• Email: david.henke@patch.com
• Phone: 612-381-6171
• Birthday: 03/03/1986

Bio: There is no greater honor for me than to be entrusted to tell someone else's story. That's how I've always approached my work as a journalist, whether I'm writing a feature on a World War 2 vet, talking to students at the local high school or reporting on a neighborhood crime.

I got my start in news writing during high school, when I wrote a weekly student column for my hometown newspaper. I majored in English and Environmental Studies at St. Olaf College, became an editor for the college newspaper and started freelance writing on the side.

My freelance work led me to the Northfield News, where I reported on crime, city government, education, business and the arts—and even managed to sneak in a sports article every so often. In my three and a half years as a reporter, I have won four awards from the Minnesota Newspaper Association for my reporting, including "Best New Journalist of the Year" in 2008. Over the last year, I served as the editor for Inver Grove Heights Patch before becoming the editor of Eagan Patch.

Although I love writing, expect to see me out shooting video and photos in Eagan on a regular basis.

I've found that journalism is similar to anthropology: As a journalist, you're asked to go out into a community and learn the stories of that city and its residents. I can't think of anything more exciting than to do just that.

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 and human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal certain key beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable.

This disclosure is not a license for our editors to inject these beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that our beliefs are on the record will force us to be ever mindful to write, report, and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you, the user, ever think you see evidence that we failed in this mission, we wholeheartedly invite you to let us know.

Politics

I lean liberal in my political beliefs, but in the last election I voted for both independents and Republicans. Like many, I've grown weary of partisan politics. A solution to a social or financial issue has to have input from both ends of the political spectrum to be fair and balanced.

Religion:

I was raised Lutheran, but have made a point of understanding as much as I can about other faiths. I've spent time in Buddhist countries, taken Muslim theology courses and even attended day-long religious meditations. Although I routinely attended church when I was growing up, I now consider myself to be more of a spiritual than religious person. For me, the greatest reminders of the powers above are the world we live in and the people who surround us.