Reporters

I met Dan Abendschein today over lunch at Ventanas Restaurant at the Westin. He's new to the Pasadena Star-News, covering Pasadena City Hall and regional transportation. We had spoken on the phone several times, even when he was at the Trib, and it was nice to have some face time with him.



I have worked with a number of City Hall reporters over the years from the Star-News and other newspapers, plus in Palm Springs. They've always been professional with a nose for news, and most (but not all) have had that fire in the belly that has given them that certain edge. Sometimes a challenge, but always a good thing.

Before I became a public servant, I worked for advertising and PR agencies (1977-1986) from San Diego to the Bay Area to Palm Springs, and the reporters I dealt with had beats that were specific to my client base -- tourism/leisure, real estate, business, sports, etc. I often had to do a lot of hard-sell and schmoozing to get feature articles for clients ranging from Daiwa to Carmel Valley Ranch to Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

But these City Hall reporters really pay attention to the issues and have kept me on my toes. No hard-sell necessary!