Chris Brown joins Clark County’s online news organization after career at Portland radio and TV stations
VANCOUVER — ClarkCountyToday.com added award-winning news reporter Chris Brown to its staff this week.
Brown comes to Clark County Today with 15 years of local news experience as a reporter, editor, and anchor at KXL News Radio and KOIN-6 TV in Portland.
In 2016, Brown won an Oregon Association of Broadcaster’s award for Best Investigative Reporting for a series on America’s Violent Youth. He has also been awarded by the Associated Press for Best Breaking News coverage as editor of Portland’s Morning News following the 2015 school shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, OR.
“I’m extremely excited to add a reporter to our staff as talented as Chris,’’ said ClarkCountyToday.com Editor Ken Vance, who worked previously with Brown at Rose City Radio (the former parent company of KXL). “We have been looking for just the right veteran reporter who can report on the news that matters most to Clark County residents. I’m confident Chris is that reporter.’’
Vance said that his plans for Brown include more than just the production of written news content.
“The skills and talents that Chris possesses that allowed him to be so successful in radio and television will allow ClarkCountyToday.com to venture into other areas of content production yet to be fully explored by our staff,’’ Vance said.
The second oldest of eight home-schooled children, Brown graduated from high school two years early. After several odd jobs, he earned an internship at KXL Radio, eventually working his way into a full-time job.
Brown has lived in Clark County his entire life, and is very excited at the opportunity to now focus full-time on the compelling stories happening in his own back yard, rather than across the Columbia River.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the amazing news team at Clark County Today,’’ Brown said. “This represented not just a chance to no longer drive across the river every day for work, but an opportunity to report on the things happening right in my own backyard – stuff that really matters to myself and my family. I look forward to growing with a terrific organization, and being able to continue telling amazing stories every single week.”
After a few years in Vancouver, Brown recently moved back to Battle Ground with his wife and two young daughters.
When he’s not working to report what’s happening in Clark County, Brown enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, taking pictures, or working in the yard. He also actually does enjoy long walks on the beach, and sunsets.
Brown joins a news staff at ClarkCountyToday.com that includes Editor Ken Vance, reporters Paul Valencia and Alex Peru, photographer/videographer Mike Schultz and graphic designer/webmaster Andi Schwartz. Heidi Wetzler serves as the administrator for ClarkCountyToday.com.
Visit Clark County Today on Facebook and on Twitter @NewsfromCCT. Contact Editor Ken Vance via email at ken.v@clarkcountytoday.com.
