The Headless Mule: My Writing Portfolio

Here are links to some of my favorite stories I wrote during my five years at the Connection Newspapers.

This one was probably the most fun I ever had writing a story:
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=256801&paper=73&cat=104

This could have been the craziest story I wrote ...

http://connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=256839&paper=73&cat=104

... if this one hadn't come along ...

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=311354&paper=83&cat=104

... followed a few months later by this:
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=318578&paper=68&cat=104

Paul Stanley was clearly my most awesome interview ...

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=320461&paper=73&cat=226

... although this guy was up there:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=257207&paper=73&cat=104

This was the centerpiece of a portfolio that won me a second-place award for feature writing from the Virginia Press Association:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=323040&paper=65&cat=104

On the subject of VPA awards, this series of stories took a first-place for general news writing:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=331405&paper=66&cat=104

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=333835&paper=71&cat=104

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=334634&paper=72&cat=104

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=335123&paper=66&cat=104

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=337807&paper=82&cat=104

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=338217&paper=80&cat=104

This was the centerpiece of a portfolio that won third place for health, science and environmental writing. It was one of the more interesting controversies I covered:

http://connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=256831&paper=73&cat=104

Speaking of controversies, the "town hall" meeting on health insurance reform had the wildest crowd I've ever seen outside a rock show.

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=332249&paper=71&cat=104

Another fascinating controversy of sorts, and just an oddball story:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=330953&paper=71&cat=104

This was an ... eccentric interview:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=255155&paper=72&cat=104

Here are some of the stories I wrote about the Tysons Corner rezoning, one of the biggest redevelopment projects in the country. Obviously, they're here because of the complexity of the story, rather than the fun factor:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=337378&paper=73&cat=104

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=338597&paper=68&cat=104

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=340121&paper=68&cat=104

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=340512&paper=65&cat=104

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=340743&paper=68&cat=104

Here's a nice feel-good story:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=329544&paper=65&cat=104

And here's another:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=318894&paper=83&cat=104

In a way, this one qualifies as well:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=309148&paper=59&cat=104

Obituaries for troops killed in the Middle East required some of the most difficult interviews, but they always meant a lot to the families.
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=257189&paper=73&cat=104
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=257201&paper=73&cat=104
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=257016&paper=73&cat=104