• Leslie Wolf BranscombPatch Staff Verified Patch Staff Badge

  • Lemon Grove, CA

Leslie Wolf Branscomb is the Editor of Lemon Grove Patch, and may be reached at lesliewb@patch.com or by phone at (619) 669-5728. A native San Diegan, she was born June 16, which makes her a Gemini (interested in a great many things, but also talks really fast). Leslie has been a writer since fourth grade, when she set her sights on becoming a poet, then realized she'd have better luck getting paid as a journalist.

A graduate of UC Berkeley, with a dual degree in Mass Communications and Linguistic Anthropology, Leslie has worked in radio (KGO and KNBR in San Francisco, KVSD in San Diego); wire services (Bay City News Service, Associated Press); and newspapers (<i>The Chula Vista Star-News</i>, <i>Vista Press</i>, <i>The San Diego Union-Tribune</i> and <i>San Diego Uptown News</i>). She spent 18 years at the <i>U-T</i>, first as a reporter, then later as the newspaper&#39;s legal affairs editor. Prior to joining Patch in August 2010, she was the founding editor of the Uptown News.

While at the Union-Tribune, Leslie spent many years working at the newspaper&#39;s East County bureau, covering courts, crime, city hall and schools. She lives in Bonita with her college professor husband and two teenage daughters (one future astronaut and a future pop star). When not glued to her computer, she enjoys surfing, camping, hiking and embarrassing her kids.

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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.

<b>Beliefs:</b>

I believe that journalism truly is a calling, and I couldn&#39;t imagine doing anything else. It pains me to hear people dismiss journalists as sloppy or biased; I and everyone I work with strive, all the time, to both inform and entertain, and to get it right each and every time. If I fail in this, please let me know and I will correct any errors immediately. I believe we&#39;re only as good as our reputations, and we have to work hard to earn the readers&#39; trust.

<b>Politics:</b><br><b>How would you describe your political beliefs? Are you registered with a certain party?</b>

I was registered to vote as a non-partisan for most of my life. But after taking a buyout from the <i>Union-Tribune</i> in late 2007, I did something I&#39;d never been able to do before: became involved in politics. Since I wanted, more than anything, to see a woman in the White House and prove to my daughters such a thing was possible, I joined Hillary Clinton&#39;s presidential campaign. It wasn&#39;t until I found myself co-chairing the 51st Congressional District Caucus for Clinton that I finally registered as a Democrat (because it was required). After Clinton lost to Barack Obama, I spent the next six months working for our president-to-be, serving primarily as the person who recruited volunteers in California and shipped them to Nevada to work on the campaign. Since then I&#39;ve also worked on a state Assembly campaign and a school board campaign (both in the South Bay), but have ended my political work to return to journalism.

<br><b>Religion</b>:<br><b>How religious would you consider yourself?<br></b>

My parents were among several couples who founded the Torrey Pines Christian Church in La Jolla in 1960, and I was the first baby born to members of the church. My 84-year-old mother is the sole surviving founder of the church, along with the original minister&#39;s wife. I usually have some lazy excuse not to go to church, and rarely do any more, but it still holds a fond place in my heart. I believe all religions are equally valid and I&#39;m an eager student of religious philosophy of all sorts.<br><b><br>Local Hot-Button Issues</b>:<br><b>What do you think are the most important issues facing the community?</b>

It appears the primary concerns of the community are economic... vacant storefronts and school cutbacks are plaguing this town like everywhere else, and small cities such as Lemon Grove have been hit particularly hard. It&#39;s going to be a tough ride for a while, but I&#39;m impressed with the number of people in government, schools and businesses here who are giving their all to make it better. I can also see that Lemon Grove has grown over the years into quite a racially diverse place, which I think brings beauty and variety to any community. I look forward to working with you all as we get to know each other!

 

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