Lake County News-Sun
Breaking News
Brother: Waukegan woman fatally shot in Chicago 'was just a beautiful person'
A murder-suicide on one of Chicago's busiest expressways had me cold calling friends and family searching for someone who could share more information about the two involved. Using Facebook that Sunday and Monday, I was able to find a friend willing to talk about the woman who was shot, and through LexisNexis, I was able to contact the woman's brother for a follow-up story.
A murder-suicide on one of Chicago's busiest expressways had me cold calling friends and family searching for someone who could share more information about the two involved. Using Facebook that Sunday and Monday, I was able to find a friend willing to talk about the woman who was shot, and through LexisNexis, I was able to contact the woman's brother for a follow-up story.
Investigations
Lake County spent $4.9 million on uncompleted e-filing system, records show
When Lake County officials in March 2009 embarked on creating a new electronic court filing system, the idea was to create an integrated computer program unlike others, according to interviews and records I obtained while reporting this article. But more than 10 years and $4.9 million later, the system remained unfinished and the county was raising court fees in part to help pay for an entirely new system.
Sheriff's deputy allowed Waukegan police official to call for ride after traffic stop, video shows
Following a tip, I found the Lake County Sheriff's Office allowed the Waukegan deputy chief, just weeks after being promoted to the job, to call his daughter for a ride home. The Waukegan Police Department subsequently began an investigation into the deputy chief's conduct, months after the initial stop.
Waukegan superintendent stops attending open session of school board meetings
While attending school board meetings for one of the state's largest school districts, I noticed that the superintendent's seat was being filled by the deputy superintendent. I started noting how many meetings he was missing and once a month and a half had passed with no shows, I reached out to find out why. The reason was surprising: The superintendent blamed certain residents who speak at public meetings.
Waukegan family from Honduras details challenges amid rise in immigrant students in Lake County
A continuing rise in the number of immigrant students at Lake County schools had me wondering how area school districts were coping. The answer is not well, according to state data and at least one family of recent arrivals. The family, which consists of a mother and her son who crossed two entire countries to get from Honduras to the U.S., was actually planning on leaving the Chicago suburb because their transition had been so difficult.
When Lake County officials in March 2009 embarked on creating a new electronic court filing system, the idea was to create an integrated computer program unlike others, according to interviews and records I obtained while reporting this article. But more than 10 years and $4.9 million later, the system remained unfinished and the county was raising court fees in part to help pay for an entirely new system.
Sheriff's deputy allowed Waukegan police official to call for ride after traffic stop, video shows
Following a tip, I found the Lake County Sheriff's Office allowed the Waukegan deputy chief, just weeks after being promoted to the job, to call his daughter for a ride home. The Waukegan Police Department subsequently began an investigation into the deputy chief's conduct, months after the initial stop.
Waukegan superintendent stops attending open session of school board meetings
While attending school board meetings for one of the state's largest school districts, I noticed that the superintendent's seat was being filled by the deputy superintendent. I started noting how many meetings he was missing and once a month and a half had passed with no shows, I reached out to find out why. The reason was surprising: The superintendent blamed certain residents who speak at public meetings.
Waukegan family from Honduras details challenges amid rise in immigrant students in Lake County
A continuing rise in the number of immigrant students at Lake County schools had me wondering how area school districts were coping. The answer is not well, according to state data and at least one family of recent arrivals. The family, which consists of a mother and her son who crossed two entire countries to get from Honduras to the U.S., was actually planning on leaving the Chicago suburb because their transition had been so difficult.
Northwest Herald
Breaking News
Fox Lake police officer killed just miles from Holiday Hills shooting site
Our breaking news coverage of the shooting death of Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz, who authorities say staged his suicide to look like a homicide, won first place in breaking news coverage from the Associated Press Managing Editors and third place from the Illinois Press Association.
Scheduled to work a night shift, I was still at home when got the call that an officer had been shot in Fox Lake and a manhunt for three suspects was on. Morning reporter Katie Dahlstrom and I tag teamed the breaking news coverage, balancing live tweeting news conferences and updates, appearances on national news outlets like CNN and MSNBC, shooting videos and updating the online story. I wrapped up the coverage after Dahlstrom went home for the day and rewrote the story for the next morning's newspaper.
