I was raised in a northern suburb of Chicago, and now find it bittersweet that I help cover the towns and counties in and around the one I grew up in. I miss the area so very much, every day. In 2013, I moved to the Indianapolis area after graduating from Indiana University-Bloomington in May 2013. I grew up watching mainstream media play a major role in my father's nearly 20-year career as a sports medicine professional in the NFL. I knew before heading off to IU I was going to study journalism and communication.
I had two incredible internship opportunities I took full advantage of before my senior year- Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee/Communications team member (Dec. 2011 to Feb. 2012), and WBBM CBS Chicago newsroom intern (June to Aug. 2012). I learned and experienced more than I thought I would before graduation, and knew my passion for building a relationship with others and hearing their stories was something I had to continue to feed. Flash forward to graduation, I wasn't going to put my Bachelor of Arts in Journalism to waste, as I accepted and started an Associate Producer job at WRTV Indianapolis in June 2013. But I wanted much more than that- I wanted to be the person choosing and reporting content. That's when I applied for a digital reporter role at Gannett's The Star Press in Muncie, Ind. As the company's Trends and Social Scene Reporter, I brought daily events, trends, and feel-good stories to Muncie and Delaware County community members. The creative freedom and fun I felt each day was immeasurable. But with the responsibility of a newspaper in addition to a website comes challenges, as this world is going digital. I had to look elsewhere, and told myself the next and only step for me in news (and my journalism interests) was everything digital- web, apps, social media sites, and daily email alerts. That's where the news is, every minute of every day. Here I am at Patch!
I've already made my husband (Anthony), family, and friends download the app and subscribe to my newsletter. I have to make sure they stay in the loop 24/7. Anthony and I were married on Dec. 16, 2017 and we moved into our home in a north suburb of Indianapolis during June 2017. Fun fact; my husband, myself and our puppy all have December birthdays, so December and the Christmas season are our absolute favorite time of the year and the reason why we chose a December wedding date (which is also my husband's birthday).
I couldn't be more excited or fortunate to be living in one of my Patch cities, (Fishers), but during the three years prior, I had an Indianapolis zip code. I've worked in downtown Indy, and spend multiple days or evenings a week in Carmel.
Whether working, always decorating and cleaning the house, taking care of our Siberian Husky puppy "Bane," going to weddings (we're at that age where so many friends and young family members are getting married), hanging out with family and friends, baking, taking Orangetheory Fitness classes, watching or attending football or basketball games, or taking in as many new restaurants as I can, I'm always on the go. I enjoy trying (and hearing) new things and points of views.
These cities, people, and places north of Indianapolis have my full attention and heart for years to come, and I enjoy hearing why others may feel the same.
Cameron R. Dunmars, 24, faces several charges after police said he also hit the woman in the face while she was driving on Plank Rd. Monday.
The gruesome discovery was made by a Lake County Sheriff's office deputy in January, leading to an investigation.
Donations would need to be comprised of 40 grab-and-go meals, which are enough to feed a shift at Bria of Geneva.
Low traction due to snow caused more than 50 cars to pile up on the Kennedy Expressway Wednesday morning, CFD officials said.
Patch spoke with two nurses who each spend at least 12 hours per shift working in major Chicago hospitals' coronavirus units.
The McHenry County Department of Health is reporting 19 cases of coronavirus in Algonquin, and 18 in Lake in the Hills as of April 14.
There were several warrant arrests between April 6 and April 12, 2020, according to Lake County Sheriff's office arrest reports.
The Lake County Department of Health is reporting between 35 and 39 cases of coronavirus in Libertyville as of April 13.
This brings the total number of coronavirus cases in Lake County to 1,525, including 50 deaths, the health department said on April 13.
As of Sunday, 416 people were confirmed to have the coronavirus in Kane County, according to health officials.
Palatine Fire Department investigators determined the cause of the fire to be accidental, the department said.
A temporary restraining order mandates the McHenry County Health Department give the names of those infected with the coronavirus to police.
Those with information in the April 11 incident are encouraged to call VHPD Investigations Unit Commander Todd Williams at 847-247-4884.
An updated study predicted coronavirus cases in Illinois would peak Easter Sunday
Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner Andrew Gasser responds after his recent 'Chinese Coronavirus' Facebook post is being called racist.
Board members want a 120-day extension in the decision process for a proposal to open a 21st school in the vacant Park Place mall space.
A live guide of hospitals and health centers across the Chicago area detailing what they're in need of, and how to donate.
Deputies released K9 Diesel at Robert B. Hunter, Jr., from Crystal Lake, after the man wouldn't comply during a trespassing incident.
The Lake County sheriff's office has seen an uptick in domestic disturbance calls across Lake County as the stay-at-home order is in place.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, here's the new deadline to buy 2020-2021 vehicle stickers and animal licenses in the Village of Palatine.
