I am a staff writer for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, where I have worked since 2001, while artfully dodging staff cuts and avoiding wandering over to the dark side of public relations and communications. I am technically a neighborhoods reporter, but find myself handling what ever comes down the pike. I have also written a number of the paper's larger projects, including the PTSD weekend feature in conjunction with the health fellowship. I contributed to special projects from everything from religion to poverty to deportation to historic neighborhoods.