Joseph Kellard, Patch Staff

ABOUT JOSEPH

HOMETOWN: Grew up in Oceanside; now calls East Meadow home

BIRTHDAY: December 31..................................................................................................

In 2000, Joe started working as a reporter for weekly newspapers and shortly after landed a writing gig at the Herald Newspapers, which acquired his former employer. He wrote and edited for the Long Beach and Oceanside editions for several years before coming to Long Beach Patch. He has been awarded for his court reporting and photography............................................................................

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

How would you describe your political beliefs?

I grew up believing in my mother's FDR, Old Left politics, but during my 20-something years I started to question and challenge those ideals and my politics have since changed dramatically. Today, I'm neither a liberal nor a conservative, but rather a rare but growing breed: a champion of individual rights and laissez faire capitalism............................................................................

RELIGION

How religious would you consider yourself? (casual, observant, devout, non religious)

I was raised in the Catholic tradition but my parents weren't particularly religious and I choose my own independent ideas and values. Today, I’m an Objectivist............................................................................

LOCAL HOT-BUTTON ISSUES

What do you think are the most important issues facing the community? Where do you stand on each of these issues?

Long Beach has many issues that its residents and officials look to address, from boardwalk reconstruction to parking problems to the city’s troubled finances. My general position on these and many other issues is that, to put it broadly, a government that governs least, governs best.............................................................................