Vickie Chachere Editorial writer Phone number: (813) 259-7603  E-mail Vickie Chachere

Age: 38

Years at Tribune: 11 years, from 1989 to 2000, rejoining in June 2005.

Education: B.A. in journalism from Arizona State University, 1989

Married: To Doug Stanley for six years

Children: Nicholas, 2 1/2

Pets: Cats, Kirby and Bogey

Hometown: Applegate, Ore.

Girlhood heroes: Sacagawea, Helen Keller, Cathy Rigby and Judy Blume

Favorite part of living in Florida: Watching my son run on the beach, year-round gardening, strawberries and tomatoes fresh from the field, and playing golf with my husband

Where I got my start: I started in daily journalism at the State Press at Arizona State University, and after internships that took me to Colorado Springs, Washington, D.C., and San Jose, I came to The Tampa Tribune a few months after graduating from college. I joined The Associated Press in 2000 to head the Tampa bureau and am proud to return to the Tribune.

Favorite story I've covered: The federal espionage trial of George Trofimoff, which was like watching a real-life spy thriller unfold in court

Books by the bedside: "Prep" by Curtis Sittenfeld; "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman; "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss

Best part of my job: Being there as history happens

Worst part of my job: Seeing real-life pain and misery become "infotainment"