My work on the story continued through the week with coverage of a candlelight vigil for Lt. Joe Gliniewicz and the false police report filed by a Vernon Hills nanny. The false report had triggered a search in the Volo and Lakemoor area starting around 9:30 p.m., and at 2 a.m., my editor released me for the night. I continued to monitor the scanner and Twitter on my way home, however, and was able to file an update on the story around 3:30 a.m.
Our breaking news coverage of the shooting death of Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz, who authorities say staged his suicide to look like a homicide, won first place in breaking news coverage from the Associated Press Managing Editors and third place from the Illinois Press Association.
Scheduled to work a night shift, I was still at home when got the call that an officer had been shot in Fox Lake and a manhunt for three suspects was on. Morning reporter Katie Dahlstrom and I tag teamed the breaking news coverage, balancing live tweeting news conferences and updates, appearances on national news outlets like CNN and MSNBC, shooting videos and updating the online story. I wrapped up the coverage after Dahlstrom went home for the day and rewrote the story for the next morning's newspaper.
My work on the story continued through the week with coverage of a candlelight vigil for Lt. Joe Gliniewicz and the false police report filed by a Vernon Hills nanny. The false report had triggered a search in the Volo and Lakemoor area starting around 9:30 p.m., and at 2 a.m., my editor released me for the night. I continued to monitor the scanner and Twitter on my way home, however, and was able to file an update on the story around 3:30 a.m.
Government Reporting
McHenry County TIF districts used for Three Oaks Recreation Area, road improvements, developer agreements
The use of tax-increment financing districts are under fire in McHenry County as three municipal boards created new districts and a fourth hired a firm to conduct the feasibility study. In light of this renewed interest locally in TIFs, I decided to take a look at how they've been used over the past 30 or so years. The Illinois Press Association awarded the article first place for best coverage of taxation in the second largest circulation category for Illinois dailies.
McHenry County school districts try to balance teacher absences, development
Using a U.S. Department of Education database on teacher absenteeism, I discovered that McHenry County had the highest percent of teachers missing 10 or more days in a school year of the Chicago collar counties. At one elementary school, more than 80 percent of teachers missed that much time. This article took second place in reporting on a single story from the Illinois Press Association.
Living on the poverty line
The Northwest Herald's multi-day "Strapped in Suburbia" series looked at the growing issue of poverty in McHenry County. As the reporter responsible for the first day's story, I was charged with providing background and putting a face on the issue. The feature profiles three families who have found themselves in precarious financial positions because of disease, layoffs and foreclosures. The series won first place for investigative or enterprise reporting from the Illinois Press Association.
Dropping property values lead to budget crunches
Statutory maximum tax rates are not typically the source of riveting stories, but in McHenry County where property values have plummeted since the housing crisis, maximum tax rates are causing issues for an increasing number of local government entities. In this story, I tackled explaining the different tax caps that are design to reign in property taxes and how they're playing out in an era of falling property values.
The use of tax-increment financing districts are under fire in McHenry County as three municipal boards created new districts and a fourth hired a firm to conduct the feasibility study. In light of this renewed interest locally in TIFs, I decided to take a look at how they've been used over the past 30 or so years. The Illinois Press Association awarded the article first place for best coverage of taxation in the second largest circulation category for Illinois dailies.
McHenry County school districts try to balance teacher absences, development
Using a U.S. Department of Education database on teacher absenteeism, I discovered that McHenry County had the highest percent of teachers missing 10 or more days in a school year of the Chicago collar counties. At one elementary school, more than 80 percent of teachers missed that much time. This article took second place in reporting on a single story from the Illinois Press Association.
Living on the poverty line
The Northwest Herald's multi-day "Strapped in Suburbia" series looked at the growing issue of poverty in McHenry County. As the reporter responsible for the first day's story, I was charged with providing background and putting a face on the issue. The feature profiles three families who have found themselves in precarious financial positions because of disease, layoffs and foreclosures. The series won first place for investigative or enterprise reporting from the Illinois Press Association.
Dropping property values lead to budget crunches
Statutory maximum tax rates are not typically the source of riveting stories, but in McHenry County where property values have plummeted since the housing crisis, maximum tax rates are causing issues for an increasing number of local government entities. In this story, I tackled explaining the different tax caps that are design to reign in property taxes and how they're playing out in an era of falling property values.
