Last year, I said that 2024 was a weird year for me professionally. I don’t want to be redundant, but this year was as well.
Doing anything for four years in a row can lead to malaise, but as you get further along in your journey, you find new ways to inspire yourself. This year, I had to find new ways to challenge myself. In some aspects, I believe I succeeded; in others, the jury is still out. Maybe that’s just me being too self-critical, but that’s the winding road of having a career.
Regardless, I’m thankful and proud to have this platform afforded to me. Even four years in, I’m still enamored that I actually write for a living. Truly, I’m so grateful for it. It allows me to be creative, inquisitive and nuanced all at the same time.I set out as a kid to be in the media (I know, what a weird dude), and now I’m doing it. I’m proud to wake up every day and pursue the career I wanted as a kid. It’s always been my North Star, even when I didn’t want to admit it to myself.
In addition, I was honored to receive the 2025 Outstanding New Reporter award from the Greater Cincinnati Society of Professional Journalists, following in the footsteps of my colleagues Nathan Granger and Haley Parnell, who have received the same honor in previous years.
Here’s to 2026, folks!
From Covington Haus to CovHaus: Honoring Mick Noll’s enduring legacy
This was one of those stories that reminds you why you decided to pursue journalism as a career. Mick Noll, a legendary figure in Covington throughout the second half of the 20th century, was being honored by the city for his contributions.
Noll was many things: father, husband, restaurateur, bar owner, festival organizer, artist, Peace Corps member, churchgoer and most importantly, a resident of Covington.
With the city honoring Noll, I had the opportunity to sit down with his sons—Ludwig, John and Joe—and his wife, Pat, to discuss his legacy. I arrived at John’s house in Latonia on a cold, late-February morning, not knowing what to expect. Upon arrival, I was cheerfully greeted by the family. Throughout our conversation, we looked through old pictures of Noll with his family and various community members.
It dawned on me that I would be responsible for encapsulating Mick Noll’s legacy for the public. I don’t mean this egotistically at all. I mean, that’s actually what I was doing, and I was trusted by the family to do so, which meant a great deal to me.
It was a daunting task because I wanted to knock it out of the park. In the end, I think I did a good job, which is all I wanted.
Another interesting wrinkle to this story is that West Sixth Brewing on Sixth Street is the former home of Noll’s Covington Haus. My girlfriend and I now go to that bar regularly. It’s not lost on me that the bar I now go to was once the pride of Noll and his family. It feels like this cosmic, full-circle kind of thing to me.
Community defends Cooper basketball coach Tim Sullivan amid uncertain future
Sports writing is in my DNA. Truthfully, it’s what I’ve always wanted to do. Hopefully, in the future, I’ll get more opportunities to write about sports, but in the meantime, I’ll take what I can get.
This story was one that required delicacy. Cooper High School’s longtime boys basketball coach, Tim Sullivan, was on the hot seat after a successful tenure with the Jaguars.
Sullivan, initially hired in 2008, was the first—and to that point, only—boys basketball coach in school history. During his tenure, the Jaguars netted nine district titles, two regional titles and one state runner-up.
However, on the eve of the ninth region title game, it was announced that Sullivan’s coaching contract wouldn’t be renewed. The Cooper community and basketball team reacted with anger and confusion. They rallied around Sullivan at a school board meeting on March 13, 2025, where multiple players and parents spoke positively of Sullivan’s tenure with the Jaguars. Cooper and Sullivan parted ways after the season.
This story required me to be thoughtful of the players and parents impacted by the announcement. At this point, the Jaguars hadn’t played in the ninth region championship game yet, so people were concerned that this situation could affect the team.
I tried to convey the atmosphere of the meeting through my writing. Parents and players shared personal anecdotes regarding Sullivan’s individual impact on them. It became a story about mentorship and loyalty, viewed through the lens of sports.
It seemed to get a good reception, which I was happy about.
NKY districts fight growing teacher shortage
This story hits at the core of education in our region, something that affects most people. Teacher pay has always been a hot-button issue. Now, teacher pay is an issue that has been folded into the broader teacher shortage discussion.
For our education special issue, I was assigned to explore the local teacher shortage and how school districts are tackling it. I wanted to be solutions-focused through my writing, explaining how districts were offering creative solutions, rather than excoriating them.
Plus, I explored teacher burnout, a problem that, although recognizable, is seldom discussed in a way that those outside education can relate to personally. Every profession has its challenges, and burnout is an inevitable part of life. People might view it merely as a mental health concern instead of recognizing it as an endemic problem that could affect the education of young individuals during a critical developmental stage.
Overall, I thought the article turned out well and could serve as a productive public resource for people interested in the issue.
Tariffs hit home: NKY businesses adjust to life under tariff policy
I wanted this story not to serve as a statement on tariff policy, but rather a look at how sweeping changes in economic policy affected local small businesses. Of course, people can interpret information differently, but that’s what I wanted to convey.
I spoke to two small business owners, Kara Acri of Scarlet Begonia’s Flower Truck and Alejandra Flores of Unataza Coffee, to understand the impacts of tariffs on their business. I also provided the opinion of Brent Cooper, president and CEO of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.
I enjoyed writing this story because I felt like it turned out well-rounded and fair. Again, that’s my perspective, but I stand by it.
How NKY is supporting seniors’ well-being
This was another story I enjoyed writing, as I explored elder care in the region through the lens of Senior CommUnity Care of Northern Kentucky.
From my talks with them, I was able to get a better picture on the services they provided, in addition to how their patients felt about them, which was worthwhile.
Similar to the teacher shortage issue, this was another chance for me to hone in on a specific issue that impacts a great deal of people within our region.
One woman I spoke with, Carol Worthman, was very kind and open to my questions. At 81, she said the organization gave her friendship and camaraderie, something invaluable to her at that point in her life.
