Mike is the editor of Lawrenceville Patch. A lifelong New Jersey resident who was raised in Metuchen (Middlesex County), he is a graduate of St. Joseph High School in Metuchen. Mike came to Lawrence Township in 1991 to attend what was then known as Rider College. He spent the first semester of his junior year attending Queen Mary and Westfield College in London, England, as part of Rider's Study Abroad program. Although he graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications in 1995 (by which time Rider had become a university), Mike chose to remain in Lawrence Township, having built strong ties to the community.
Mike spent 15 years working as a reporter and photographer for The Times of Trenton, specializing in covering the crime and breaking news beats. During his career with The Times, Mike was honored for his writing and photography with seven awards from the New Jersey Press Association, Garden State Journalists, the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the North Jersey Press Club. Mike has also worked as a freelance reporter and photographer for several other publications, and his work has appeared in The Trentonian, The Virginia-Pilot, The Tampa Tribune, Business Travel News and Firehouse Magazine.
In 1992, still in his freshman year at Rider, Mike joined Lawrence Road Fire Co., one of the three volunteer fire companies that protect Lawrence Township. Mike has been an active firefighter ever since and has held several fire-line and administrative positions over the years. Mike also served for a year as an emergency medical technician with Lawrence Township First Aid Squad, back when the township's ambulances were staffed by volunteers. Unable to commit the time necessary to remain active in both volunteer organizations, Mike gave up riding the ambulance.
Mike is a diehard New York Giants fan whose interests include photography, local history, and most British television shows. Mike and his wife Ann bought their home in Lawrence Township in 2003. Their son James was born in 2007.
<strong>Beliefs</strong>
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.
<strong>Politics</strong>
How would you describe your political beliefs?
I understand the need for politics and political debate, and for political news coverage. But, truth be told, politics in not my favorite subject. I do vote, but I have no allegiance to any particular party.
<strong>Religion</strong>
How religious would you consider yourself? (casual, observant, devout, non religious)
I was raised Roman Catholic, but I have not been a regular church-goer in a very long time. I guess I would described myself as non-religious.
<strong>Local Hot-Button Issues</strong>
What do you think are the most important issues facing the community?
Property taxes are obviously one of the biggest issues facing Lawrence Township and the entire state of New Jersey. The amount in taxes that New Jersey residents pay is amazing in comparison to what those in other states pay. With the new 2 percent tax cap, Lawrence Township is going to have some difficult decisions to make in terms of what services are going to be cut. And everyone is going to have a different opinion of what should or can be cut.
Activist Judy Shepard, whose son was murdered in 1998 because he was gay, will give the keynote address during Rider University's "Unity Days," a week-long celebration of "all the diverse elements that make up the Rider community."
The event on Oct. 16, hosted by the Lawrence Historical Society, will focus on the history, architecture and restoration of the 250-year-old house that is a Lawrence Township landmark.
The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Ride, going from Lawrence Township to Holmdel on Oct. 16, will benefit the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Vietnam Era Museum and Education Center.
Final yard waste (brush) collection of 2011 in Lawrence Township Zone 2 begins today.
Free program to be held at the Lawrence Nature Center at 10:30 this morning (Monday, Oct. 10) will teach children about rocks, minerals and fossils.
Retired nurse lived in the area most of her life.
Nearly three weeks after it began, picketers swarm to Lower Manhattan.
Six new burglaries have been reported to police in Lawrence Township since Monday, but arrests were made in two of the crimes. Records show the suspect charged in Friday's break-in of the Golden Empire restaurant has a history of burglary convictions.
As a result of pension reforms enacted this year by Gov. Christie and the state legislature, Lawrence Township will save $523,991 - the equivalent of about 2 cents on the municipal tax rate - in 2012.
The Trenton Farmer's Market, located on Spruce Street in Lawrence Township, is one of 20 entitites throughout New Jersey that will share a $792,245 block grant from the United States Department of Agriculture.
Action shots from the Lawrence Lightning's recent game against Maple Shade.
The blaze, which consumed a trash receptacle filled with cardboard outside the Lucky 7 Deli, is being investigated by Lawrence Township police and fire officials.
A Lawrence High School student is in the running for a national achievement scholarship, while parents are needed to be panelists during the Grade 10 Career Day at LHS on Nov. 22.
The second annual Lawrenceville-Peddie Day will take place Oct. 15 on The Lawrenceville School's campus in Lawrence Township.
The next Lawrence Township Council meeting is tomorrow - Oct. 18 - and it is very likely that the debate will continue over the travel lane stripes and other road markings painted on the recently repaved section of Bergen Street
David Kelly, a Lawrence Township public schools teacher who has been suspended with pay since his arrest in August, allegedly fired two shots at two teeangers who walked across his property in Bucks County, Pa., to go fishing.
Lawrence High School has earned membership into the Asia Society Confucius Classrooms Network.
Governor says he could have won White House, but work in New Jersey isn’t done. Will the Democrats confront or cooperate?
The candidates competing in Novembner's election for three open seats on the Lawrence Township Council answered questions about taxes, open space, crime and other topics during a forum hosted last week by the League of Women Voters.
The forum, hosted by the Lawrence Township chapter of the League of Women Voters, will be held at 7:30 p.m. today, Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the township municipal building.
