NEWS
Leominster Flash Flooding
September 11, 2023
After being pummeled by nearly 10 inches of rain, the city of Leominster suffered a severe flash flooding emergency, resulting in a collapse of much of the city’s infrastructure. As the lead Assignment Editor that night, I spotted the developing story and used social media and police scanners to dispatch my crews to the most impacted locations. I coordinated coverage across our editorial and production teams to ensure seamless, accurate broadcasting. I also organized several phone interviews with Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella and emergency responders to provide residents with crucial public safety updates while urging them to avoid travel. Our reporting documented crucial developments throughout the night, including road closures, neighborhood evacuations, flood rescues, and even the emergence of a sinkhole near a Cadillac dealership. Our team’s exceptional breaking news coverage was later recognized with a New England/Boston Emmy Award.
Plymouth Family Escapes From Gaza
November 13, 2023
I covered the story of the Shafais, a family of five from Plymouth, MA, who became stranded in Gaza following October 7, 2023. Despite initial hesitation from my station due to the sensitive nature of the events, I maintained regular contact with their uncle Hani and advocated for sharing their experiences. On November 13th, I learned they had successfully crossed into Egypt through the Rafah Crossing, and I was able to secure an in-depth interview with Hani, who shared his perspective on the difficult border crossing and the personal grief he was experiencing due to the loss of a cousin to an airstrike a few days earlier.
Upon receiving approval to broadcast, I produced a comprehensive piece highlighting the family’s ordeal. When the family flew back to Boston, we met them at the airport to document their return. In their interviews, they expressed their gratitude to be home and detailed their experiences trying to find food, medicine, and shelter while navigating intensely dangerous conditions. This story is one that is particularly important to me. It provided viewers with a unique local perspective on the humanitarian impact of the conflict, one that was underrepresented in early reporting following October 7.