Tran Longmoore, Patch Staff

<strong>Email</strong>: tran.longmoore&#64;patch.com

<strong>Phone</strong>: (734) 223-2677

<strong>Hometown</strong>: Ann Arbor

<strong>Bio</strong>: I&#39;ve been in the news business since I was a kid, delivering the Detroit Free Press before school, and the Windsor Star after school. In college, one of my first stops was the student newspaper, and it became my favorite place on campus. After college, I worked part-time in radio at CKLW and published a monthly news and arts newspaper with my roommate.  I came to the United States in 1999 with my wife, a Chelsea native, and began working for the Milford Times.

I really learned to understand what community journalism was all about in my most recent job as managing editor of the Blissfield Advance. The job isn&#39;t as glamorous as the title might suggest. I spent five years typing engagement announcements, covering council meetings, taking pictures of school activities, going to sporting events nearly every night and on weekends, shooting pictures at parades and covering events. I put in long hours, but I met a lot of great people and had a lot of fun.

I don&#39;t take myself too seriously. But I think news plays an important role in society. For one, it lets people know what&#39;s going on in their neighborhood, whether it&#39;s the status of the quarterback for Friday&#39;s game, what happened to the business that hasn&#39;t been open lately, or when that construction project is going to begin. Secondly, journalists the watchdogs for people who want to know if their elected representatives are representing their interests.

I live on the east end of Ann Arbor with my wife, a school teacher, and our two dogs (plus her chicken and rabbits).

<strong>Politics</strong>: I&#39;m a lefty. I&#39;ve got no hangups about &#34;socialized medicine&#34; or public schools. I hope I am never unemployed and I have never been. But I like the idea that if things go wrong, they can&#39;t go too wrong. Fortunately, local politics don&#39;t often get mired in the kind of rhetoric we see on the national and state level. I&#39;m a lot less concerned by one&#39;s stated political affiliation than I am with the way they conduct themselves. There are two issues that raise my dander: Secrecy and Self-dealing. I scrutinize things a little closer when things start happening behind closed doors, or when government officials use their power for personal gain. Truth is, I don&#39;t like it when government bodies act in a manner that even gives the public cause to even consider that something shady might be going on. 

I didn&#39;t vote in 2010 because I am not yet a U.S. citizen. If I could vote for President, I&#39;d vote for Ralph Nader. Hopefully he&#39;s still around when I take the pledge. I don&#39;t believe that voting for someone who has no chance is a wasted vote, especially if the people who have a chance don&#39;t share your beliefs. 

<strong>Religion</strong>:  Do unto others as you would have them do to you.

<strong>Hobbies</strong>: Ball hockey (could also be my religion). Listening to somewhat obscure indie rock bands. Inhaling Timbits. Drinking dark roast coffee. NHL 10 on the PS3. Watching the Red Wings. Trying to take the perfect picture. Monday (Tuesday?) morning quarterbacking city council decisions with folks around town.

<strong>Local Hot-Button Issues</strong>: Saline has its bond issue, of course. But I think the big issue in Saline and Milan is the economy. Lots of people own homes that are worth less than what&#39;s owed on them, whether it&#39;s a $120,000 ranch or a $400,000 palace. It&#39;s a precarious situation that plays a factor in everything.