WRITING SAMPLES
During my time as a reporter at The Patriot-News, I covered everything from municipal and state government to the cops beat. I don’t have a count of how many stories I wrote, but I wrote a lot of them. Most are locked away behind PennLive’s archival paywall these days. Luckily, before that happened, I was able to save clips from some of my more memorable packages.
In addition to these older clips, You can also find samples of my writing on the blog on this site and on The Brewgrass Chronicle, a bluegrass music site I run.
Amish School Shootings
In October 2006, a heavily armed man took hostage the students of an Amish school near Lancaster, Pa. He left the boys go free, then shot the girls execution style. I was the lead reporter for The Patriot-News’ first day coverage and part of a five-reporter team that won statewide honors for our coverage.
- ‘ANGRY AT GOD’: Vengeful gunman targets girls, killing at least 3 and self
- Miller defends police action: Troopers tried to communicate with Roberts before shooting began
- Amish return site of their tragedy to the land
- Heartbreaking: In their own newspaper, Amish reach out, thank outside world for reaction to shootings
- HEALING. SLOWLY.
- ‘Therapeutic’: Families, first responders share emotional day
Salute to Sacrifice
In the early days of the seond Iraq war, I had the honor of writing about some of the first soldiers in our circulation area to give their lives for their country.
- She ‘died in his arms’: Monroe Twp. family recalls soldier killed by bomb in Iraq
- ‘A TRUE HERO’: Victim of Iraqi bomb honored on West Shore
- Service & sacrifice: Soldiers’ deaths bring Iraq war home (intro to three stories below)
- His girlfriend never got to tell him ‘yes’
- Soldier died ‘doing what he liked best’
- Love grew with their careers
Politics
During the 2008 presidential election, I was part of the team covering the Democrat primary election, then was assigned to cover the McCain campaign in the general election. In addition to these print stories, I also did extensive blogging, including live-blogging from McCain and Obama campaign events.
- Obama fights back in Steelton remarks
- Kennedy: Obama inspires people, works tirelessly
- Final push is on in Pennsylvania
- McCain juggles bipartisanship, conservative pitch in York (intro to three stories below)
- Ridge won’t lobby to run with McCain
- McCain adviser stops off in midstate: Some see visit as attempt to court women voters
- Time to rally, Palin tells Lancaster crowd
- Pennsylvania is key to victory, McCain’s wife tells rally
Crime
In addition to serving as the Sunday night cops reporter for over five years, I spent two years as the paper’s primarty police reporter.
GETGEN HOMICIDE:
An attorney/gun enthusiast gets killed with his own weapon while shooting at a gun range.
- Police seize 15 guns from Raymond Peake’s home
- Rifle found in a storage unit rented by Raymond Peake matches the weapon used in killing, police say
PIERSON HOMICIDE:
A missing woman, a frantic search, and a jilted lover made for a compelling crime story.
- Missing sibling worries family
- Search area widens for Rye woman
- ‘WE ARE NO CLOSER’
- No leads found in search for woman
- Wine glasses taken for testing
- Perry body was homicide victim
- Police take journals, photos from friend of woman believed slain
- Lawyer says Nevada arrest puts focus on victim’s friend
- Client won’t attend Pierson service, lawyer says
- Probe shifts to woman’s workplace
- Probe of Pierson slaying is wide, police say
- Police seek phone records of 2 in woman’s slaying
- Warrant for gun matches case dates
- Evidence will aid alibi, lawyer says
Sports/Outdoors
BASEBALL (from York Daily Record)
- Revs suffer rain-shortened loss to close out series against Lancaster
- Cody pitches Revs past Ducks
- Revs’ plan works perfectly vs. Lancaster
- Revs are all wet after rain delay, fall to Riversharks
- Revs suffer frustrating 13-7 loss to Bluefish
- Revolution lose to Lancaster Barnstormers in walkoff fashion
Clips linked below are from The Patriot-News unless otherwise indicated.
- This coach ‘puts all of her heart and soul into it’
- Pottsville Maroons fans seek what was stolen from them
- Biggest Little Leaguer in the World
OUTDOORS
- Trails don’t just grow naturally
- Hikers claim midstate snow means time to go
- Speedgoat Karl faces wet start to record attempt (Whiteblaze)
- Cultivating hikers’ path
- Appalachian Trail supporters look for ways to preserve the trail from nearby development.
- County given high-profile role in protecting Appalachian Trail
- Historic Appalachian Trail shelter to be dismantled
- Doyle Hotel carves niche with hikers
- Ice cream cools hikers at midpoint
- Haven at Halfway (pdf file) (AT Journeys)
- Expedition Subzero (pdf file) (AT Journeys)
- Recipe for a Trail Name (pdf file) (AT Journeys)
- To hikers, 3-day buffet is ‘trail magic’
- Along some trout streams in the midstate, it’s always OPEN SEASON
- Dam removal is right course for stream, groups say
- Streaming in: Waterway draws fly-fishermen from all over the world
