Articles
My main beats are state government, small businesses and human interest.
My stories have been seen in The Daily Journal, The Statehouse File, The Franklin News, Greensburg Daily News, Lebanon Reporter and more.
New law expands access to mental health training for first responders
”You can’t deal with that 24/7 without having some level of output.” In his own words, that’s why Sen. Scott Baldwin, R-Noblesville, a retired Indianapolis police officer, has been demanding change for mental health services in the first responder community. Read More
Why this story matters...
This story was one of the last stories I wrote during my time writing full-time for TheStatehouseFile.com. During the 2023 legislative session, dozens of bills focused on first responders popped up, but like most bills, many fell to the wayside.
When reporting on state government, it's very easy to get caught up with big ticket issues, or ones with snappy headlines. I wanted to highlight a bill that aimed to do some good in Indiana.
I love any story that works to humanize legislators, because despite their unique status, they're also human. I really enjoyed interviewing Sen. Scott Baldwin about a part of his life that he often doesn't get to discuss—being a first responder.
This story taught me a lot about being a journalist. Given the sensitive topic of mental health, I had to tread lightly when interviewing, but I also got to see people from a different lens, and learn more about a career I'm unfamiliar with.
This story is worth reading because it humanizes a complex subject, and shows how bills can impact real people. I think political discussions are often far too bogged down with legal jargon, and we don't take the time to consider how issues can hurt or help real-life individuals. I loved taking a break from regular committee meeting reporting to show this bill from a different perspective.
Millie’s Ice Cream and Field to Fork partner up in downtown Franklin
The new mashup of Field to Fork and Millie’s Ice Cream Co. is a concept that is strange in theory, but wonderful in practice, owners say. “It is confusing on paper; an ice cream and a meat shop, it just doesn’t sound appealing. But when you walk in, you think, ‘Oh wow, this makes sense!’” said Jesse Angel a co-owner of Mille’s. Read More
Why this story matters...
This story was my favorite to come out of my summer reporting at the Daily Journal in Franklin, Indiana. I've always loved writing human-interest stories, but at the time, I didn't have much experience writing about businesses. I decided to flex a new muscle and do a profile on the owners of Millie's Ice Cream Co. and Field to Fork, which were two businesses that shared one unique space in downtown Franklin.
The story was so sweet (no pun intended) because I had the chance to tell the stories of two different business ventures that had the same goal—to help benefit the local community.
All three sources shared a desire to grow the community and offer something new, which is what makes small businesses so special. Millie's is one of few ice cream shops downtown, and Field to Fork offered artisan meats, spices, veggies and other groceries.
I had to tell the stories of two businesses with their own sets of challenges in one story, and I think I did a great job showing their personalities.
While I understand this story wasn't reporting on anything crazy, I loved getting to highlight local businesses working together to make a living.
“I really just want to love them”: 9-year-old chicken fanatic spreads poultry appreciation
Nine-year-old Shane Bogue is absolutely in love with her chickens. She’s the proud mother of six full-grown chickens, two teenagers and four chicks. They all have different personalities, Bogue said, but they’re all a little bit sassy. Read More
Why this story matters...
This story was one sparked purely from curiosity. During one summer freelancing for TheStatehouseFile.com, I had the chance to report from the Indiana State Fair. The fair is absolutely incredible for people watching, and that's exactly how I found my little source, Shane.
Shane was smiling at the chicks in the fair's poultry display like she was in a candy store. She was pointing out each of them to anyone who would listen, and I knew she was the perfect way to give readers a glimpse of the fair.
I wanted this story to reflect Shane's childlike demeanor, and I also wanted it to show Shane's pure love for animals.
I love when profiles have some sort of unique element to them. It shows the world how different and similar we are to one another. Shane taught me a lot about interviewing. She was shy when answering questions about herself, like her hobbies and where she went to school, but all bets were off when it came to her chicks.
This story taught me to keep my eyes open for sources that have unique interests. I think we can learn a lot from people like Shane. People that just want to educate others about their passions, or in her case, chickens.
A month after Operation Allies Welcome, updates from Atterbury
It’s been awhile since new updates have come out on the refugees at Camp Atterbury, but the wait is over. The city of Edinburgh’s town manager, Dan Cartwright, shared some key details Friday about the Afghans transitioning out of Edinburgh as well as their lives inside the base. Read More
Why this story matters...
I look back so fondly on writing this story because it was my first real breaking news piece. I was a very shy freshman tasked with writing some of the biggest news in Indiana at the time, and I just so happened to receive information from the National Guard that no other outlets were yet reporting on.
Because I was only a student journalist, my source, Dan Cartwright, "threw me a bone," and told me specific numbers regarding Afghan refugees who were staying at Camp Atterbury.
I was so excited to tell my editor, Colleen Steffen, that I had information no one else knew. She responded by saying, "Great, now go write!"
I got to work, and typed as fast as my fingers would let me. I ended up writing what I believe to be a very effective piece. While it is now one of my older works, I loved the rush of filing a story no one else had. I'll always look back on this piece knowing I did a great job.
NCAA President Charlie Baker visits campus to talk with student-athletes
NCAA president Charlie Baker took to the Spurlock Center for the first time ever Tuesday to talk about scholarships, fan databases and more. Keeping the conversation light, Baker started by teasing the full bleachers, asking students if their attendance was required for the event. Read More
Why this story matters...
This story sticks out to me as one of my best because of how I used an event to investigate a topic I know nothing about. I've never been much of a sports fan, and while I casually watch football with my family most Sundays, I've always been relatively unfamiliar with the world of college sports.
When Charlie Baker came to campus, I was executive editor of The Franklin, Franklin College's student-run magazine. While I normally would've had a reporter cover the event, everyone was either sick or unavailable, and I wasn't going to let the event slip from our coverage.
To make this story successful, I had to do a lot of research as I went. Given it being event coverage, we wanted to publish the story immediately, so I didn't have days to learn about what NIL meant. I pre-wrote as much as I could before the event started, and definitely did some googling during Baker's Q&A, but I got the story out that same day.
By this time in my college career, I had already done dozens of same-day turnaround stories. I was familiar with working under pressure, but this felt different because it wasn't my beat. Even still, I persevered, and even learned a little on the way.
I like this story because it was educational while also showing the deeper issue behind what Charlie Baker was discussing. I didn't let my lack of knowledge stop me from writing the story.