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05/24/2018

Meet the new editor of the Marion Star

By Benjamin Lanka, Editor The Marion Star

Journalism is important. Local journalism is even more so.

That is my core belief as I take over as editor of the Marion Star.

There are plenty of places pushing to tell you what is going on in Washington or Columbus, but we strive to be the best to tell you what is happening in Marion and Marion County.

In just a few months at the paper, it's been encouraging to meet so many people dedicated to making the community a better place. It's also been fun to see how passionately people feel about the good stories happening.

Since my new job will be getting you to share your stories, it is only fair you know a little about the new editor.

I was born at Ohio State University Hospital the son of a middle school English teacher and elementary school principal.

News runs deep in my family. My mother’s dad delivered papers in Detroit. Although bootlegged might be a more appropriate term, as he smuggled Canadian papers into the city during the local writers' strike. My first job was delivering the weekly paper in Worthington, although I broke no laws that I know of.

I attended Jonathan Alder schools in Plain City. In middle school I started the school newsletter and in high school I wrote terrible quizzes for the school sports page.

I obtained my bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton and a master’s degree from Northwestern University. My passion for Flyers basketball meets or exceeds most people's love of Buckeye football.

I had dreams of being a sports broadcaster, calling Final Fours or writing a column for the back page of Sports Illustrated. My television dreams were dashed after I learned I might be too “plain looking.” I fell out of love with sports journalism when I realized that meant working every night and weekend.

I found my passion in covering local government and politics, first as a cub reporter in Chillicothe and then in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I returned to my home state in 2012 to help lead investigations and statewide news for the Star and its nine sister papers. This included looks into our statewide addiction crisis and the investigations into META Solutions and the egg farm human trafficking ring here in Marion County.

I became editor of The (Newark) Advocate in March of 2017 and added Marion earlier this year.

On the personal side, I have been married for 12 years to a wonderful woman who has given me two even better children. They both still think dad is a hero, which I cherish because it will end too soon.

I’ve always believed as a journalist my most important role is to give a voice to the voiceless and to hold those in power accountable.

But gone are the days when news editors can sit in their office and dictate the agenda. A successful editor must be involved in the community he or she serves.

So I’m reaching out to you, the community, to help get me involved. I’d love to come talk to your group or chat with you on the phone. While I will be splitting my time between two markets, I will be as responsive as I can.

Just don’t call during Dayton basketball games. That is Ben time.

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