Email: ChrisM@patch.com
Phone: (440) 289-4381
Hometown: Wickliffe, OH
Birthday: February 28
Bio: Chris Mazzolini worked as a newspaper reporter in North Carolina for the past six years, where he jumped at the chance to cover all kinds of interesting and crazy things. Chris embedded with U.S. Marines on search-and-rescue operations in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He got some government folks fired for corruption. And a bunch more.

Life on the beach was great (he lived in a place called Surf City!) but his heart and family were elsewhere. So Chris happily returned to Northeast Ohio to abandon the printing press, go full digital and build something great in Solon.

Before beginning his career as an ink-stained wretch, Chris graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University with a master's degree. Before that, he studied political science and played football at Kenyon College. Even before that, he came of age at Wickliffe High School, where he also played football - including a 9-9 tie against the Solon Comets freshman football team in 1995. Don't ask him how he remembers that.  

Chris is happily married to his wife Karyn. Together, they maintain a stable of critters - two dogs, two cats. In his free time, he enjoys reading and sports. Like many of you, he curses the Steelers and Ravens, and roots in vain for the Browns.

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 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: 
Sometimes, I lean to the left. Other times, to the right. Ultimately, I consider myself a pragmatist. I don't care much for fervent political ideology, and believe that partisanship for the sake of it is just a waste of time and energy. Just get things done.

Religion:
I was born and raised Catholic.

Local Hot-Button Issues:
McDonalds, McDonalds, McDonalds. This seems to be the main issue that Solon residents are concerned about, and I understand why: It's a singular issue that's representative of the larger struggle that every community engages in. What do we want our town to be like?

I don't have a side on this issue or any other right now. Too new. But I'll enjoy talking to people from all sides of issues and hearing what you have to say about them.