Interviewing six people at once is never easy but I don't think I have ever laughed so much in an interview. And they gave a private performance at the end!
I wear this for the other 16
It is hard to find the words to describe how much this story means to me. Hands down my best assignment and a highlight of my career. Meeting Mr. Adkins was an honor I will never forget. Not only did this story challenge me but it also won my first Alabama Press Association award. I take very little credit for that, the value was in Mr. Adkins' story. I just tried to do it justice.
Reflecting Redstone, then and now
I enjoy delving into Redstone and Huntsville history and I always think that they will be the easier assignments. Pro tip: the history assignments are never the easy ones. But I always learn something interesting.
Women building their future in engineering
I relish having the opportunity to meet and profile women who are trailblazing new paths in their careers and personal lives.
Career hits crescendo with next movement
Carlos was one of the first contacts that I made at the Rocket and he was always 110% helpful with anything I needed over the years. We had a great working relationship and he was just a really super guy (and fellow Tennessean, natch) so I had a personal interest in telling his story. I can't take credit for the headline -- I was stumped and went to our copy editor who is much more pithy than I.
Working dogs sniff out dangerous devices
I had a personal connection to this assignment due to my own beloved childhood dog Raphael, who was our family pet when he wasn't out searching for dead bodies. My father trained military dogs while serving in the Air Force and later owned his own dog training agency. We were between photographers so I shot my own pictures for this story. We now have a staff photographer whose work is absolutely brilliant, but I did my best to hold down the fort. I am proud (and a little shocked) that this story took home a first place award from the Alabama Press Association.
Cool cat finds home from war zone
Confession: Sgt. B's real name was Balls the Cat, but that wasn't exactly appropriate for a charity calendar -- or family newspaper -- so Balls was given a G-rated makeover.
Every day has something new for longtime worker
There are some interviews that I walk out of with a smile on my face and a bounce in my step and this was one of those. Marvin was an absolute hoot.
First responder organization helps the helpers
After this story published, the Hoopers were contacted by a business that wanted to hold a fundraiser benefit for First Line Support. That was so gratifying and a big part of why I write for the Rocket.
Cancer screening guidelines provide proactive plan
I feel like I returned to my blogging roots with this one. Fun fact: I am the only staffer at the Rocket without a journalism-related degree. With the absence of a J-school education, it has been a learning curve writing in a classical news-type vein. Every once in awhile, I get to stretch and write a personal commentary which is how I started out this story on cancer screening. Having it awarded second place in Commentaries by the Alabama Press Association's 2018 Better Newspaper Contest was a treat.
I wear this for the other 16
It is hard to find the words to describe how much this story means to me. Hands down my best assignment and a highlight of my career. Meeting Mr. Adkins was an honor I will never forget. Not only did this story challenge me but it also won my first Alabama Press Association award. I take very little credit for that, the value was in Mr. Adkins' story. I just tried to do it justice.
Reflecting Redstone, then and now
I enjoy delving into Redstone and Huntsville history and I always think that they will be the easier assignments. Pro tip: the history assignments are never the easy ones. But I always learn something interesting.
Women building their future in engineering
I relish having the opportunity to meet and profile women who are trailblazing new paths in their careers and personal lives.
Career hits crescendo with next movement
Carlos was one of the first contacts that I made at the Rocket and he was always 110% helpful with anything I needed over the years. We had a great working relationship and he was just a really super guy (and fellow Tennessean, natch) so I had a personal interest in telling his story. I can't take credit for the headline -- I was stumped and went to our copy editor who is much more pithy than I.
Working dogs sniff out dangerous devices
I had a personal connection to this assignment due to my own beloved childhood dog Raphael, who was our family pet when he wasn't out searching for dead bodies. My father trained military dogs while serving in the Air Force and later owned his own dog training agency. We were between photographers so I shot my own pictures for this story. We now have a staff photographer whose work is absolutely brilliant, but I did my best to hold down the fort. I am proud (and a little shocked) that this story took home a first place award from the Alabama Press Association.
Cool cat finds home from war zone
Confession: Sgt. B's real name was Balls the Cat, but that wasn't exactly appropriate for a charity calendar -- or family newspaper -- so Balls was given a G-rated makeover.
Every day has something new for longtime worker
There are some interviews that I walk out of with a smile on my face and a bounce in my step and this was one of those. Marvin was an absolute hoot.
First responder organization helps the helpers
After this story published, the Hoopers were contacted by a business that wanted to hold a fundraiser benefit for First Line Support. That was so gratifying and a big part of why I write for the Rocket.
Cancer screening guidelines provide proactive plan
I feel like I returned to my blogging roots with this one. Fun fact: I am the only staffer at the Rocket without a journalism-related degree. With the absence of a J-school education, it has been a learning curve writing in a classical news-type vein. Every once in awhile, I get to stretch and write a personal commentary which is how I started out this story on cancer screening. Having it awarded second place in Commentaries by the Alabama Press Association's 2018 Better Newspaper Contest was a treat.
