journalism blog

On December 14, 2012 we started to get reports into our newsroom that there was a shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. First reports were unclear about how many people were shot. Newtown was close enough to Philadelphia for us to send a reporter and camera crew if this was developing into a

  When Tom pulled into Bernie’s driveway, he knew he would have to wait. Bernie was never ready. Tom tapped the horn twice, and waited. After a few minutes, the double garage door opened. Bernie walked between the two shiny black SUVs struggling to carry his golf bag and his small suitcase. It was overcast and

It started when I happen to look down and notice my left ankle was swollen. I hadn’t fallen or twisted it. There was no pain. I had range of motion. There was no redness or rash or heat. I showed my wife Maureen, a registered nurse, the next night. She asked if I could breathe

  Jack knew he had to go slowly down the steep, winding road. The wet leaves made it even slicker. It was only seven o’clock in the morning, and the sun was trying to break through the morning fog. He was riding the break as he eased around the tight curves. He and his wife had

It was a 96 mile an hour fastball Tyson Chambers had seen many times. He was just a split second late. The ball went slicing down the right field foul line curving past the extended protective screen. Frank Miller was watching the ball the whole way. His wife Helen was sitting to his right. Frank

Five years ago I wrote that sixty-five was everyone’s last birthday. You enter the 65+ category and you’re just one of the millions of baby boomers who are parents of adult children and grandparents. Your adult children will eventually start treating you like a child and your grandchildren will grow bored rather than excited when

For people of a certain age, meaning older people, the question that is asked with every new encounter with a friend is, “Did you get the vaccine yet?” It is like waiting for acceptance into an exclusive club. When just about all your friends say, “Oh, yes we got our shot”, very casually as if

It’s hard to imagine, but I’m about to agree with Donald Trump. He has gone after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell as he has many others who dared criticize him and failed to show unwavering loyalty. In a blistering attack on McConnell, Trump called him, “a dour, sullen, and unsmiling political hack”. Trump called on

Yes, I watched just about all of the Trump impeachment trial over the last week. I, along with everyone else, knew what the results would be. But it was history. It was important to witness what the two sides would say to make their case for incitement of insurrection. The House managers wove together a

You may have never heard of Lord Acton, a British politician, historian, and writer in the 19th century. He’s credited with the phrase, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” It has been proven over the history of civilization. Unchecked power is a dangerous drug. A story broke this week in the Los