My article on a key anniverary for last mass shooting in Illinois that resulted in a death row conviction.
Read the full article here.
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.
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.
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.