<strong>Email </strong>darren.fishell@patch.com<strong><br>Phone </strong>909.274.8345<strong><br>Hometown </strong>Diamond Bar<strong><br>Birthday </strong>May 12, 1987<strong><br>Facebook </strong>facebook.com/DiamondBarPatch<strong><br>Twitter </strong>twitter.com/DiamondBarPatch<strong><br>Welcome Video</strong>
<strong>Bio</strong>
Darren Fishell has a passion for journalism that began early, as a sophomore reporter and later editor in chief for the Diamond Ranch High School paper. After those early years growing up in Diamond Bar, Darren shipped off to Maine to attend Bowdoin College, where he spent summers and spare time reporting in Brunswick for The Times Record on everything from church bazaars to snow plow contract disputes and gubernatorial debates. After graduation, he worked as a correspondent for The Times Record, reporting in towns dappling Mid Coast Maine. His reporting on four men battling prostate cancer earned him an award from the Maine Coalition to Fight Prostate Cancer and was collected and republished for distribution throughout the state.
At Bowdoin, Darren co-founded and served as editor in chief of a student and community news website called Curia that provided students a platform to read about and discuss the issues of the day. That site introduced Darren to a new take on community journalism as an extended and community-wide conversation – the resource that Diamond Bar Patch will provide.
Darren has also contributed reporting for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an investigative journalism non-profit headquartered in Augusta, Maine.
Growing up in Diamond Bar, Darren attended Armstrong Elementary, Lorbeer Middle School, and Diamond Ranch High School. In his senior year at Diamond Ranch, he received a school service award for his work as editor in chief of the school paper.
See Darren's welcome video to Diamond Bar Patch for a video guide to the site.<br><br><strong>Our Beliefs</strong><br>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.<br><br><strong>Politics</strong><br>I was a registered Democrat until the 2010 mid-term elections, when I became unaligned to follow a compelling Independent candidate for governor in Maine. I strongly feel that party affiliation is only the tip of the iceberg with any candidate and I follow politicians of any stripe who are thoughtful, nuanced, and caring. My only hard-nosed political belief is that a better-informed public is more capable of governing itself. <br><br><strong>Religion</strong><br>I am not religious, but I value strongly the idea of Buddhist teacher and thinker Thich Naht Hanh that we have much to learn and to take from every world religion. I would suggest his book Living Buddha, Living Christ to people of any creed. I believe our creation is magnificent and rife with mystery and I would point anyone to Carl Sagan's Cosmos as a brilliant illustration of that.<br><br><strong>Local Hot-Button Issues</strong><br>Development is an ongoing tension, both at the proposed site of the Los Angeles football stadium and at Site "D," owned by Walnut Valley School District. The future of Diamond Bar could be shaped by the fate of the Los Angeles football stadium project.
School budgets will also be a point of interest throughout this year as districts will likely see significant cutbacks from the state.
A non-injury accident at Diamond Bar Boulevard and Mtn. Laurel has southbound DB Blvd. traffic stopped while a traffic investigation is underway.
The experience of a natural disaster is confusing and traumatizing for people of any age, but how do you explain natural disasters on such a large scale to your children?
A fake email warning of acid rain dangers as a result of radioactive particles coming from the Fukushima Nuclear Plant in Japan is circulating with the LA County Fire Department logo. The email is a fraud, LA County Fire officials say.
The Pomona teachers union, administrators, and supporters rallied Wednesday in support of extending a state tax that would keep education spending on par with current levels.
This week, Patch picks a few local spots to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in style.
Diamond Bar Mayor Steve Tye said that the city is at a "distinct disadvantage" against cities with redevelopment agencies in attracting businesses.
The Walnut Valley Water District is asking residents to conserve water as the supply will be cut by 50 percent due to retrofits at the F.E. Weymouth Treatment Plant in LaVerne from March 18-27.
The L.A. County Sheriff's, noting that cash donations are often the best way to help disaster relief, is urging caution for fraudulent solicitations for charitable donations to help relief efforts in Japan.
Sheriff's responded to a burglary alarm around 3 p.m. today at a residence near Golden Springs and Grand Avenue.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's cracked a cold case home invasion that took place in August of 2009 after a man was arrested Friday for a separate crime in Torrance.
A closed portion of the Summitridge Trail Loop will be re-routed and re-opened by the end of March. The trail was closed because of a steep incline that the city felt could be dangerous for some hikers.
A weekly recycling drive at Maple Hill Elementary School raised over $1,600. Tuesday, the school presented a donation of half of that money to the Walnut Valley Food Bank. The other half will go to upgrades at the school.
The Diamond Ranch Panther Pride Association will hold its annual casino night fundraiser Saturday night to help raise money for the school's programs, clubs, and activities.
Less than 24 hours after returning from a disaster relief effort after an earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, the Los Angeles County Task Force 2 is suiting up again to help in the wake of yesterday's 8.9 earthquake in Japan.
Diamond Bar resident Manami Kushizaki received a call from her sister in Tokyo shortly after the earthquake that hit at 9:45 p.m. Thursday, local time. Since, it has been a scramble to get news the latest news.
![[UPDATED] Japan Quake Hits Home, Getting News in the Aftermath](https://patch.com/img/cdn/users/103599/2011/03/raw/a599abf021abefe48a669d3cb8ab4c13.jpg)
A massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake off of Japan's Pacific coast has the national weather service concerned that a 1-3 foot surge could hit Los Angeles shores for a 10-12 hour period that started at 8 a.m. this morning.
A massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake off of Japan's Pacific coast has the national weather service concerned that a 1-3 foot surge could hit Los Angeles shores for a 10-12 hour period that started at 8 a.m. this morning.
This week, our Moms Talk is fueled by a reader submission — how much is too much when it comes to our students' extra-curricular and classroom commitments?
It's a roundup of the region's major developments on March 10.
Thieves reportedly hit seven cars in Diamond Bar from Feb. 27 to March 4, according to statistics provided by the Los Angeles Times in partnership with the L.A. County Sheriff's.