Email: kelly.hartog@patch.com
Hometown: I have several. I was born in London but was raised in Australia. I consider Sydney just one of my home towns, along with Jerusalem, Israel, where I lived for 11 years, and I also consider Los Angeles home too.
Birthday: June 13.
Bio: I received my Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, History and Media Studies at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia before moving to Jerusalem where Ispent 10 years as a reporter and editor for The Jerusalem Post for both the daily paper, the local weekend section and as the radio news director. I covered local politics, arts, entertainment and wrote a weekly op-ed column on the city. I spent 2000-2004 covering the height of the Palestinian Intifada. After surviving an Al Qaeda suicide bombing attack on November 28, 2002, while on assignment for The Jerusalem Post in Mombasa, Kenya, I moved to Los Angeles in 2004. I spent time covering the City of Beverly Hills for the Beverly Hills Courier and freelancing for a variety of publications before taking on a job as a stringer for The New York Post and the Daily Mail.
On Nov. 28, 2010 (8 years to the day of the Al Qaeda attack), my adorable Golden Retriever puppy Bronte (named after Charlotte, not Emily)was born, and helped me get over the loss of my precious Golden Retriever, Bridget, who passed away in the summer of 2010 at the age of 13 and a half.
Before becoming a journalist, I trod the boards as an actress and theatre director and established and ran Israel's only professional English Language theatre company.
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. This disclosure is not a license for them to inject their beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that their beliefs are on the record will cause them 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?
Depends which country I'm in. Definitely more right leaning in Israel, but more left leaning in America.
Are you registered with a certain party?
No. As a non-American citizen, I'm unable to. However, if I could, I would register as a Democrat.
Religion
How religious would you consider yourself? (casual, observant, devout, non religious)
I was raised in a traditional Jewish home, attended an Orthodox Jewish day school and lived in the most Orthodox Jewish city in the world - Jerusalem. I consider myself an involved, committed, observant Jew. I am an active member of my Jewish community, IKAR, and I believe in the Jewish value of "tikkun olam" - repairing the world through social justice through a basic understanding that all people - no matter their religion or creed are created equal, and that religious values and helping the community must go hand in hand. There cannot be one without the other.
The walls came tumbling down – literally – at West Los Angeles College in Culver City on Dec. 11 as old dilapidated bungalows were demolished to make way for additional parking.
The new farm-to-table restaurant will open in the heart of the Helms Bakery District.
Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) announces her office will distribute free tickets to attend President Barack Obama’s Jan. 21 inauguration.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says birth control pills are safe to dispense over the counter.
The Culver City Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department will hold the event Sun Dec. 16 in partnership with the Los Angeles School of Gymnastics.
Pacific Palisades’ Village School will help the Culver City-based nonprofit celebrate the holidays this Sat. Dec. 15 in the Center’s courtyard.
Champ is only four months old and had a really rough start, but he's alert, curious and playful and looking for his fur-ever home.
Yeekai Lim’s coffee cart that became a coffee shop in Atwater Village now has another permanent home on Washington Boulevard in the Culver City Arts District.
The school’s Academy of Visual & Performing Arts Music department is performing during the holiday season. Check out the schedule below.
Senator Curren Price Jr. (D-Culver City) will run for the City Council’s 9th District seat in the March 2013 elections. Assemblymember Holly Mitchell told Patch she would consider running for Price's Senate seat if it became vacant.
The Culver City City Council Oil Drilling Subcommittee, together with Assemblymember Holly J. Mitchell will hold a public meeting on hydraulic fracturing at the Veterans Memorial Building on Fri. Dec. 14 at 9:30 a.m.
Michelle Citrin, the Jewish, dreadlocked Youtube icon has created a warm, cozy Hanukkah song perfect for frying latkes over a menorah flame.
As the Culver City City Council meets tonight to discuss regulating single use plastic bags, Cathy Browne, general manager at Huntington Park-based Crown Poly, a plastic bag manufacturer, says regulation is not the way to go.
In their distinctive red and white garb, the thirsty Santas made their way to the hotel's bar in Downtown Culver City mid-morning on Saturday as part of an L.A. pub crawl.
Patch was invited with several other members of the media to check out Culver City's PS 310 and to sample some of the fare before it officially opens to the public on Mon. Dec. 10.
Facebook users have just a few days left to vote for or against new site governance and privacy policy changes.
Be on hand as the lights are turned on at the Veterans Memorial tower building tonight at 6:30 p.m.
The Culver City Elementary School’s PTA has partnered with The Salvation Army to collect food donations for local families in need.
Country Music Entertainer of the Year and Coach on NBC’s “The Voice” Blake Shelton perform at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the parking lot outside jcpenney.
This week’s police blotter covers a commercial, car and a residential burglary.
