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.
Students from Lawrenceville Elementary School recently visited the museum on the campus of The College of New Jersey to learn how to respect differences, cooperate, and resolve bullying scenarios.
About 30 customers and employees were evacuated from the ShopRite at Mercer Mall Monday while firefighters investigated a minor leak of freon gas that occurred while a freezer was being worked on.
The writer is Dr. Rao Pasupuleti, medical director of the Stroke Program at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton.
Were you excited when it arrived recently, or is it collecting dust?
No municipal candidates appear on the ballot today (Tuesday), but candidates are vying to represent the Democratic and Republican parties in November's races for Mercer County Freeholder, U.S. Senate, the House of Republicans and the White House.
The Trenton Fire Department’s hazardous materials team responded into Lawrence Township Monday after a "suspicious package" arrived at an office on Lenox Drive. The package was found to contain gold jewelry that had been mailed to the wrong address.
Despite an environment where morale in the police department is reportedly at an all-time low, Lawrence Township police officers went "above and beyond" Sunday to rescue a family of baby ducks from a storm drain and remove a snake from a home.
Sunday’s free event at the RWJ Hamilton Center for Health and Wellness in Hamilton will include live music, dance classes, screenings, hand massages and more. Over 85 door prizes donated by local businesses will be raffled off to attendees.
The Mercer County Professional Counselors Association has honored students from each of Lawrence Township's public schools for being “kind, caring, and compassionate citizens.”
Two students from Lawrenceville Elementary School were awarded first and second honors in the Grades 2-3 category of the Mercer County Soil Conservation District's "Soil to Spoon" poster contest.
The free all night alcohol- and drug-free celebration for graduating Lawrence High seniors will be held from 11 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, until 5:30 a.m. Thursday, June 21.
Lawrence High School students delivered packages of crayons and coloring books to the pediatric department at Capital Health Medical Center in Hopewell.
Lawrence Middle School's recent Career Day featured guest speakers who work as engineers, teachers, nurses, lawyers, doctors, firefighters, police officers, speech writers, professional athletes, restaurant owners, physical therapists, and more.
Here's a roundup of notable police activity in Lawrence Township from May 23 through May 30.
The fundraiser to be held at the Puple Cow ice cream shop in Lawrence Township from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 2, will benefit the Lawrence High School club that sends student volunteers across the globe to help children in need.
In other news from Lawrence Township Public Schools, a published author recently visited Eldridge Park Elementary School, and 11 LHS students have qualified for the National Merit Scholarship program.
The summer film festival at Rutgers University will run through June 17 and will premier 27 films.
The visitors observed classroom activities and met with staff and students to learn more about the Lawrence Township elementary school's character education program.
The annual Lawrence High School Athletic Hall of Fame Golf Tournament helps fund two scholarships awarded each year to student athletes.
Spray paint stolen during a shed burglary may have been used to create graffiti on a sidewalk, house, mailbox and road signs in Lawrence Township's Eldridge Park neighborhood, according to police.
