So Who's The Guy With The Beard?

Only I'm not really new. I've been with Patch for more than a year and a half now, since the really busy days of November 2010 when we launched a whole bunch of sites throughout metro Atlanta.

See, my real title is Associate Regional Editor, which is a fancy way of saying that I work with several of our Atlanta sites, one of which just happens to be ... Brookhaven Patch.

But Stephanie Arnold, our wonderful founding local editor, has moved off to Virginia to work for The Virginian Pilot, and when offered the chance to take over my home neighborhood site, I didn't hesitate a bit.

I'm about as close as you can get to a Brookhaven native. I'm told my great-grandfather, a carpenter, helped build Drew Valley in the early 1950s. As an infant, my parents and I lived in the apartments off Drew Valley Road and Skyland Drive. And I went to Skyland Elementary School (think I feel old sometimes? My old school playground is now a DeKalb County park).

I've lived in Brookhaven's Drew Valley community for more than 48 years (I was held hostage in another state for about two years before I escaped and came back home). I even ran for state rep more than 20 years ago (I came in fifth out of a field of seven, in case you're wondering).

And I now live in the home in which I grew up, with my wife and son, a tank full of fish, a cage full of hermit crabs, and a rescue dog in the back yard.

My family and I have deep ties to the community. I've served as president and chairman of the board of directors for my local civic association; my wife is BoxTop For Education champion at Ashford Park Elementary School; and my son has played for Murphey Candler Little League and belongs to OLA Pack 21 Cub Scouts.

I also know Chamblee quite well. I'm chair of a scholarship committee for a local fraternal organization, in which we give $1,000 each year to deserving students who want to go to college. My parents both went to Chamblee High, where my son will go someday as well.

So I'm as interested and invested as you are in our community, and I'm committed to making Brookhaven Patch your premiere and pre-eminent place for news, conversation, information and resources.

So let's keep it going. See you 'round ...

Tim Darnell