Sacramento biz journal hires new reporter

The Sacramento Business Journal has hired Christopher Arns as a reporter.

Jack Robinson, the editor of the paper, writes, “Christopher Arns joined the paper on Monday as our first Capitol reporter. His mission: to find out what California’s massive state government is doing for — and to — business interests.

“He’ll get under the dome and inside the bureaucracy to find out what new regulations and legislation could mean for your business. He’ll report on big new contracts and business opportunities with the state. And he will dig deep into the Golden State’s ongoing struggle to shed the “job killer” label and better compete with other states.

“Christopher is an accomplished reporter who has written for many Sacramento-area news organizations, including this one, as a freelancer. He’s also author of the first travel guidebook devoted to the Sacramento and Gold Country regions. It’s due out in May from Moon Handbooks.

“A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo who also has a master’s degree in international relations from California State University Sacramento, Christopher also teaches political science part-time at Napa Valley College.

“He replaces Melanie Turner, who recently left to take a job with the state Air Resources Board. Her beats will be split up among other staff writers, with real estate reporter Ben van der Meer taking transportation and agriculture issues and technology writer Mark Anderson taking energy, clean technology and med/biotech.”

Read more here.