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.
At the special meeting to be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5, the Lawrence Township Board of Education will authorizing the proposed 2013-2014 school district budget to be sent to Mercer County’s executive county superintendent of education for revie
The writers are Martin Robins, director emeritus of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University, and Pam Fischer, a transportation safety consultant and former director of the NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety.
The new automated system involves Lawrence Township Police Department's non-emergency phone number, (609) 896-1111. Those with an emergency to report should still call 911 to immediately speak to a dispatcher.
The puppy, an 8-week-old Brussels Maltese, was stolen from the Pets Plus store in Lawrence Township by a man who, according to police, snatched the dog from its cage and concealed the animal under his shirt.
Lawrence Township Council will meet tomorrow, Tuesday, March 5, starting at 6:30 p.m. The meeting's agenda and the township manager's traditional pre-meeting memo are presented here for review.
The suspect, 52-year-old Luis Velasquez of Newark, was charged with weapon offenses and making terroristic threats for his alleged actions at Diversified Rack on Route 130 on Feb. 26, according to East Windsor police.
Among the other recent news reported by East Windsor police, a man was charged with marijauna possession in Etra Park; another driver was charged with DWI after crashing his car; and an 82-year-old Monroe man was charged with shoplifting.
East Windsor Township police said the vehicle was stopped because it had a defective headlight and a defective taillight.
Appearing before the Mercer Board of Chosen Freeholders, Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes on Thursday presented an overview of his administration’s proposed $294 million spending plan for 2013.
Gov. Christie's proposed FY 2014 budget includes more than $1 million of additional state aid to school districts in Mercer County.
The milestone came as the Lawrence High School’s girls basketball team defeated Colts Neck earlier this week in the first round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III Tournament.
A cooking mishap started the fire on Sturwood Way Wednesday, Lawrence Township police said.
The burglar gained entry to the residence by forcing open a rear door while no one was home, according to Lawrence Township police.
Authorities said Jeffrey Garrett, 36, of Trenton pleaded guilty to robbing the same Chase Bank branch in Hamilton Township twice. During the second holdup, he carjacked a car and shot the vehicle's owner and a bank teller, who both survived.
Funeral services will be held Friday morning, March 1.
A segment from the film will be featured at the League of Women Voters of New Jersey’s upcoming cocktail reception in honor of "Hurricane Heroes" on Friday, May 3, in West Windsor.
Fundraisers to support Lawrence Township’s annual Independence Day celebration will be held at Enzo’s La Piccola Cucina on March 5 and March 12, and at Cheeburger Cheeburger on May 9.
The Lawrence Township resident died on Feb. 18 and was laid to rest on Feb. 23.
Services for the Lawrence Township resident were private.
In a news release issued Tuesday, Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes said that while Trenton-Mercer Airport would remain open if sequestration cuts take place, those cuts would have "severe operational impacts" on the airport.
