Hometown: Peekskill
Mike joined Patch Jan. 25, 2010 and has written mainly sports for various Patch sites. Mike's work was first published in the Peekskill Herald. His biggest thrill while writing for the Herald was covering his alma mater's legendary Peekskill boys basketball squad when it won its first two state titles in '95 and '96, led by future NBA all-star Elton Brand. He wrote as a freelancer for the Herald until Aug. '00, when he began to work for the Gannett Weeklies and Express publications, which included the Patent Trader and The Star, both as a part-timer and freelancer, until Nov. '09. Mike also freelanced for the North County News, from April '06 to June '10. In addition to his vast newspaper experience, Mike has had his work published in numerous Getting To Know Magazines, including the Brewster/Patterson, Mahopac/Carmel, Pleasantville/Briarcliff, Peekskill/Cortlandt and Yorktown editions. Highlighting his experience with GTK's was a feature on the tradition rich Yorktown boys lacrosse program, focusing on its founder, Charlie Murphy, in '03 and a diary on his experience traveling with Peekskill, when it won the Class A boys basketball state championship in Glens Falls in '05. When he's not writing, Mike enjoys being the public address and TV announcer for the Peekskill sports teams, including its 2010-11 girls state basketball championship squad and its five-time state champion boys basketball program.