Email: joe.dowd@patch.com 

Phone: (516) 359-9624

Hometown: Plainview, New York.

Birthday: March 16, 1956; (P.-O.B. H.S. Class of '74)

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com

Twitter: PlainviewPatch

Welcome Video: http://plainview.patch.com

Joe Dowd is Plainview's local editor for Patch.com. The award-winning journalist has spent more than 25 years in the newspaper industry and has returned to his Long Island home and the community he so loves. A graduate of Plainview Old-Bethpage High School, (1974) Joe earned a Bachelor's degree in history at Buffalo's Canisius College and a Master's in Journalism/Public Affairs from American University in Washington, D.C. (1980.) 

Dowd has worked as a reporter for the Democrat & Chronicle in Rochester, N.Y. and as an editor for the Middletown Times Herald-Record in the Hudson Valley. He's been a city editor and an assistant managing editor. His specialty is police and fire coverage, which has earned him first-place awards in two states. He won praise for a series of columns from Rome following the death of Pope John Paul II.

Dowd, 56, is the oldest son of Patricia and the late Battalion Chief Joseph D. Dowd, Jr., F.D.N.Y. The couple raised four kids on Ruby Lane behind the hospital.

Dowd, whose stage career began at the former Plainview High School, has written three plays and an epic novel spanning 100 years of the New York City Fire Department history. The first of his plays, the musical: Sons of Brooklyn!, was performed by an upstate community theatre group to critical acclaim. Most recently, Dowd played Pseudolus in the Plainview Jewish Center's 2012 production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," where he was joined by a host of local talent. He also appeared in the title role in the PJC's 2011 production of "Fiorello!" 

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 and human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal certain key beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. 

This disclosure is not a license for our editors to inject these beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that our beliefs are on the record will force us to be ever mindful to write, report, and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you, the user, ever think you see evidence that we failed in this mission, we wholeheartedly invite you to let us know.

Personal: Single father of two teenaged daughters. 

Hobbies: Opera, musical theatre, musical composition, writing. He still builds World War II model airplanes. He also paints.

Politics: Joe says he's politically independent; socially liberal.

Religion: Raised Roman Catholic; a student of world religions.

Local Hot-Button Issues: Plainview is growing smaller and much more affluent in the past three decades. Plainview is getting older and its sons and daughters have moved away. Meanwhile, taxes keep rising and traffic keeps getting worse. Where is Plainview headed? Will young people be able to buy homes here? Who will be the volunteers? Where do you stand on each of these issues? I want to know.