ABOUT MIKE SCHOEMER
Email: mike.schoemer@patch.com
Phone: 763-218-0827
Hometown: Sioux Falls, S.D.
Current residence: Albertville, Minn.
Birthday: Jan. 5, 1974
Mike Schoemer is a 13-year veteran of community journalism, having worked in cities including West Fargo, N.D., Edina and most recently, Monticello, where he was managing editor of the Monticello Times. He has won multiple awards for his writing, including a first place award from the Suburban Newspapers of America for a team-edited piece on homelessness in the Twin Cities suburbs.
Schoemer and his wife, Jenn (a St. Michael native) live in Albertville with their three children, who are all under the age of 5.
An avid golfer, Schoemer has recently taken up fishing with his family on Knife Lake near Mora, Minn. He also enjoys basketball and skating in the winter months.
My 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 and human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal certain key beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable.
This disclosure is not a license for our editors to inject these beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that our beliefs are on the record will force us to be ever mindful to write, report, and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you, the user, ever think you see evidence that we failed in this mission, we wholeheartedly invite you to let us know.
A self-proclaimed political mind, Schoemer is a registered Democrat, but has tended to lean more conservative now in his "old age."
As a child in Sioux Falls, Schoemer was part of the first kindergaren class at St. Mary's Catholic Elementary School, and graduated from Sioux Falls O'Gorman Catholic High School. He is still a practicing Catholic, and his family attends St. Michael Catholic Church.
Schoemer feels some of the key issues confronting St. Michael and Albertville are sustaining commercial growth while waiting for the housing market to recover from the collapse of 2008; maintaining and increasing the quality of School District 885, which is one of the "newest" in terms of facilities in the state; the aging population of Wright County; and, of course, traffic issues in downtown St. Michael and Albertville near Interstate 94.
The following fire and sheriff's department calls were listed over the last 10 days be their respective organizations. All information is provided by the departments.
Social Studies teacher Ryan Canton of Middle School West is one of 34 finalists for the Minnesota Teacher of the Year Award.
The Knights, seeded third, will have to knock off Champlin Park, Hastings and Apple Valley if the tournament goes to form.
Revised estimates show the state should have a $1.2 billion surplus headed into the budget negotiations in 2013. Both Sen. Amy Koch and Rep. Joe McDonald said reforms enacted after the shutdown last year are working.
Unless you've been under a rock, you've seen the signs for the season's biggest bowling event. Here's what to expect this weekend at River Lanes.
With 366 days instead of the usual 365, what are you going to do with the extra 24 hours in 2012?
The winter storm has forced school staff to close the buildings today.
Flakes were still falling Wednesday morning as people began to dig out from our belated taste of Minnesota winter.
A meeting with a mediator earlier this month led to more talks, and, ultimately a new contract agreement.
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, a one-time candidate for the GOP nomination for president, calls out current President Barack Obama on his decision to kill a pipeline that would have connected Canadian oil fields to U.S. refineries.
Keep checking here for this up-to-the moment list of weather-related schedule changes. We'll add more as they become available to us.
Forecasts for 10 inches or more were issued as late as last night, but recent developments show rain, sleet, snow mix will keep totals down here in St. Michael.
The Knights put four wrestlers on top of the podium and five others qualified for the State 3A tournament this week at the Xcel Energy Center Saturday at the Section 7-3A individuals.
Call it the "Leap Year Storm," or the latest "Snow-mageddon." Whatever it is, it's set to drop several inches of snow on St. Michael Tuesday and Wednesday.
Two of Minnesota’s biggest Republican names are taking an interest in the new House and Senate seats in the Minnesota Legislature that include the St. Michael area.
The I-94 West Chamber, which includes St. Michael and Albertville businesses, has joined a private-sector economic development program.
For the Knights team, a conference championship and a third place finish at last weekend’s Section 8-2A tourney were unprecedented. Now, eight swimmers will head to the State AA Meet this weekend.
The Best of STMA poll series begins today by highlighting coffee in St. Michael and Albertville. It's one of many questions we'll be asking you, our readers.
A year filled with the highest of highs and lowest of lows came to a close in Andover.
Patch is introducing a new feature that allows users to vote for our community's best businesses and services.
