Email chrish@patch.com
Phone 617-680-5155
Hometown Wingate, North Carolina
Birthday Dec. 16, 1969
Bio: Since moving to Forest Hills nearly six years ago, I've dreamed of starting a Web site for JP. I have 14 years of experience at newspapers as an editor and reporter. Most recently, I edited the Watertown TAB & Press and the Cambridge Chronicle.

I speak Spanish, learned mostly from Mexican telenovelas and a college semester in Seville, Spain. I freelanced for the Spanish-language newspaper Siglo 21 when I first moved to Boston eight years ago.

I'm a proud expatriate North Carolinian who grew up in a small college town east of Charlotte. I live on Weld Hill Street with my wife, Jane, our dog, Molly, and two cats: Sophie and Carlos.

If I don't already know you, I look forward to meeting you around the neighborhood!

My 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.

Politics

As far as ideals, I'm a democratic socialist. In practice, I'm an unenrolled voter who mostly votes for Democrats. However, I did once vote for a Republican, so I like to think I keep an open mind.

Religion

I'm an atheist. I prefer the term "naturalist," since I see my lack of belief in the supernatural as a positive. I respect people who believe otherwise, however, and think religious institutions do a great deal of good, especially here in JP.

Local Hot-Button Issues

JP's urban environment is constantly changing. Battles over what should be built (or not built) are key to our neighborhood's evolution.

Crime, though lessened since the 80s, still harms far too many JP residents.