Kristin Bull, Patch Staff

Bio: </b>I grew up in a home where it was normal and, in fact, oddly comforting to see three different newspapers stacked beside the fireplace on any given day. &#34;I don&#39;t know; let&#39;s check the newspaper,&#34; was a suggestion my parents patiently offered my nonstop curiosity about the world. And so the story goes that my grown-up years have been spent still surrounded in newspapers and taking part in their evolution. From my work covering local government for <i>The Towne Courier</i> of East Lansing to my seven years as part of the page one team at <i>The Kansas City Star</i> to my writing for the <i>Detroit Free Press&#39;s </i>&#34;Twist&#34; magazine, I have experienced the power of journalism in telling a town&#39;s stories and informing those who live there. I am a journalist; I am also the wife of a sports editor, the mom of two incessantly curious children and the friend of anyone who will entertain my idea for a girls night out that involves bad 80&#39;s music. I like skiing and boating, shopping with my daughter and listening to my son rattle off random football stats. And, yes, it is somewhat ironic that I&#39;m the mom who makes the fun &#34;patches&#34; for the neighborhood kids&#39; holey jeans.

<br><b>Your Beliefs</b><br><i>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></i><br><b>Politics </b>

I do not identify with a specific political party because I think it&#39;s near impossible to fully fit the mold of a party&#39;s ideology. I try to support candidates and public officials who show they have an open mind and a willingness to consider others&#39; viewpoints and visions. <br><br><b>Religion</b>

I am not devoted to any particular religion. <br><b><br>Local Hot-Button Issues</b><br><br>The 2011 Rochester Hills and Rochester city council elections and the Rochester Community Schools Board of Education elections.