where she worked with cable text services as well as the company's syndicated works.

Micco was the general manager and executive editor of Amherst-Nelson Publishing Company, which published Amherst New Era-Progress and Nelson County Times weekly newspapers. Her opinion column writing won a first place award from the Virginia Press Association. The Amherst New Era-Progress won the Virginia Press Association's Sweepstakes Award for Group 1 Weeklies. The competition was based on the newspaper's writing, photography and layout.

 She also served as managing editor of The Alexandria (Va.) Gazette. The Alexandria Gazette won the Virginia Press Association's Sweepstakes Award for Group 1 Dailies. Competition was based on its layout, production and content.

Micco earned her Bachelor of Science in journalism from the University of Maryland.

 Your 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 you to inject your beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that your beliefs are on the record will cause you to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.

Politics

How would you describe your political beliefs?

Independent thinker. Try to see both sides to every issue.

Religion

How religious would you consider yourself? (casual, observant, devout, non religious)

I consider myself deeply spiritual, but am not a regular church-goer. Raised Catholic. Received certification from the School for Pastoral Ministry in the Oakland Diocese in California after three years of schooling. School trained lay ministers and was the first step in the process for men to become ordained deacons.

Local Hot-Button Issues

What do you think are the most important issues facing the community?

Taxes are a hot-button issue everywhere because they affect everyone. The Pine-Richland community is very proud of its award-winning schools. But the bulk of the taxes paid by residents goes to the school system, so people are very interested in what the school board is doing. Traffic on Route 19 in Wexford and Route 8 in Gibsonia also keeps residents talking.