Veteran reporter joins Record team

A reporter with decades of experience is coming to the Marion County Record.

Michael Maresh’s first day with the Record was Monday.

Maresh, who graduated with a bachelor’s in journalism from Arizona State University, has worked for several newspapers in his career.

Most recently, he was a reporter and photographer for the Clinton Daily News in Western Oklahoma with its focus on soft features.

Maresh, who was born and raised in Phoenix, has worked at newspapers in Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas, Wyoming, California and Garden City.

What he likes about journalism is there is something new every day, unlike the typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. job.

As of Monday, Maresh had been in Marion for only five days, but already had enjoyed the small town atmosphere in which everyone knows you and you know them.

“Marion offers a little bit of everything with bigger cities being 30 miles away,” he said.

Maresh will like not being trapped in rush hour traffic.

What kind of a reporter the Record is getting and why did he come here. It’s pretty simple, as he has reported on everything from features to hard news that can’t be found anywhere else.

As Editor Eric Meyer said, the paper should have surprising news, so subscribers are getting new information.

Maresh has been classified as a watchdog reporter, so if something is happening positive or negative, he promises you it will be covered and reported.

“I am not here to be your friend,” Maresh said. “I am here to report the news.”

Regardless of the position someone might have she or he is not exempt from being in the newspaper.

Maresh once reported on a small college where the academic director and boys’ basketball thought that grade standards to play only applied to girls’ teams.

The coach complained to his friend and owner of the newspaper about the article and was told the paper played no favorites regardless of any friendships, which is the way it should be.

On a personal side, Maresh is an avid sports fan of baseball, basketball and football, though athletes make way too much money for playing a sport.

After high school and throughout college he worked full-time at Fry’s Food and Drug Stores, owned by Kroger’s.