Website: Norton.Patch.com
Email: Kelly.Mello@Patch.com
Phone: 508-269-0301
Facebook: Facebook.com/nortonpatch
Hometown: Freetown, Mass.
Birthday: Feb. 19, 1983

Kelly graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth in 2006 with a degree in English with a concentration in communications and rhetoric. While at UMass, Kelly contributed to Temper Magazine, and took a journalism course at the Standard Times. After graduation, Kelly was hired as editorial assistant for GateHouse Media, a community newspaper company. In addition to her journalism background, Kelly has also written several theater reviews for SOCO Magazine, a south coast Massachusetts oriented publication. In her spare time, Kelly enjoys reading, kayaking and doing other outdoor activities.

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
How would you describe your political beliefs?

I do not believe in political parties. Instead I like to look at the issues at hand, and vote with whoever shares most of my same ideals.

Religion

How religious would you consider yourself? (casual, observant, devout, non religious)

I was raised as a Seventh Day Adventist, but now lean toward agnosticism. I don't believe any one religion has it 100 percent right.

That being said, even if the big bang theory is correct, that little speck of dust that started everything had to come from somewhere though...right?

Local Hot-Button Issues
What do you think are the most important issues facing the community? Where do you stand on each of these issues?

Currently the high school is need of renovations. Some classrooms are outdated and cramped. The staff and students work well with what they are given, but in order to keep up in the world of education, they need a better, and safer, environment. I hope that the town supports them in making these changes.

Also, Norton Public Library's budget was cut. I understand that the town's safety must come first, and therefore police and fire didn't take a hit like the library did. I hope that once money is available, some of it will return to the library so that the town can reep all the benefits this place can bring.