Lauren Monica
MARLBORO COUNTY — For some, it may seem like at long last the Herald-Advocate has finally hired a full-time reporter. Our newest edition is named Lauren Monica, and she comes to us from The Anson Record.
Monica has been with Champion Media for the last two years but is new to the Marlboro area and is eager to meet our readers. She got her journalism start with Swartz Media’s Chesterfield County News and Shopper.
“I am excited to start focusing solely on the Herald-Advocate as I have been keeping my former newspaper afloat until a new reporter could be hired there to replace me,” explains Monica, adding, “I came to the Herald-Advocate because I really felt as though I had accomplished all I could where I was. I am ready and excited for the change.”
Monica says she hopes readers will rally behind the paper, and her, because the stories we cover are yours, and her passion is providing whatever community she is serving with the best possible coverage.
“It’s just me here at the Herald-Advocate and Marlboro is a big and busy county. I’m completely new to the area, so I do need to rely on the community to guide me here and there. I lack the resources the TV news conglomerates have to truly conduct investigative reporting, but as your hometown newspaper I promise I will always do my best to provide accurate, up-to-date reporting — and a lot of that comes from you. After all, a reporter is nothing without her sources.”
Monica says in the short time she has been with the Herald-Advocate, she is already forging invaluable partnerships with President of the Marlboro Chamber of Commerce Alexa Boan and Chamber Chair Gage Speight, the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office, Marlboro Academy, Jaharra Graves and Brittany Jones with Main Street Bennettsville, as well as with many other businesses and county officials. Monica says so far, the Marlboro community could not be more welcoming to her.
“I’m brand new and don’t know very many of y’all yet so please feel free to stop me when you see me and say hello,” she said. “I welcome the opportunity to experience your county, your community, through your eyes. I promise to cover the stories of Marlboro County respectfully. Admittedly, covering crime has always been a passion of mine, but I know a lot of concern these days centers around government and the school system for most small towns across America,” said Monica, adding she will still focus on shining a light on anyone missing in the community.
“There are few things in this life more devastating than never knowing what happened to your loved one; do you hold out hope? For how long? In high school I took college level forensic science courses as well as anatomy and physiology and sociology and psychology classes,” said Monica, before continuing, “So, before journalism, forensic pathology was always an interest of mine. I enjoy reading, and Patricia Cornwell is one of my favorite authors.”
Cornwell, who graduated from Davidson College in 1979 and started her career at the Charlotte Observer, is a former Forensic Pathologist for Richmond, Virginia turned crime novelist.
Monica says since she is an avid reader, and self-described “nerd,” so it is hard for her to narrow down her favorite book but will tell you immediately her favorite author is L.M. Montgomery of “Anne of Green Gable’s” fame.
“I really have three I love equally; Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar,” Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” and the Baroness Van Orczy’s “The Scarlet Pimpernel.”
In her free time, Monica says she enjoys working on her novel, painting, and watching movies.
“I love pretty much any mystery show — I always love a good who done it,” said Monica. “I also like some sci-fy shows like Fringe, From or Firefly, but a show I never get tired of watching is Deadwood. Basically, I’m all over the place,” she laughed. When it comes to movies, Monica says she loves Skeleton Key, How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days, Rear Window, Gentleman Prefer Blondes, Norbit, Screwed, Dirty Work, They Cloned Tyrone, and Bowfinger.
Now about her interesting surname — Monica says her husband’s father’s family is French-Canadian, so that is where the girl’s name comes in.
“My friends teased me when I got married because my maiden name is Wilson. People said I was giving up a man’s name for a woman’s.” Shrugging her shoulders, she added, “But I got to jump from W to M in the alphabet line so I guess I can’t complain.”
However, Monica still reminds folks, “The name is Lauren.”