All I've really wanted to do was write for a living, and I've been lucky enough to have been able to do just that for most of my professional life. Whether I was working Features for the Daily Herald, Illinois' 3rd largest daily, covering Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant as a stringer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel or writing press releases for clients at a public relations agency, I've spent nearly my entire career writing. Being an editor for Patch brings me back full time to news and newspapers (in a fashion), and I couldn't be happier!
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
How would you describe your political beliefs? Are you registered with a certain party?
I am not registered to any party and consider myself an independent, voting for the candidate(s) I feel are most aligned with my views.
Religion
How religious would you consider yourself?
I believe in God.
Local Hot-Button Issues
What do you think are the most important issues facing the community?
Growth, development, taxes, the school system, village leadership, jobs/unemployment and home values seem to dominate conversations and concerns across the board.
Where do you stand on each of these issues?
I don't stand anywhere on the issues. My job is to report the facts as accurately and as objectively as possible so the reader can decide where he/she stands.
Some Racine County residents have organized their own Friday pizza event to protest an announcement from Papa John's that the chain will reduce employees' hours and raise the price of pizza to pay for the Affordable Care Act.
Mount Pleasant Police say the suspect of a carjacking Tuesday remains at large, and they are asking for the public's help apprehending him.
This tiny village is no stranger to political upheaval, having just come off a successful recall of the village president.
Rep. Robin Vos, R-Rochester, was named Speaker of the Assembly Tuesday.
Village Board makes some last-minute changes to 2013 spending plan to fill a $326,000 gap.
Creamy grilled cheese sandwiches, a signature pancake recipe and proprietors who want to know customers by name are all part of the charm of Kiss the Cook.
Crime scored big this week - what else is new, right? - but so did politics, a benefit dinner and a story about fire protection.
Mount Pleasant police apprehended two suspects in connection with an overnight armed robbery at an area hotel.
The state says James M. Lalor has mental issues that make it an almost certainty that he will re-offend.
SSFD is going to take a trailer full of stuff to people in need in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
Police say a Mount Pleasant man exposed himself to a child and now faces felony charges.
Voters in several Patch communities chose both Republican and Democratic candidates, perhaps showing Congress that if residents can reach across party lines and focus on the issues, maybe our representatives should follow our example.
Police say the defendant used pliers to pry the security tag off the jeans she tried to steal from Boston Store at Regency Mall.
Friends and neighbors are invited to a spaghetti dinner to help a long-time Wells Bros. employee tackle his mounting medical bills.
While voters in the villages were split over their choice for president, they lined up similarly for other races, but the real news is how many voters actually turned out to cast ballots.
Voters split their support for Democratic and Republican candidates.
He's not going to be vice president, but the congressman from Janesville came out the clear winner in his re-election bid for U.S. House.
Residents turned out in record numbers in Sturtevant. In the end, voters chose President Barack Obama.
A group of about 25 residents attended a public hearing Monday for the 2013 proposed Mount Pleasant budget.
Don't wait up Tuesday night for the national returns for the presidential election. Look instead to how we vote right here in Racine County because for the last four elections, as our county goes, so goes the country.
