Reporting at The Daily Times in Salisbury, Maryland

In my reporting at the Daily Times I focused on environmental coverage, an issue of vital importance in a region severely impacted by flooding and dependent on the agriculture industry.

'We can get our hands dirty.' Women who hunt on the rise

Hunting is integral to the culture on the Eastern Shore and women were making waves entering the sport in higher numbers than ever. I was able to talk to a wide spread of hunters, from a newby who had just shot her first deer to women that had been hunting since preschool. They told me about the thrills of the sport and the stigmas they faced in a male-dominated community. This story was picked up by the AP and published on other regional websites.

Hemp to be 2019's new crop on the Eastern Shore

Part of my job in Salisbury was combing government programs and legal changes that would impact local farmers. As spring planting loomed, a change in the federal farm bill combined with a local program sparked the potential for a brand new crop to take root on the shore.

Beach replenishment's future: ‘it’s just not feasible to protect the whole coast’

After photographing beach replenishment for a short story by another reporter, I wanted to look deeper into the processes that took millions of dollars to fund. I found staunch supporters but also scientists who said the undertaking was inefficient and doomed to be repeated with increasing frequency as the ocean continues to rise.

Septic system frustrations boil, state and local changes proposed

One of the most contentious, crowded public meetings I’ve attended was about septic systems. Over 100 people packed into a small-town community center to voice their disagreement with county and state level rules surrounding the issue. I spent time understanding the different sides of this under-the-radar topic.

Rural areas struggle with recycling; Eastern Shore reliant on chicken litter

After a rural area claimed to have the highest recycling rate in the state, I investigated and found officials across several counties were skirting the state’s environmental standards by including thousands of tons of chicken litter in their calculations.

Local Christmas trees in short supply in Maryland and Delaware

I started looking into this holiday feature as a light piece about the Christmas tree farms on the Eastern Shore, but when I started talking to local growers I found they were struggling. I became fascinated with this unique industry that is slowly disappearing from the area.

'It's a small bandaid for a large wound'; farmers hope to break even with federal bailout

I followed this story from when the 2018 tariffs were put into place mid-growing season to the end of the year harvest after the federal bailout was announced. Most of the Eastern Shore supported President Trump’s election and I wanted to see how farmers viewed Trump after the toll of the year. I found that while the faith of some was cracking, most were willing to absorb the losses with the trust that the administration would continue to work on their behalf.

Conowingo battle: sides look for alternative as fight drags on

Bring up the impact of septic systems or agricultural runoff on the Chesapeake Bay to most Eastern Shore residents and they’ll tell you the same thing — the true problem is upstream at the Conowingo Dam. The dam trapped hundreds of tons of sediment and nutrient pollution, and was the site of a years long legal battle. After shifts in strategy, I sought to break down the history and science of the conflict.