Nate Birt, Patch Staff

Nate Birt grew up in Longmont, Colo., and got his start in journalism at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, as a reporter and editor for The South Paw at Niwot High School. He quickly found himself addicted to the excitement of learning something firsthand and the stewardship of presenting news in a way that informs people and gets them talking. Nate  received undergraduate degrees in print journalism and political science from the University of Missouri and later graduated with his master's degree in convergence journalism. He has worked for the Boonville (Mo.) Daily News, the Detroit Free Press and the Columbia Missourian.

Nate Birt grew up in Longmont, Colo., and got his start in journalism at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, as a reporter and editor for The South Paw at Niwot High School. He quickly found himself addicted to the excitement of learning something firsthand and the stewardship of presenting news in a way that informs people and gets them talking.

Nate  received undergraduate degrees in print journalism and political science from the University of Missouri and later graduated with his master's degree in convergence journalism.

He worked for years at the Columbia Missourian in various capacities — public safety and enterprise reporter, copy editor, news editor — and also worked for a year and a half as a web producer for freep.com, the website of the Detroit Free Press. From August 2009 to September 2010, Nate served as the news and online editor at the Boonville (Mo.) Daily News. He received a first-place award from the Missouri Press Association for a series of articles that documented allegations of clergy abuse. He has performed internships with the Free Press, the Boulder Daily Camera and Adventure Sports Magazine. Nate is a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors.

In his free time, Nate enjoys spending time with his wife and family, discovering new places to eat and relaxing with a good movie, preferably in the horror or documentary genres.

<b>Your Beliefs</b><br>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.<br><br><b>Politics </b><br>I consider myself a progressive. I&#39;ve voted for candidates from the Constitution, Republican, Libertarian and Democratic parties. I think people should vote and do so proudly.<br><br><b>Religion</b><br>I am an imperfect person trying to live as a Christian according to the teachings of the Bible. I believe faith is a lifetime pursuit, and I enjoy learning from people whose perspective is completely different from my own. As I grew up, my family frequently visited places of worship, historic sites and museums tied to faiths that weren&#39;t familiar to me. The knowledge I gained from those experiences informs my own search for understanding and meaning, and I value having my beliefs challenged.

<b>Local Hot-Button Issues</b><br>Clayton has plenty to offer in the way of information and activity in St. Louis County government, and what happens here can have repercussions throughout the state. As the city approaches its centennial in 2013, officials and residents will be looking for ways to highlight its history, its diverse business and retail districts and its ample green space.

Both Clayton and Richmond Heights have well-respected school districts in which plenty is happening all the time. Parents are engaged in their children&#39;s learning. These communities and others such as Maplewood and Brentwood frequently collaborate to host events that bring people together and showcase suburban St. Louis.

I look forward to sharing with a broader audience the issues that residents of these two communities value.