Patch User Profile for Stephanie L. Arnold

Stephanie L. Arnold, Patch Staff
Brookhaven, GA

Email: Stephanie.Arnold@patch.com Phone: 770.298.9746

Twitter: twitter.com/brookhavenpatch Hometown: Detroit, MI Birthday: February 2

Bio:

I'm the editor of Brookhaven Patch and have more than 12 years of experience as a journalist, having worked at four daily newspapers. I most recently worked as a Staff Writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, covering police and crime during a time when the murder rate was among the highest in the country. I graduated from Florida A&M University with a B.S. degree in Newspaper Journalism and earned a certificate in newswriting/reporting from Poynter Institute for Media Studies, a continuing education destination for journalists who are nominated by their newsroom's top editors.

I've written stories that have covered the spectrum from Delaware's old electric chair being sold on eBay to writing about the effects of malaria on pregnant women and children in East Africa.

In my free time, I enjoy watching television - Dexter, all of the Real Housewives shows, and old episodes of The West Wing - shopping, reading books about U.S. Presidents and sending text messages. I'm a seasonal vegetarian and love trying out new recipes.

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?

I'm a flexible conservative.

Are you registered with a certain party?

Yes, the Democratic party, but only so I could vote in the primary elections when I lived in Pennsylvania. I never changed back to Independent. Religion How religious would you consider yourself? (casual, observant, devout, non religious)

I'm an observant Christian.

Local Hot-Button Issues What do you think are the most important issues facing the community?

The Brookhaven Cityhood issue hands down is the most important issue facing the community, and of course school redistricting. The Cityhood Bill - HB 636 - was introduced in the House last year as legislation to allow Brookhaven residents to vote on a referendum for a city charter for Brookhaven.

Where do you stand on each of these issues?

I don't live within the boundaries of the proposed city, but as a reporter, but from my experience, municipalities are much easier to navigate from a communications perspective than this county-wide system. The communications/media relations is always a challenge.