Writing.
While I am no longer a journalist, I like to keep my old clips here to give people a good idea of my writing style and show off some interactive graphics I made.
Community
9-year-old Justin Borrell Jr. gets a fireman's sendoff
Justin "Lil' J" Borrell Jr.'s last ride was in the fire trucks he loved.
A Guide To Punctuation on the Internet
The Internet is killing the period, but what about other, much beloved punctuation marks???????
Night Patrol: John Newcomer protects Stinesville
It’s easy to keep track of the Stinesville Police — it’s one man, John Newcomer. I road along with him.
Sewanee's garden gives students a taste of agriculture
Students can study anything at college … and work on a farm between classes.
Neighbors grieve for Chattanooga mom killed in shooting
Here’s how commonplace random, senseless violence has become in some communities in America.
A Timeline of Indiana’s Same-Sex Marriage Laws
I routinely updated this timeline to show how the laws were changing.
SCOTUS weighs arguments in Stolen Valor case
Does the First Amendment cover you when you lie about your military service?
Demographics
Lead poisoning in Pennsylvania: should we be worried?
The short answer is probably. The longer answer is much more complicated.
Best Places to Live In Midstate Pennsylvania: how we did it
How I created my methodology to find the best place to live near Harrisburg, Pa.
Republicans face uphill battle in Democrat-dominated Bloomington
Republicans haven’t won an office in Bloomington in years. Here’s why.
Fossil FOIA: At least one request goes back 20 years ... and counting
I’m still waiting for records I requested for this story, which I wrote two months into Obama’s second term.
Technology makes voting less private
Where is the line between technology and voter privacy?
Pennsylvania is getting older
I looked at data that showed Pennsylvania’s aging population and created various maps to explore and explain the data.
Government
Final stage of Bloomington Hospital's move: Accept it
When a community hospital moves, what ripple effects does it cause for an entire community?
New era in criminal justice begins in Indiana after three decades
What happens next after Indiana overhauls its criminal code?
Six things to watch in local government
I made this slideshow to explain the many issues local governments would face in the year ahead in central Pennsylvania.
Silencing stories: Special administrative measures handcuff First Amendment
What happens when the government says you can’t talk to the subject of one of the biggest spy stories?
Bernie Sanders Says He’s Starting a Revolution — and Crowds Believe It
I sat in the crowd waiting for Bernie Sanders to speak. This is the crowd’s story.
How do you calculate what your property taxes?
This story shows how to calculate your property taxes and includes maps that show rate increases.
10 things to know with 10 days until Election Day
I wrote this to tell voters a few things they might need to know before hitting the polls.
Outside party to review western TIF districts
A brief explanation of one of the most controversial and difficult to understand quirks of local government: tax increment financing districts.
Strippers may need a license before taking off their clothes
Things you might need a license for in Indiana: Building. Driving. Taking off your clothes and getting paid.