Email: Robert.Michaelson@patch.com
Phone: 508-577-6988 Hometown: Milford Birthday: March 17, 1988 Bio: I enjoy life. I have always been a creative person and found a way to express myself on both the page and stage writing poetry, humor pieces and performing in local theater productions and improv shows. I grew up in Brookline, NH with fantastic friends and family before going to Franklin Pierce University, where my friends became my family. It was here that I honed my reporting skills and graduated in journalism and political science. My love for journalism blossomed during a trip to Washington, DC where I received the Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship in 2006. I was inspired to "Dream, dare and do" and from that point on I knew that I wanted to contribute to the public. I was also honored to receive the 2010 Fitzwater Award for Contributions to the Public Discourse for my work leading the university's newspaper. After graduation in 2009, I continued freelancing for local newspapers such as The Telegraph/Cabinet Press and eventually landed a position as a reporter covering multiple communities for The Monadnock Ledger-Transcript in 2010. I then joined Patch.com to lead the Amherst Patch in July of 2011. I enjoy doing anything that helps people, which I try to do through my writing whether it be poetic, humorous or journalistic. As a reporter, it gives me great joy to give people the information they need to become engaged and share with them stories of the amazing people and organizations around them. I have always been curious about the truth behind everything and learning more about the world around me. I try and address everything, including my reporting, with an open heart and a clear mind. I never want to harm anybody with my writing and only wish to make the world a better place with each word. You could call me a nerd, and I would say your absolutely right. I am into technology, video games, cartoons, comics and countless other nerdtastic hobbies. I am constantly reading news and visit numerous blogs and websites each day, much like an addiction. On the jock side of things, I love the outdoors and will play any sport with good friends (you should see my defense in basketball). Comedy has always been a huge part of my life and I always look to weave it into my daily routine. Making people laugh is such a joy and my goal is to continue finding the humor in everything that comes my way. To all that are reading this, I hope you enjoy the content of Amherst Patch and that it gives you a little something more every day. I care about the community, both local and worldwide, and look forward to a brighter future for all. Your 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 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. Politics I try and keep an open mind on every issue, including those I truly feel strongly about. I hate political labels and the public's constant need to identify themselves in a certain way when it comes to political issues. I am against inefficient spending, but believe there are some investments that need to be made in order to have a stronger economic future. Regulations are needed to protect the public, but they must be reasonable enough to allow businesses to grow. My social beliefs include the right for EVERYBODY to have equal rights and I am against discrimination of any kind. I am very passionate about the separation of church and state and believe that faith should be a personal aspect of a person's life, not part of government structure. Religion My parents always taught me that religion was something I should discover for myself and that I was free to choose any belief that would fit my life. I found Buddhism after researching belief systems across the world in my spare time during college. I respect anybody's right to practice their faith, as long as they don't push their beliefs onto others or cause harm. Local Hot-Button Issues Amherst has a rich, rural character that makes it an attractive area to live in. However, there is the need to grow businesses and move the town forward, without ruining what makes the town unique. Construction projects are in the works to improve town roads, but there will be a need for future development. Changes in the town government and school district will also be a focus as Amherst moves into the future.