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
The measure seeks to restrict companies from using consumers' personal data without permission, but privacy advocates are divided on Prop 24
Proposition 25 is a referendum on a new state law that eliminates the cash bail bond system in California.
Officials didn't want to head into the holidays with the coronavirus outbreak surging, but cases are spiking, and a USC study shows why.
Police and businesses in several Los Angeles County communities are preparing for civil unrest with unprecedented Election Day measures.
The SigAlert issued for the northbound 110 Freeway in the Gardena area was expected to last for nine hours.
Here’s a list of polling places in Los Angeles, to cast or drop off your ballot in person for the Nov. 3 Election.
Proposition 25 is a referendum on a new state law that eliminates the cash bail bond system in California.
The measure seeks to restrict companies from using consumers' personal data without permission, but privacy advocates are divided on Prop 24
Proposition 23 would require dialysis clinics to have doctors or nurses on-site and report infections to the state.
Sponsored by the likes of Uber, Lyft and Instacart, Prop 22 aims to carve out an exception from the state labor law for app-based drivers.
Prop 20 aims to restrict parole, create two new theft-related crimes and make dozens of misdemeanors felonies.
Proposition 21 seeks to make it easier for cities to control skyrocketing rents, but critics contend it won't help housing affordability.
Prop 19 supporters say it closes tax loopholes that exacerbate housing affordability. Critics say it just creates new loopholes.
Proposition 18 seeks to engage young people in politics by letting 17-year-olds vote in primaries if they turn 18 by the general election.
Proposition 17 would amend the state constitution to allow parolees in California to vote.
California banned affirmative action in the 1990s. Proposition 16 would repeal the ban.
Hundreds of billions of dollars are on the line if Prop 15 passes, forcing large commercial property owners to pay taxes at market value.
Californians are being asked to fund $5.5 billion in stem cell research through bond sales that will take 30 years to repay.
With the help of three water-dropping helicopters, crews were able to protect homes in the Sylmar area where the fire burned Monday morning.
Police were called to respond to a disturbance at a Ralph's grocery store in Granada Hills where the shootout occurred.
