I spent my childhood in a tiny pink house in suburban Chicago, surrounded by noise. The television blared theme songs from my grandmother’s soap operas. My grandfather’s fire department scanner interrupted with scratchy reports of people in distress. Aunties entered … Read more
Before the coronavirus pandemic gripped the world, people in Milwaukee had another unprecedented preoccupation: the 2020 Democratic National Convention. The four-day event—still slated to take place here, though postponed from July to August because of the … Read more
In my proposal for the new Abrams Nieman Fellowship for Local Investigative Journalism, I made one core commitment — to spend a lot of time on the road listening to people who want to share their … Read more
The pain of a journalist whose work is thrown into a deep dark hole by government gatekeepers deployed in a newsroom is like no other pain on earth. You hit the road as a young reporter taking an oath to … Read more
During a roundup at the Diamond M Ranch the other day, I dodged a 1,000-pound Hereford and nearly landed on a cow pie. Hazards on assignment at the eastern Washington spread contrasted with urban perils that I encounter on the … Read more
The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon was coming up. During a brainstorming session at Lippmann House, journalists and artists were throwing around ideas for potential collaborations that brought together the arts, journalism, and tech to … Read more
The first member of the House to endorse Donald Trump for president pleaded guilty to felony insider trading charges on October 1—and when it happened, friends started congratulating me. It’s all because … Read more
I am standing, nervously, in the women’s bathroom. In just 20 minutes, the general manager of WCVB-TV will announce that I will be the next executive producer of “Chronicle,” the longest running local newsmagazine show in … Read more
It was the summer of 2017. New Yorkers never knew when we’d get anywhere. We texted “On the subway.” There was no need for “I’m going to be late.” That part was obvious. On platform after platform, searching “#MTA videos” … Read more
The most interesting stories last more than a lifetime. This was especially apparent to me on a recent visit to Shishmaref, Alaska, an Inupiat village near the Arctic Circle that is faced with the prospect of … Read more