Business Reporting
Child care disconnect: Costs squeeze McHenry County families while providers see real wages shrink
The wages of child care providers in Illinois have not kept up with inflation even while Illinois fell to among the 10 least affordable states for center-based, according to a 2014 report from Child Care Aware of America.
Hospitals to see Medicare payments tied more closely to readmission rates
The interesting thing about the Affordable Care Act is how many ripple effects its had, the ways hospitals have changed their policies and have adapted to it. An emphasis on readmission rates has led to hospitals creating staff positions and reorganizing departments.
Nonprofits’ impact beyond employment, officials say
With nonprofits employing 5,776 people in McHenry, or about 3.64 percent of the county’s workers in 2010, our business section decided to take a look at the economic impact these organizations have, particularly in the education, health care and social assistance sectors.
McHenry County farmers prepare for farm bill’s implications
Agriculture is still a big business in McHenry County, and so when a new farm bill was approved by Congress, we took a look at what it could mean for area farmers.
The wages of child care providers in Illinois have not kept up with inflation even while Illinois fell to among the 10 least affordable states for center-based, according to a 2014 report from Child Care Aware of America.
Hospitals to see Medicare payments tied more closely to readmission rates
The interesting thing about the Affordable Care Act is how many ripple effects its had, the ways hospitals have changed their policies and have adapted to it. An emphasis on readmission rates has led to hospitals creating staff positions and reorganizing departments.
Nonprofits’ impact beyond employment, officials say
With nonprofits employing 5,776 people in McHenry, or about 3.64 percent of the county’s workers in 2010, our business section decided to take a look at the economic impact these organizations have, particularly in the education, health care and social assistance sectors.
McHenry County farmers prepare for farm bill’s implications
Agriculture is still a big business in McHenry County, and so when a new farm bill was approved by Congress, we took a look at what it could mean for area farmers.
Sauk Valley Media
What were the red flags of fraud in Dixon?
In the wake of the arrest of former Dixon Comptroller Rita Crundwell, most of the questions revolved around how a decades-long fraud of that magnitude could have continued undetected. In this article, I examined whether city officials and the auditors should have caught on sooner.
Mabley families anxiously wait
Three months before the Jack Mabley Developmental Center made it onto the governor's chopping block, I was reporting on cuts to the Department of Human Services and what it may mean for the Dixon facility. This early connection with the families was a valuable resource for the coming months of coverage. I covered this issue from the first article in June through the passage of supplemental funds, and I continue to cover the governor's long-term plan for the department.
Late bills bad for businesses
This was the first in a four-part series that looked at the impact late state payments were having on local businesses, schools, municipalities and health care providers. I requested all the unpaid receipts from the state comptroller for the three major cities in our circulation area to get an idea of the different type of businesses and other entities affected.
In the wake of the arrest of former Dixon Comptroller Rita Crundwell, most of the questions revolved around how a decades-long fraud of that magnitude could have continued undetected. In this article, I examined whether city officials and the auditors should have caught on sooner.
Mabley families anxiously wait
Three months before the Jack Mabley Developmental Center made it onto the governor's chopping block, I was reporting on cuts to the Department of Human Services and what it may mean for the Dixon facility. This early connection with the families was a valuable resource for the coming months of coverage. I covered this issue from the first article in June through the passage of supplemental funds, and I continue to cover the governor's long-term plan for the department.
Late bills bad for businesses
This was the first in a four-part series that looked at the impact late state payments were having on local businesses, schools, municipalities and health care providers. I requested all the unpaid receipts from the state comptroller for the three major cities in our circulation area to get an idea of the different type of businesses and other entities affected.
Reuters
EU lags Russia, Korea on higher education: report
This story really utilized my computer-assisted reporting experience. I was given a book (and jump drive) full of data and was able to translate that and the technical briefing into something easier to digest and numbers that mean something.
Lawyer wants sanctions on Iranian leaders' travel
The Iranian woman who was sentenced to death by stoning was a major news story for quite a few months. I worked to balance new information and background as to not bore readers familiar with the story but to still inform those that were catching up.
