Turner Station residents try to heal community with prayer and history
First published Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024 in the Dundalk Eagle. First, someone broke a window in Servant Courtney Speed’s house in Turner Station, the storied, historically Black neighborhood in Dundalk. The next day, another window was broken. The day after that, someone broke her back door and her back windows. They stole her son’s football…
Long-serving Dundalk pediatrician turns 85
First published Friday, Aug. 2, 2024 in the Dundalk Eagle. Dr. Cross O’Donovan ran a pediatric office on Dundalk Avenue for over 40 years. Now, he’s turning 85 and looking back at his career. “My favorite part was just dealing with kids and their families,” he said. “I spent a lot of time trying to…
Restrictions on chalking implemented to ‘beautify’ campus, UMD says
First published Jan. 23, 2024 in Stories Beneath the Shell. University of Maryland President Darryll Pines announced a new policy for chalking on Nov. 27. Overnight, students at the University of Maryland were prohibited from chalking in all but two places on campus: In front of the Adele H. Stamp Student Union and at Hornbake…
FACT CHECK: Were antisemitic slogans shouted at a UMD pro-Palestine event?
First published Friday, Nov. 10, 2023 in Stories Beneath the Shell. CLAIM: Protesters at a pro-Palestine protest on Nov. 9 shouted antisemitic slogans and chalked messages calling for a second Holocaust. SBS ASSESSMENT: Partially true. Two eyewitnesses confirmed that students shouted slogans calling for revolution and event organizers confirmed that someone chalked a message reading…
Sarah McBride ‘not running to be the trans representative in Congress’
First published Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 in the Washington Blade. Sarah McBride is running for Delaware’s sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. If you ask her what the most important issues are for voters, she’ll tick off several things: The cost of education, prescription drugs, housing, fear of gun violence, fear of the…
Trevor Project in crisis amid financial woes, staff dissension, ‘union busting’: sources
First published Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023 in the Washington Blade. (Editor’s note: This article contains references to suicide and self-harm. If you are having thoughts of suicide or are in crisis, call 988 to talk to a counselor or 911 for medical attention.) He was cutting himself and his mother was worried. Whom should she…
Delaware poised to become 17th state to ban LGBTQ panic defense
First published Friday, June 30, 2023 in the Washington Blade. It was an extraordinary week in the Delaware Senate, as a bill to ban the LGBTQ+ panic defense, in which a defendant claims they panicked and killed or injured a victim upon finding out the person was gay or transgender and receive a lesser sentence…
Journalism dean search: Many breathe sigh of relief as insider is picked to be next dean
First published Friday, April 21, 2023 in Stories Beneath the Shell. Many Philip Merrill College of Journalism faculty and staff seemed to breathe a sigh of relief today as it became clear that Rafael Lorente will be the journalism school’s next dean, ending weeks of waiting and nail biting in the college. In an interview…
Shell Shocked: Why the rent is so damn high at UMD
Reported for my Advanced Audio and Podcast Reporting class at UMD, JOUR364. I helped report this story, contributing data analysis and the interview with Dennis Passarella-George, the director of resident life at UMD. Nicole Blanchard and Aaron Wright reported as well. Grace Kpetemey and Mat Schumer anchored the episode. Julia Eisen was the executive producer. Molly…
