MANITOWOC COUNTY — We’re launching a new column series titled “Ask Alisa” in which we will answer your questions about local government and more.

I know it can be daunting sharing your issues with a stranger, so here’s a little bit about me, the reporter who will be pounding pavement to get your answers.

“My name is Alisa Schafer and I’m a reporter for the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter.”

That’s how I’ve introduced myself to many, many community leaders and residents as I’ve circulated throughout the county chasing facts and perspectives for the hundreds of articles I’ve written as a community reporter.

I moved to Manitowoc in 2014 with my husband the month after we got married. We thought this would be a stepping stone to moving on to a different state within a year or two. We did not count on the wonderful friends we both have made here and the beautiful community we have since fallen in love with.

Now, 10 years later, we live in a small apartment with our two cats above a successful business my husband opened with his two friends.

The stories I’ve covered range from the federal court case of a local doctor accused of using his medical practice to traffick drugs, to local impacts of climate change on Lake Michigan. I’ve covered every single local election since 2016, and if you look into my history, you’ll find at least two articles on the strange and inexplicable, such as UFO sightings. I’ve even shared personal accounts of my encounter with a tornado and my experience being hospitalized for COVID-19.

I’ve been your community watchdog reporter for nearly eight years and I’ve made a lot of connections in that time. Now, I want to put those connections to work for you.

Here’s the catch. This column only works if I hear from you.

Send me your questions and frustrations. I will work to find your answers, or I will find someone who can help you. The best way is to send an email at aschafer@gannett.com. You can also reach me by calling or texting me at 920-242-4866. I’ll share what I know and likely feature your issue and solution in the next “Ask Alisa” column.

My colleague has written similar columns for the Appleton Post Crescent. Here are links to his work to see what questions he has answered for his readers.

Appleton Watchdog Q&A: When buses aren’t enough, VT Connector helps riders reach Appleton International Airport

Appleton Watchdog Q&A: Fox Valley Technical College doesn’t pursue body farm in Greenville after uproar

Alisa M. Schafer is a reporter for the Herald Times Reporter in Manitowoc. She can be reached by email at aschafer@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Manitowoc reporter takes reader questions, gets answers on government