Young designers invade Brussels with fashion trail
This arts story was a real break from my normal reporting. I was reporting on a topic I wasn't very familiar with -- one with its own extensive language -- and was writing in a style very different from the one I use for my cut-and-dry hard news articles. For this article, I used a lot more adjectives than typical with more of a magazine style. Check out my blog entry from this event.
Tens of thousands march in Brussels over austerity
I assisted with the reporting of this article, gathering quotes and color, including the end quote from a German coal union representative. I used my German language skills to assist in my reporting.
This story really utilized my computer-assisted reporting experience. I was given a book (and jump drive) full of data and was able to translate that and the technical briefing into something easier to digest and numbers that mean something.
Lawyer wants sanctions on Iranian leaders' travel
The Iranian woman who was sentenced to death by stoning was a major news story for quite a few months. I worked to balance new information and background as to not bore readers familiar with the story but to still inform those that were catching up.
Young designers invade Brussels with fashion trail
This arts story was a real break from my normal reporting. I was reporting on a topic I wasn't very familiar with -- one with its own extensive language -- and was writing in a style very different from the one I use for my cut-and-dry hard news articles. For this article, I used a lot more adjectives than typical with more of a magazine style. Check out my blog entry from this event.
Tens of thousands march in Brussels over austerity
I assisted with the reporting of this article, gathering quotes and color, including the end quote from a German coal union representative. I used my German language skills to assist in my reporting.
Bismarck Tribune
Land sale leaves families homeless
I received a bit of a wake up call following the publication of this article. I received a lot of feedback, some positive, a lot negative. There were comments (many of which had to be taken down), e-mails and even phone calls. I had to learn how to respond to readers, who were angry, saying the newspaper only reports the bad things that happen on the reservation.
How Dakota Growers Pasta came to be sold
In an interesting combination of business, politics and agriculture, this article took me into areas I had not previously covered. I learned a lot about how corporations are classified, laws regulating businesses and the Securities and Exchange Commission. I uncovered a lot of useful documents on the SEC website but also found limitations, especially when it comes to cooperatives, which don't need to file anything with the SEC. I also wrote a sidebar for this story to give extra background that didn't fit naturally into the flow of the overall article.
Mandan man pleads not guilty in case involving illegal drugs
This was an interesting case because it involved a recent decision by the North Dakota Pharmacy Board to outlaw certain drugs. I combined what would have been a typical article on a preliminary hearing with a sidebar on the board's decision. Substances are usually outlawed through the state legislature, which meets once every two years, but in this case, the board decided waiting for the legislature would take too long, so they enacted emergency measures to make the substances immediately illegal.
Taser sees limited use in N.D.
Because there isn't any organized opposition to stun guns in North Dakota, I was very careful about making sure the article was well balanced. I also made an information graphic to accompany the story.
I received a bit of a wake up call following the publication of this article. I received a lot of feedback, some positive, a lot negative. There were comments (many of which had to be taken down), e-mails and even phone calls. I had to learn how to respond to readers, who were angry, saying the newspaper only reports the bad things that happen on the reservation.
How Dakota Growers Pasta came to be sold
In an interesting combination of business, politics and agriculture, this article took me into areas I had not previously covered. I learned a lot about how corporations are classified, laws regulating businesses and the Securities and Exchange Commission. I uncovered a lot of useful documents on the SEC website but also found limitations, especially when it comes to cooperatives, which don't need to file anything with the SEC. I also wrote a sidebar for this story to give extra background that didn't fit naturally into the flow of the overall article.
Mandan man pleads not guilty in case involving illegal drugs
This was an interesting case because it involved a recent decision by the North Dakota Pharmacy Board to outlaw certain drugs. I combined what would have been a typical article on a preliminary hearing with a sidebar on the board's decision. Substances are usually outlawed through the state legislature, which meets once every two years, but in this case, the board decided waiting for the legislature would take too long, so they enacted emergency measures to make the substances immediately illegal.
Taser sees limited use in N.D.
Because there isn't any organized opposition to stun guns in North Dakota, I was very careful about making sure the article was well balanced. I also made an information graphic to accompany the story.
Missouri Digital News / Columbia Missourian
Paying back society: prison sentence plus room and board
The challenge for this story was finding someone who had been affected by this law. The Department of Corrections doesn't need to facilitate interviews with parolees so it was very difficult to find someone to talk to. I did find someone, but he backed out last minute. I fell back on two interviews I had conducted with inmates. This story forced me to adapt to setbacks and get outside what I was comfortable with.
