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.
In a letter to the editor, Craig Ratchford from CalStar explains why the company supports the addition of Walmart in Caledonia at 4-Mile and Green Bay Roads.
Mark Demet has 180 days to pay a $2,500 fine or face 60 days in jail for forging signatures on recall petitions in 2011.
Officer Kevin Zurowski joins the Sturtevant Police Department full time Monday after serving in a part-time capacity since February.
South Shore Fire Department will take delivery of a new ambulance by the end of August.
Parents in Caledonia received a phoned death threat that may stem from a conflict over youth basketball.
One man says carrying a flashlight is what helped thwart a confrontation with another man upset over dog-walking without a leash.
A Mount Pleasant man is accused of operating a pot growing operation out of his home.
Police say this woman got angry when she was refused pain medicine and stole drugs from a local health clinic.
A Caledonia woman faces charges after police say she used a vacuum cleaner to damage her own vehicle because she thought her boyfriend was sneaking around to see their shared girlfriend.
It's too easy to burn a perfectly delicious brat when grilling. Watch local expert Charles Benson show you how it's done.
Parkview is expanding to create space for 73 more apartments, some of which will house dementia and Alzheimer's patients.
Gov. Scott Walker will sign the 2013-2015 budget Sunday, at the same time designating the Kringle as our official state pastry.
Whether or not Walmart can build a 182,000 square foot supercenter at 4-Mile and Green Bay Roads is still up in the air while trustees talk about what mixed use should look like.
Piggly Wiggly on Washington Avenue has 30 different flavor varieties of gourmet brats. We dare you to try them all and then tell us your favorite.
A Caledonia man is facing multiple felony drug charges after officers say he had a cache of weapons and a marijuana growing operation at his house.
Sturtevant trustees unanimously approved an agreement with the owners of the Sportsplex so the venue can keep its liquor license.
Train traffic was halted after calls of a car parked on the railroad tracks near 6-1/2 Mile and Highway V. The female driver was uninjured.
Michael Lane was out of jail on supervision after serving time for a drug conviction when, police say, he stole $13 worth of food from Piggly Wiggly.
