Email: paige.austin@patch.com
Phone: 714-721-1222
Hometown: Garden Grove
Birthday: Gemini
I learned how to be a reporter at the Orange County Register, where I covered, of all things, Los Alamitos and Seal Beach. After a couple years, however, I broke through the Orange County barrier, landing one county away at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside. I covered everything from cities, to the national forest, to courts and prisons. I do have some pretty colorful war stories from those beats. So if you see me around town, you tell me your stories, and I'll tell you about the time I met Gov. Schwarzenegger…in prison…while wearing a stab-proof vest. Or I can tell you about the time I watched a Manson girl give a talk on anger management.
I joke around. A lot. However, journalism might be the only thing I take seriously. It's a very humbling job. Everyday, people trust you with their voice on topics that matter to them, and you have to try to live up to the responsibility. If I ever fail, I need you to tell me about it, so that I can get it right. It's important.
I am insecure enough to tell you about some of the journalism awards I have won – the Associated Press Award for investigative reporting, California Newspapers Publishers Association awards for investigative reporting and best special section, the Price Child Health and Welfare Journalism award from the Children's Advocacy Institute as well as Society of Professional Journalists awards for best enterprise stories, beat reporting, feature writing, and best environmental story. I think I tried to collect awards in an effort to intimidate editors into letting me chase the kinds of stories I want to do. It doesn't really work.
Working for Patch.com, my office consists of the cities I cover, Starbucks, and my house where my co-workers include a lovely gent named D'Wayne and two pugs – Monkey and Maggie. If we ever talk on the phone, it's Maggie you might hear faintly snoring in the background. Sorry, she just can't help it.
Your 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 because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for you to inject your beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that your beliefs are on the record will cause you to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.
Politics: pro-environment and equality for all
Religion: The unholy trinity of Joseph Heller, Kurt Vonnegut and John Steinbeck
Private L.A.-Area Schools Victims Of Computer Hacks | Surviving Covid: Cop Credits Family, Friends | LAPD Officer Killed On Duty | Patch Now
Health officials are watching closely to see if a jump in new COVID-19 cases Thursday is just a blip or a trend that could thwart reopening
Wealthy parts of LA have vaccination rates triple that of poor neighborhoods, promoting plans to shift vaccines to hard-hit communities.
The state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities. That could be a mixed bag for North Hollywood and Toluca Lake.
The state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities. That's a mixed bag for the Hollywood area.
Sherman Oaks has one of the higher vaccination rates in LA, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Studio City has one of the higher vaccination rates in LA, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
The state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities. In Venice, the vaccination rate is roughly around the county median.
Culver City has one of the highest vaccination rates in LA, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Palos Verdes has one of the highest vaccination rates in LA, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Calabasas has one of the highest vaccination rates in LA, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Marina Del Rey has a higher vaccination rate, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Santa Monica has one of the higher vaccination rates in LA, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Redondo Beach has one of the highest vaccination rates in LA, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Northridge and Chatsworth have higher vaccination rates, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Pacific Palisades has one of the highest vaccination rates in LA, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Manhattan Beach has one of the highest vaccination rates in LA, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Malibu has one of the higher vaccination rates in LA, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Beverly Hills has one of the highest vaccination rates in LA, but the state aims to shift vaccines to hard-hit low-income communities.
Officer Jose Anzora, 31, died Wednesday from injuries suffered days earlier when he was struck by a car while doing traffic control.
