Email: Taylor.Vecsey@patch.com
Phone: 631-655-9801
Hometown: Manhattan and Shelter Island
Birthday: May 2, 1983
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EastHamptonPatch
Twitter: http://twitter.com/EHamptonPatch

What I remember most fondly of my childhood are memories associated with my father's job and summers spent on the East End of Long Island. Marry those two ideas and fastforward, and here I am, a journalist for Patch, covering the community I love.

While I spent summers on Shelter Island, I grew up riding horses in Amagansett, and competing on the hunter-jumper show circuit and practicing dressage. My family relocated to Shelter Island when I was 16, and I graduated with the first class of The Ross School in East Hampton in 2001.

Warm weather and southern charm drew me to the College of Charleston in South Carolina, where I earned a bachelor of arts degree in communication in 2005. I returned home in the summers, twice interning as a reporter at The East Hampton Star, East Hampton's newspaper of record. In my junior and senior years in college, I worked at The Post and Courier, the daily newspaper in Charleston, as a clerk and stringer for the sports section.

Before I graduated, I was offered a position at The Star, and even skipped graduation to return home to start. I discovered my passion for covering the legal system as the police and courts reporter in the East Hampton, Southampton, and Sag Harbor communities. I also have spent many days and nights covering government and school board meetings.

In late 2007, I began a freelancing with The New York Post. I worked the Long Island beat for three years for its Sunday edition, often contributing to Page Six. I covered all sorts of stories – from Madonna's fall off a horse in Bridgehampton to gruesome murders. One of the more memorable experiences was interviewing Gov. David Paterson, who wanted to talk more about my father's NBA column then the subject at hand.

I'm dedicated to my work, but in my spare time, I enjoy spending some quiet time at home or walking my dog, Storm down by the ocean. I'm a runner at heart, and hoping to train so I can be in racing shape again next summer. I am currently working on a book, learning how to shoot a firearm, and collecting etiquette books. I am a member of the Bridgehampton Fire Department, in which I am a sworn peace officer.

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

I am a registered Independence member because I don't like being associated with the far left or right. I'm a liberal at heart, but I take each issue as it comes. I'll argue my points of view, but, really, I try to avoid discussing politics. If there is one thing I believe in is freedom to believe what you want.

Religion

I was raised a catholic. In fact, my mother taught religion when she was a teacher. Attending Marymount, an all-girls catholic school in Manhattan, I made my first communion. Much to my grandmother's chagrin, I do not practice religion now. However, I have studied religion extensively, attaining my minor in religious studies in college. I love theology and enjoy learning about other religions. Around Easter, I observe the Memorial at the Kingdom Hall in Water Mill with my boyfriend's parents, who are Jehovah's Witnesses.