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My article on a key anniverary for last mass shooting in Illinois that resulted in a death row conviction.
Read the full article here.
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The best stories are always about people. I strive to put a face on broad social issues. Stats are important, but it's too easy to lose sight of how the numbers represent real people and real lives. With this story, I wanted to examine how an organization that is rooted in large, regular social gathering, like a church was navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. I especially liked the angle of using church to put a face on the problem because of the social and emotional support systems provided by religious organizations. How were those adapting (or not) during the pandemic. Read the full story here.
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It's important for journalists and news organizations to remember the people who often go neglected in daily news coverage. That includes people who identify as houseless. With this story, I set out to see how people living in a wooded area were faring during one of the coldest nights of the year. Read the story here.
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I wrote this story after coming across the Facebook post mentioned in the lede. Drug overdose deaths were, and continue to be, a huge problem in the area. And finding someone with an emotional connection and a compelling mission was key to demonstrating a different approach to solving the problem. Read the story here.