Jim's first experience out of high school was two-fold – playing guitar in John Lee Hooker's band, and leading his own five-piece band, Colefeat. His first "day job" was as a copy boy at the Oakland Tribune in the mid and late 1970s, the last days of the old-school newspaper men and women. Cigarettes, coffee and alcohol were the fuels that drove those newsrooms, along with an unmitigated love of the business, and the integrity of the people's right to know.
In the 1980s, Jim was a reporter for the Martinez News Gazette, the Oakland Tribune, and other publications. After a brief stint at the Antioch Daily Ledger, Jim returned to the city of Martinez as public information officer, deputy city clerk, and assistant city manager. He went on to work in corporate communications for the Bayer Corp. and Kaiser Permanente before launching Martinez Patch.
My Beliefs: I believe that government needs everyone's participation to work correctly. I believe it is the media's job to inspire and inform that participation. I believe everyone has a fascinating story to tell. I believe that shouting your opinions makes you less likely to be understood. I believe that music is essential to happiness, and that auto-tune is detrimental to music. I believe that my responsibility as a journalist in your community is a sacred trust, one that I will do everything in my power to live up to and fulfill.
Politics: I am a social liberal, and a fiscal moderate. I believe the worst thing to happen in politics lately is the entrenched, dogmatic "us vs. them" attitude inspired by and fed by cable TV talking heads. The key to political success: listening.
Religion: I am a practicing Buddhist.
Local Hot-Button Issues: Should downtown strive for constant growth and renewal, or should it maintain a small-town feel? This seems to be the overriding question in terms of development. The balance between spending on cultural enhancement vs. police and public safety services also seems constantly at odds.
Dan Simoes and other Rancho San Miguel neighborhood residents near Berean Christian High School fear that expansion would ruin the character of the neighborhood.
Giants pitcher Jeremy Affeldt and his firefighter friends helped extract a woman from an overturned car on Friday near the Orinda exit on Highway 24.
A summary of meetings for and about the place you live.
One of the city's favorite traditions is taking place Sunday morning beginning on Main St.
Hot weather is expected to increase the risk of infection.
Dan Rosenthal plans to bring some new ideas to the 2014 event, scheduled for May of next year.
Some clinics can't perform the mandated medical test because they don't have any of the required solutions
Some clinics can't perform the mandated medical test because they don't have any of the required solutions.
Apres Soleil is the latest sunless tanning business to open in Walnut Creek.
Sports, theater, and cat videos are all part of this weekend's outing options.
Walnut Creek's second most powerful administrator is set to move on to become city manager in Pacifica.
The squad will respond to non life-threatening calls in a 90-day pilot program.
Here's a list of movies in and around Lamorinda, with showtimes.
Movies playing in and around Walnut Creek, including showtimes.
The mammoth Rim Fire that has devoured 237,341 acres was started by a hunter's illegal fire that got out control, authorities announced today, Thursday.
The mammoth Rim Fire that has devoured 237,341 acres was started by a hunter's illegal fire that got out control, authorities announced today, Thursday.
See which local educational non-profits in Walnut Creek had the most assets in 2012.
Find homes for sale in the region on this page every week, from our partners at Zillow.
The latest listings of homes in Walnut Creek from our partners at Zillow.
In the wake of school shootings, officials are responding with procedures designed to minimize the vulnerability of students, teachers and staff.
