ABOUT

It’s hard for me to believe that people have been paying me to write local and state news for more than 30 years, but here I am — living my dream of working on crushing deadlines with intense public scrutiny, horrible hours and pathetic wages.

In reality, my journalism roots can be traced back to the mid 1970s, when I was 11, delivering both the Portland Press Herald and Journal Tribune. Even then, I was fascinated by journalism and politics. Eric Reiss, then editor of the Journal Tribune, allowed me to experience working in a newsroom as an unpaid, student intern in 1981. I was hooked.

My professional journalism career didn’t begin until many years later, starting in the mid 1990s. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege and honor of working with some of Maine’s most notable and respected news editors. I tried to learn along the way. The results are mixed, but I always loved the job.

Today, I run my own non-profit news company, covering my hometown of Biddeford, Maine. I try to share what I have learned — and what I have failed to learn — with anyone who will listen to me bloviate about the industry. I infrequently teach a basic journalism class via the Biddeford Adult Education program