To say I love living in Cerritos would be an understatement. I've lived here since I was three and wouldn't mind calling it home for the rest of my life.
I am a product of the ABC School District, starting in 2nd grade at Palms Elementary, then jumping over to the G.A.T.E. program at Leal Elementary, moving on to Tetzlaff Middle School and finally graduating from Artesia High. After having my daughter I went to Long Beach City College and transferred to the University of Southern California where I received a B.A. in Communication.
Looking back at my childhood, I think the writing was on the wall that I'd end up with a career as a storyteller. When I was a child my parents had to force me to stop reading and go to bed. So that's when I'd whip out my handy dandy emergency flashlight and read my book under the covers. I've always been mesmerized by the power of the written word, appreciated the impact of one's voice, and been enamored by the beauty of images and life captured on film.
While too busy dreaming of becoming a T.V. reporter in college, I made the dumb mistake of thinking all I had to do to was get my degree and jobs would fall in my lap like leaves in November. But reality checked in when all the jobs I wanted required a degree AND a resume reel -- something I didn't have. So that's when I hit the ground running and began reporting at several local city stations throughout L.A. County. For more than two years I did it for free, spending my weekends in a small dark edit bay, editing my own sports and news packages. I honestly had no clue what I was doing, but slowly osmosis swept in and I started to get it and frankly, I was addicted to it.
I knew that if I wanted to make it into the TV big leagues, I'd have to move to a small town and start from scratch but instead I decided to stay local and picked up paying gigs as a freelance anchor/reporter at a few local stations in my area. I didn't get rich doing it, much to my parents' dismay, but I was doing what I loved and it never felt like work. And though I enjoyed the freedom of freelancing, I knew I eventually had to grow up and find "a real job."
So in 2007, I accepted a position as the overnight police beat reporter for City News Service -- the largest regional newswire service in the country. I worked from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Mon-Fri in the LAPD Parker Center newsroom they say was haunted. And in that dark and dirty newsroom that was always filled with inexplicable noises, I spent more than two years plugging away and breaking news throughout L.A., Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties. I hated the hours, I'm not going to lie, but the job and my editors Jacques and Calvin taught me more about journalism than five years of college courses ever could.
During my time at CNS, I broke some of the most notable stories in the Southland, including the slaying of the first LAPD SWAT officer, the big rig tunnel explosion on the I-5, and the late night suicide of murder suspect Kazuyoshi Miura inside the Parker Center jail. But lest I forget the best thing about the job ... the 20 pounds I lost living like a vampire. Yep, and when people asked what was my secret, I simply told them to work the graveyard shift full-time. It's seriously the best diet. Ever.
After getting married in the summer of 2009, I decided to reacquaint myself with the living and stepped away from my post at CNS. Over the next six months, I discovered a passion being behind the lens, specifically as a portrait and wedding photographer. My husband Tommy is my second shooter and together we spend our free time capturing the most joyful moments in people's lives through our business as MarieSam Sanchez Photography.
When I'm not busy working and decide to come up for air, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our daughter, watching sports -- Go Lakers, Go Trojans -- and traveling to different corners of the earth. If I had it my way, I'd spend the rest of my life making videos like this: Where The Hell is Matt? and taking a billion pictures along the way.
In a gist, I'm a simple gal with a love for people and new experiences and if there's one thing I need in life, it's the tight knit circle I call my family. Oh and the internet, because I'm totally addicted to checking my email.
So whether I'm sitting at a computer working on the latest Patch article, in front of the camera or behind one, I love the ability to tell a story through my voice, pictures or words. Communication is my life and I feel lucky to have found a line of work doing what I love to do.
<b>Your Beliefs</b><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.
<b>Politics: </b>I vote for whoever is right.
<b>Religion: </b> I believe in God, I always have and I'm grateful each day for all the blessings in my life.
<b>Local Hot-Button Issues</b>: Public Safety. Maintaining high academic standards throughout the school district. Home maintenance and property values.
To avoid vehicle theft, the Cerritos Sheriff's Station reminds motorists that there are many auto tracking devices available for a nominal installation and monthly fee.
The accident on the eastbound Artesia (91) Freeway near the Shoemaker Avenue off-ramp took place about 1:10 a.m. Tuesday.
Fair skinned people can suffer a sunburn in about four minutes without the proper protection.
The Democrats’ “Make It In America” plan to grow manufacturing jobs will now include legislation sponsored by local Congresswoman Linda Sánchez that aims to prevent importers from duty evasion.
The 5-year-old boy was taken to a hospital following the accident, but appears to have escaped major injury.
Patch profiles James Koo, who plays the baritone saxophone for the Cerritos High Wind Symphony. He says being a part of this group can be difficult but it's always worth it in the end.
Patch has been compiling the best of our community, so tell us your favorites: where you love to get a bargain, eat, or relax with your family in Cerritos and Artesia. WE WANT TO KNOW, and so do your neighbors.
KinderCare’s Nationwide Read. Share. Give. book sharing program recently stopped in Cerritos and a special cat dropped by as well.
Pedicures and facials for less than $13 throughout the summer.
The 17-year-old was riding a fixie bike without brakes, says Cerritos sheriff's detective Tim Britt.
Patch profiles Amanda Oyama, a Cerritos High clarinetist whose love for music stems generations.
Here's a list of the food trucks you can expected on the evening of Wednesday, June 27.
A total of 17 local students were honored at a special breakfast banquet at the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel on June 24.
The Tuesday night food truck rally event at Gahr High School has been canceled through the summer.
William Frank Lordier, 54, is accused of cheating several individuals out of thousands of dollars through an online real estate sales scam.
The teenage bicyclist was taken to a hospital following the Sunday evening accident.
SoCal's most well-known rock made its debut at LACMA on Sunday. Local residents can check out the 'Levitated Mass' exhibit and visit the rest of the exhibits for free this week.
The Cerritos Sheriff's Station offers vehicle burglary prevention tips and reminds residents that just because your vehicle is the driveway doesn’t mean it cannot be the target of a vehicle break-in.
It's your price at the pump heading into the first weekend of the summer; use our handy Patch tool to find your lowest gas prices in the neighborhood.
If you plan on being outside Saturday, make sure to protect your skin.
