ENTERPRISE

They thought their mother was safe in her nursing home. Then their worst fear came true | The News Journal, Feb. 15, 2023

This story focuses on Lorece Stewart, a 93-year-old resident at the nursing home Newark Manor. Her family contacted me not long after she was found dead outside of the nursing home. I read hundreds of pages of inspection reports from the past decade, painting a concerning picture of the care some patients received there. I learned the facility has a history of being understaffed and not following state and federal regulations – including in emergency situations. My reporting also showed how a state settlement agreement with the facility was weaker than industry standards. 

'That's just the way things are': Why Delaware lawmakers are hesitant to go against the governor | The News Journal, July 16, 2022

For years, Delaware lawmakers have tried, and failed, to legalize recreational marijuana. It reached a climax during the 2022 legislative session, when both chambers passed a bill. But it was then stymied when Gov. John Carney, the rare Democrat who is against legalizing weed, vetoed the legislation. Lawmakers tried for the first time in decades to override a veto, but ultimately failed. For this story, I provided a behind-the-scenes look at the power Carney holds in Legislative Hall.

In a post-Roe America, abortion remains legal in Delaware. But is it accessible? | The News Journal, July 5, 2022

In the weeks leading up to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v. Wade, I was interested in reporting on how Delaware might be affected if it was overturned. The state has codified abortion, so while access can still be challenging — it would not be in jeopardy. Though I learned Delawareans still face significant hurdles. A Wilmington city councilwoman revealed to me her experience of getting an abortion last year, describing how it still remains inaccessible in “blue” states like Delaware. It was her first time discussing it publicly.

Delaware nurses say they are in a crisis. Many fear it will only get worse | The News Journal, Sept. 14, 2021

As the Delta variant swept through Delaware, I spoke with more than 15 hospital nurses, many of whom were incredibly scared to talk to a reporter, about how low staffing levels were affecting the quality of care patients were receiving. I also got my hands on internal emails and documents, which described this in detail. Following the publication of this story, hospital officials began to publicly acknowledge the severity of the staffing issue. This story resulted in more than 100 people subscribing to The News Journal. 

Wealth and race still affect vaccine rates in Delaware, and it’s getting worse* | The News Journal, April 29, 2021

Since the first vaccine in Delaware was jabbed into a nurse’s arm, my reporting has focused on who is – and isn’t –getting the vaccine. State health officials told the public they were working to address disparities, but I knew the data  would tell the real story. I teamed up with our data visual reporter to see the specific racial breakdown of Delaware’s vaccine distribution.  

Americans are grieving. Is Joe Biden uniquely qualified for this moment? | The News Journal, Jan. 5, 2021

My coverage of the Biden presidential campaign focused on how Delaware has shaped the politician and his politics. As the inauguration approached, I wrote a story that focused on how Biden has privately comforted grieving people in Delaware the past 40 years, and how it provides specific insight into how he might act as president. 

Jill Jacobs always wanted to be her own person. Joe Biden made that complicated | The News Journal, Oct. 22, 2020

In the sea of stories about the Biden family, my story about Jill Biden focused on an informative and specific chapter of her life: Her first year of teaching at Saint Mark’s High School, and how this time in her life offers a glimpse at the early life of a historic first lady. I tracked down former coworkers and students for this story, some of whom gave me details that had never been published before.

As coronavirus took elderly lives, 30% of Delaware nursing homes failed to follow proper steps | The News Journal, July 18, 2020

Throughout the pandemic, I have reported on how the state and nursing homes struggled to fight the coronavirus. I FOIAd for all the nursing home inspections that occurred in the first few months of the pandemic. I received hundreds of pages of documents detailing how even weeks after the coronavirus began taking lives, many of Delaware’s nursing homes had not taken proper steps to keep residents safe.  This story won first place in coronavirus reporting at the MDDC Press Association awards ceremony. 

Saving Grace Part 1: Amish families are working with doctors and researchers to save a young girl’s life | The News Journal, Dec. 12, 2018

This year-long project was based on hours of interviews with Amish families, doctors, nurses, geneticists and Anabaptist experts. It took months for me to gain the trust of the Amish families. I was also balancing this project with my regular beat responsibilities. Ultimately, the Amish families welcomed a photographer and me into their homes and to doctor’s appointments. 

I worked with USA Today’s Storytelling team to incorporate audio into the longform format. It was a first for the network. This project, which appeared on USA Today’s website, was submitted to be considered for a Pulitzer Prize nomination. 

*story is behind a paywall

ENGAGEMENT

No Man’s Land Facebook Group: I served as co-creator and moderator of The News Journal’s Facebook group, which was for Delaware women who want to read, discuss and learn more about issues that affected their everyday lives. It served as a forum where people could discuss topics that are often overlooked or rarely discussed – as well as the fun stuff, too. This Facebook group, created in 2018, garnered hundreds of members and led to an in-person event. It later disbanded in 2020.

Letters to the past*: This project asked readers to write a letter to themselves about the toll of the pandemic. The authors included a hopeful 7-year-old boy, a reflective nursing home resident and an exhausted doctor. After thinking of the idea, I enlisted the help of colleagues to curate the letters. I also consulted with an illustrator. It was the first time the newsroom engaged with the community in this way. Readers wrote to me about how the letters made them pause and reflect on all that has happened in the wake of the pandemic.