Email: charles@patch.com
Phone: 510-435-4127
Hometown: Originally Clarksville, Tenn., now El Cerrito

Bio: Being editor of El Cerrito Patch combines two important elements of my life that had been separate.  I'm a journalist and a long-time resident of El Cerrito, and now I'm delighted at being able to practice my profession in my hometown.

I worked many years as a staff writer and editor at the San Francisco Chronicle until April of 2009, when I switched to freelancing.  I then wrote for the Los Angeles Times and other publications, and I also took on editing assignments for UC Berkeley and the United Nations.

El Cerrito Patch brings my career full circle in the East Bay.  My first bylines appeared in the East Bay Review of the Performing Arts.  I next worked as a reporter and editor at the Daily Californian while studying at UC Berkeley, where I obtained a master's in journalism.  I was a reporter at the Contra Costa Independent, Berkeley Gazette and San Francisco Examiner before moving to the Chronicle.

El Cerrito's been my home since 1992.  I live within a 5-minute walk of El Cerrito Plaza with my wife, two sons and tiny garden "patch," in which my newly planted blueberry bushes this year produced a total of 23 blueberries, most of which were greatly enjoyed by the birds.  In my spare time, I like to read, bike, try my hand at baking, and occasionally fit scraps of wood together into what my family indulgently agrees to call "furniture."

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: How would you describe your political beliefs?

Like most El Cerrito voters, I'm registered as a Democrat, but I consider myself politically independent and decide how to vote issue by issue and candidate by candidate.  Both major parties on the national level seem to me to have been corrupted by special-interest money.  I believe the government should provide a safety net for those in need or disadvantaged by conditions beyond their control but not to the extent that it erodes the incentive to work and contribute to society.

Religion: How religious would you say you are? Casual, observant, devout, non-religious?

I was raised a Methodist but am no longer a member of an organized religion.  I view most religions as collectively providing a mosaic of the divine nature of being, and I feel a kinship with spiritual seekers who are honest, non-violent and willing to examine their own beliefs.

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?

Beyond the enduring concerns of most communities – crime, schools, public services, local taxes, economic development – other key issues in El Cerrito seem to vary with time.  As I write this, the proposed boost of the sales tax to 10.25 percent reflects the city's struggle to cope with decreased revenues in the wake of the economic downturn.  Some folks wonder if the streetscape construction along the city's main thoroughfare, San Pablo Avenue, will ever end.  And quite a few marvel at the city being cursed or blessed by foggy, chilly, windy weather typically found in San Francisco.  As an impartial journalist, I don't take a stand on any of these issues, except the weather.