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Dan Neil fills the newly created post of automobile columnist and critic, writing mostly in Sunday Calendar and reporting to features editor Rick Flaste. He has a national reputation as an auto writer for Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Auto Week, Car & Driver, Worth, the New York Times and others. Deputy Managing Editor John Montorio announced the hire today:
Dan is a lively, witty, irreverent writer who's going to bring a new sense of edge to our report in a field that is at the core of Southern California culture. He will be a columnist for Highway 1 as well as for Sunday Calendar and will frequently step outside the bounds of the auto beat to bring his skills to bear on general style topics.
He begins in September after driving out from the East. Also saw a big house ad in the paper today for Outdoors, "the new section that surfs, hikes, skis, climbs, bikes, birds and more." It debuts Sept. 9 and will run on Tuesdays.