Samantha Page, Patch Staff

<b>Email:</b> samantha.page&#64;patch.com

<b>Phone:</b> 310.741.0210

<b>Hometown</b>: Mid-coast, Maine. Yes, I realize that &#34;mid-coast&#34; is not a town, per se, but it&#39;s where I consider myself from, and no one town there would really do my roots justice.

<b>Birthday:</b> June 10

<b>Bio: </b>Samantha earned her Masters in journalism at USC and lived in Hollywood before moving to Venice. Prior to coming to LA, she lived in New York (City) and Thailand.

Although she grew up in Maine, where her family still lives, Samantha attended high school at the Taft School, in Connecticut, and earned her BA in psychology from Carleton College, in Minnesota.

Currently, she has two cats, Pall Mall and Pacquiao, who are both incredibly precious and incredibly annoying. 

She thinks they are adorable.

Before Samantha started in journalism, she read a lot -- mostly literary novels. Now, it&#39;s an effort just try to find time to read. Among her favorite authors are Italo Calvino, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Ernest Hemingway. She is also always ready to talk movies. After spending a semester in Italy, Samantha returned with an undying love of Fellini&#39;s work, but she is also a huge fan of the Coen brothers. After &#34;The Big Lebowski,&#34; her  favorite L.A. film is &#34;Who Framed Roger Rabbit?&#34; If you haven&#39;t seen it since 1988, she suggests you check it out.

Samantha loves the beach (of course), works out less than she should, and thinks sitting back with a glass of wine is one of the nicest things on earth.

<br><b>My 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 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.<br><br><b>Politics </b><br><i>How would you describe your political beliefs?</i><br><br>Libertarian-leaning liberal. <br><br>I think that, as long as their actions do not interfere with the liberty of others, people should be able to act in accordance with their personal beliefs. However, I also believe that the government can be our most efficient and effective way of facilitating a society in which those with more resources -- financial, intellectual, or otherwise -- provide assistance for those with less, and I believe that in a humane, civilized society, people are obligated to care for one another.  <br><br>I also believe in trying to be open-minded, especially when you think you already are. <br><br><i>Are you registered with a certain party?</i><br><br>Democratic. <br><br><b>Religion</b><br><i>How religious would you consider yourself? (casual, observant, devout, non religious)</i><br><br>I am utterly unschooled in religion. I don&#39;t believe in what I see as the myths of organized religion, but I do think that religion plays an incredibly important role in civilization and human existence, and I am certainly not willing to rule out the idea of a power or consciousness greater than my own. <br><br><b>Local Hot-Button Issues</b><br><i>What do you think are the most important issues facing the community?</i><br><br>Obviously, overnight parking is a big issue. This reflects bigger issues about the idea of Venice as a haven (for the unshaved masses) and about safety, sanitation, and respect for those who do live here. For some, it also raises the issue of secession from the City. <br><br>There is also tension around the idea of &#34;who&#34; Venice is. Gentrification is a reality, here and in other places around Los Angeles and the country. The fact is, Venice is no longer the get-away of the Beat Generation, but that doesn&#39;t mean that it can&#39;t retain a vibrant, artistic and laid-back culture. <br><br><i>Where do you stand on each of these issues?</i><br><br>Increased development brings both opportunities and restrictions. It&#39;s up to us to figure out how we want our community to be going forward. <br><br>I believe in treating all people fairly and with respect, and I have an unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on how you look at it) tendency to see both sides. With that said, I am happy to learn more about these and any other issues.