Born in Washington, D.C., Rita Farlow graduated from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton High School in Bladensburg, Md. She received a bachelor of arts in English from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., and a master of arts in journalism from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. Rita Farlow joined the St. Petersburg Times in 1997 as an editorial assistant. She currently covers the cops beat in north Pinellas County, and formerly covered the city of Tarpon Springs, community news in Largo and education in south Pinellas County. She lives in St. Petersburg with her husband, Jack, two dogs and two cats.

Phone: 727-445-4157

E-mail: farlow@tampabay.com