Journalism

The long, hard process of identifying the dead in California's deadliest wildfire

Nov. 15, 2018 | USA TODAY

An on-the-ground report detailing the efforts of first responders, search and rescue crews and forensic anthropologists tasked with finding and identifying those killed in the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California. This was reported in the days immediately following the fire. My responsibilities included on-scene reporting, writing, extensive interviewing and photography.

Co-written with Elizabeth Weise of USA Today, with Weise reporting remotely and myself from Paradise.

Tahoe man maimed by Nevada snowplow driver high on meth, looks to hold state responsible

Apr. 17, 2019 | USA TODAY

A long-form piece diving into the story of a California carpenter maimed by a Nevada snowplow operator high on meth, and his precarious attempt to be fairly compensated by the state.

Writing, reporting and photography all done by me, with the exception of some provided images.

Inside the Camp Fire perimeter, these residents faced the inferno. Now, they're staying put.

Nov. 16, 2018 | USA TODAY

They stayed to protect their property; they stayed to ward of looters; they stayed because they were trapped. Over the course of a week immediately following the 2018 Camp Fire I tracked down residents of Paradise, CA and the surrounding areas who stayed and fought back the flames. This story, and most of my other work from the Camp Fire, was written from behind the fire line from the front seat of a truck under intense deadlines and less than ideal working conditions.

Writing, reporting and photography all done by me.

Nevada 'dodged a bullet' when 6.5 earthquake struck in a remote area, seismologist says

May 16, 2020 | The Reno Gazette Journal/USA TODAY

Behind California and Alaska, Nevada is the third most seismically active state in the nation. So when a 6.5 magnitude temblor hit in a remote section of the state (but close enough to Reno to shake me awake at 4 a.m.), it was national news.

This is the “tie-off” story published the day after the quake and the flurry of initial reporting that went with it. This story, targeting reader questions and brewing national interest, ran across the USA TODAY Network.

85 people died in the Camp Fire last November, but the name of one victim remains a mystery

Nov. 5, 2019 | The Reno Gazette Journal/USA TODAY

For the one year anniversary of the 2018 Camp Fire, I was asked to contribute to a special package of coverage for USA TODAY and its affiliated properties commemorating the fire. This story, and an interactive drone tour covering rebuilding efforts, were my parts. My task was to cover the sole remaining unidentified victim of the fire and the mysterious circumstances in which they were found. Reported from on the ground in Paradise, CA and remotely from Reno.

Writing, reporting and much of the photography by me. Help from drone co-pilot Benjamin Spillman for drone imagery.

IHA8VGS? Here's why Nevada DMV rejected 1,013 vanity plates last year

May 8, 2019 | The Reno Gazette Journal

A story diving in to the (sometimes) indelicate process of approving and denying vanity license plates in Nevada, complete with renderings of actual denied plates from 2018.

Writing, reporting, records requesting and graphics work all done by me.

RGJ Drone Footage: See rising Lemmon Valley flood water that has residents on edge

March 15, 2019 | The Reno Gazette Journal

A video accompanying a greater story package covering rising flood waters in a residential area north of Reno. This video, as well as several others in 2019, earned my drone co-pilot Benjamin Spillman and I the 2019 award for “Best Video Programming or Series” from the Nevada Press Association for our drone videography.

Reporting: Anjeanette Damon

Drone piloting & Videography: Sam Gross & Benjamin Spillman

Video editing: Sam Gross