News stories

 

Anchorage Daily News

Much of the online archive of IT was rendered practically unreadable when the newspaper website migrated to a new CMS and some dates and much of the paragraph formatting disappeared. These links go to stories that still have paragraph breaks. All readers’ comments were lost in the CMS transition.

Champaign News-Gazette

As a graduate student at University of Illinois, I wrote stories for the C-U Citizen Access website. The News-Gazette picked up one of my projects and ran it over two days.


Construction unions have a lock on all publicly-funded projects, but their history of discriminating against minorities means the money goes mainly to white males.


  1. ✦State of the unions: Construction a tough trade to break into for minorities, women

  2. ✦Discrimination a part of industry’s history

  3. ✦Small change in law makes big change in contracting procedure

  4. ✦Construction program aims to assist minorities


I obtained a six-page memo that has been circulating among contractors explaining how to evade affirmative action goals. The News-Gazette put the memo online; to see it, click here. For associated multimedia pieces, click here.


A 16-vehicle pile-up on a commuter bridge prompted me to look at the bridge’s history.

  1. ✦Infamous bridge


An infant died in a child care facility. I got the history of the caregiver.

  1. ✦Day-care home wasn’t what it seemed; Baby-sitter’s “June Cleaver” image crumbles


A chain of Tom Thumb preschools owned by a political fundraiser had escaped regulation for decades. I uncovered a history of serious complaints. Within a matter of months, city officials enacted an ordinance that brought the schools under regulation.

  1. ✦Tom Thumb fights again

  2. ✦State file holds a dozen complaints


Who could have imagined that the Exxon Valdez oil spill would affect child care centers?

  1. ✦The spill hits home

Illinois Times

Two months after arriving in Illinois, I wrote a little story that turned the police department upside down. My editor was away on a family medical emergency when the original article went to press, so it ran with a dummy lede that I have regretted ever since. The repercussions of that story continued for years as the case wound its way through court. Here are links to the original and just a few of the many follow-up stories, most written in loosey-goosey alternative news style.


  1. ✦Cop Out

  2. ✦Cop Out: The Aftermath First follow-up (date is wrong)

  3. ✦Husch-hush investigation Unmasking the law firm hired to investigate the case

  4. ✦Redemption story The subject of my original story receives a $850,000 settlement

  5. ✦The Survivor An interview with the rape victim at the center of the case

  6. ✦Chip off my shoulder A belated column about the small-town attorney who took credit for my work

  7. ✦Opt Out The surprising and sad sequel


I wrote more than 30 stories about a pair of rogue detectives on the Springfield Police Department. They were eventually fired. Here are a few of my reports:

  1. ✦To tell the truth

  2. ✦Allegations against cops outlined

  3. ✦Above the law: ISP summary details alleged violations by detectives, supervisors

That one was exclusive; the State Journal-Register covered the court hearing on my subsequent subpoena.


See also Cover Stories and Columns

Hired for the Lifestyles section, I got some p.1 stories, especially after I began covering child care as a news beat.