PBS NewsHour •

Why U.S. pedestrian deaths are at their highest level in almost 30 years

U.S. pedestrian deaths are at their highest level since 1990. Possible explanations include wider roads, sprawling cities, heavier traffic in residential areas due to navigation apps and increasing distractions from digital devices. And according to victims’ families and safety advocates, the problem is a crisis state and local governments have been slow to address. I scripted and co-produced this piece with Molly Duerig, based on reporting by Arren Kimbel-Sannit, Derek Hall, Lindsay Walker and me as part of Arizona State University's Howard Center for Investigative Journalism. This piece received second place honors from The Broadcast Education Association's Festival of Media Arts in student hard news reporting.
The Advocate •

Irish dance, music flourishing in the heart of Louisiana's Cajun country

For one Sunset family, sharing their Irish heritage through music and traditional step dance is part of the family business. As one of only three certified Irish step dance instructors in Louisiana, Sheila Ryan-Davoren has been dancing since she was 4 — and nothing has stopped her. When she was 25, she ruptured her Achilles tendon onstage during a performance. After 10 months of physical therapy, she returned to the stage, having made a complete recovery. She also danced while she was pregnant with each of her three children. “I was dancing like a crazy woman on the floor here with a big belly,” she recalled.