Email: Dirk.Langeveld@patch.com
Phone: 860-276-7478
Hometown: Lanesborough, Mass.
Birthday: Sept. 27

Bio: Dirk has always made his home in the oft-frozen northern parts of country, alternating between sleepy rural areas and the city life. He grew up in a small town near the western border of Massachusetts, where he set out to explore every inch of the wilderness around his home. He went to Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and wrote and drew political cartoons for the campus newspaper for three years. He graduated in 2006 with a major in history and a minor in English. He worked for three-and-a-half years as a general assignment reporter in the Norway, Maine bureau of the Lewiston Sun Journal, a daily newspaper. He was named in an award for coverage of a fatal boating collision, kept close tabs on an ever-turbulent municipal government, and covered three multiple homicide cases. Other stories saw him strolling through a three-day music festival, whitewater rafting down the Dead River, and plummeting out of an airplane. He moved to New London in September of 2010.

Dirk has been running, bicycling, hiking, and cross-country skiing with varying degrees of devotion for several years now. He's also a bit of a bookworm; one of the first things he did when he got into town was get a library card and check out a biography. In his spare time, he might well be contributing to a blog on political scandals throughout United States history or another more esoteric blog whose topics include creepy animals, state quarters, and robots. He's looking forward to hearing from you and becoming part of the New London community!

Your Beliefs
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Politics

I'm a social liberal, though I'm trending toward the center on plenty of issues. I'm not a big fan of the extremes on either the right or the left.

Religion

I've attended the United Church of Christ somewhat regularly all my life, since it fits with my belief that religion works best when it encourages friendship and humanitarianism. However, my Facebook page lists my religion as "Saganism" after Carl Sagan, who was blase about religion but gave one of the best reflections on humanity and the universe with his "Pale Blue Dot" speech.

Local Hot-Button Issues
Though I'm new to the area, the main issue certainly seems to be development. A local issue led to the Supreme Court decision in favor of eminent domain, and what will show up at Fort Trumbull in the wake of the collapsed development plan will continue to be a hot topic. New London also has a promising downtown, and its ability to attract and maintain local business will be especially important.