Legislators attribute heightened partisanship to term limits
I wrote the linked story using my own reporting and some of Michael Bushnell's interviews. For this story, I also completed a radio story. The transcript is here.
Raw milk debate rekindling in Missouri legislature
This feature was a project I followed up on my own after hearing about the notices raw milk farmers like Eric Vimont received. I produced my own photos and a video. Check out those here.
Ameren officials at reactor hearing: We're willing to compromise
The AmerenUE reactor story was an ongoing issue that lasted nearly the entire session. I ended up writing nine stories about the company and its efforts to pass legislation that would facilitate construction of a second nuclear plant in Callaway County. Keeping the story, which often had to due with the legislative process and political technicalities, interesting was a continual struggle.
Palin holds rally in Jefferson City
I covered the Sarah Palin rally in Jefferson City even though it was not during my shift because I was the first reporter to figure out why the Secret Service were at the Capitol. Because I discovered it was Palin, my editor gave me the story.
Home schooling operates on 'honor system'
I supplemented this story with blog postings to fill in information I couldn't fit into the main article.
The challenge for this story was finding someone who had been affected by this law. The Department of Corrections doesn't need to facilitate interviews with parolees so it was very difficult to find someone to talk to. I did find someone, but he backed out last minute. I fell back on two interviews I had conducted with inmates. This story forced me to adapt to setbacks and get outside what I was comfortable with.
Legislators attribute heightened partisanship to term limits
I wrote the linked story using my own reporting and some of Michael Bushnell's interviews. For this story, I also completed a radio story. The transcript is here.
Raw milk debate rekindling in Missouri legislature
This feature was a project I followed up on my own after hearing about the notices raw milk farmers like Eric Vimont received. I produced my own photos and a video. Check out those here.
Ameren officials at reactor hearing: We're willing to compromise
The AmerenUE reactor story was an ongoing issue that lasted nearly the entire session. I ended up writing nine stories about the company and its efforts to pass legislation that would facilitate construction of a second nuclear plant in Callaway County. Keeping the story, which often had to due with the legislative process and political technicalities, interesting was a continual struggle.
Palin holds rally in Jefferson City
I covered the Sarah Palin rally in Jefferson City even though it was not during my shift because I was the first reporter to figure out why the Secret Service were at the Capitol. Because I discovered it was Palin, my editor gave me the story.
Home schooling operates on 'honor system'
I supplemented this story with blog postings to fill in information I couldn't fit into the main article.
Boonville Daily News
Commission takes another look at sign ordinance
At this Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, the city counselor / planner proposed ideas about revising the temporary sign ordinance. My goal was translating legalese into what this actually meant for businesses and residents in Boonville.
Possible tourism bureau considered in Boonville
When writing for the Boonville Daily News, I covered mostly meetings where I had to turn around an article for the next day's paper. This article was a longer-term feature I did on the new proposal made by the tourism director.
At this Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, the city counselor / planner proposed ideas about revising the temporary sign ordinance. My goal was translating legalese into what this actually meant for businesses and residents in Boonville.
Possible tourism bureau considered in Boonville
When writing for the Boonville Daily News, I covered mostly meetings where I had to turn around an article for the next day's paper. This article was a longer-term feature I did on the new proposal made by the tourism director.
VOX Magazine
The stories I wrote for VOX Magazine were very different in terms of style than I am used to. Besides the article being submitted to a multiple-week editing process, I had to write in what is called "VOX voice," which tends to be more casual and snarky than the hard news pieces I'm used to.
The third dimension
This story about the trend toward 3-D certainly mixed up where I got my sources. I learned a lot in perseverance as I waited outside multiple theaters to get customer reactions to new 3-D movies.
In the oven
This was a very fun story. My biggest problem was having too much information and too many fun facts. There was so much I wish I could have included, but I had to be brutal in my cutting.
The third dimension
This story about the trend toward 3-D certainly mixed up where I got my sources. I learned a lot in perseverance as I waited outside multiple theaters to get customer reactions to new 3-D movies.
In the oven
This was a very fun story. My biggest problem was having too much information and too many fun facts. There was so much I wish I could have included, but I had to be brutal in my cutting.