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FEATURED
DISPATCH: "From relaxed joker to pitiless killer," South China Morning Post, 29 August 2010
SPOT: "Hijacker set to be buried in his uniform," South China Morning Post, 27 August 2010
INVESTIGATIVE: "US blacklists HK shipping firms linked to Iran," South China Morning Post, 15 January 2011
INTERNATIONAL: "UBS case puts HK in US tax dodge spotlight," South China Morning Post, 4 May 2010
POLITICS: "Playing the Albany game for big gain," Times Union, 3 May 2009
PROFILE: "He saw China's open door but it's closed to him," South China Morning Post, 25 April 2010
REVIEW: "Asian Comfort: Van's Vietnamese offers the Far East's version of chicken soup," Times Union, 25 October 2009
INVESTIGATIVE
"US blacklists HK shipping firms linked to Iran," South China Morning Post, 15 January 2011
- • This front-page investigative story breaks down the intricate web of Hong Kong shell companies, lawyers, ships, and mortgage documents at the centre of an international sanctions-busting network of the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), which has been accused of aiding Iran's nuclear and weapons programme. Traces the role of Hong Kong and Chinese entities, including the involvement of a Chinese state-owned company.
- • Writer and lead reporter on the story. Utilized hundreds of Hong Kong companies registry and shipping registry documents, shipping databases, organized using data visualization techniques (such as this diagram).
- • This story was the first in a months-long series about the ways at how Hong Kong and mainland China companies are used by Iran to evade international sanctions. Read the whole series here.
"No law to curb HK firms that defy sanctions," South China Morning Post, 16 January 2011
- • A front-page follow-up story to the IRISL investigation, which explains how Hong Kong lacks the power to stop the sanctions-busting network. Nearly seven months after the United Nations passed new sanctions against Iran - with China's support - Hong Kong has not passed laws (which must be approved by Beijing) to give city officials the power to enforce the measures.
- • Writer and lead reporter on the story.
"Ethics panel works in secret," Times Union, May 11, 2008
- • The result of a month-long investigation, this Sunday A1 story is the first in-depth investigation into the inner workings of the secretive Legislative Ethics Commission, the supposed watchdog of the legislature.
INTERNATIONAL
"UBS case puts HK in US tax dodge spotlight," South China Morning Post, 4 May 2010
- • Front-page story illustrates the rationale for the US Department of Justice decision to focus on tax evasion in Asia, particularly Hong Kong - local shell companies and bank accounts were involved in more than half the tax evasion cases against American UBS clients made public at the time.
"Greencard loses allure as taxman takes a bigger cut," South China Morning Post, 6 April 2010
- • Front-page story reveals that an increasing number of people in Asia are giving up their US citizenship in record numbers. Once a symbol of security in uncertain times, the combination of relative political stability, growing regional economic opportunity, and increasingly complex and costly tax requirements are driving Hongkongers to give up the safety net of US citizenship.
"At Foxconn, success and tragedy linked," South China Morning Post, 1 June 2010
- • In the wake of 13 suidide attempts at Foxconn - maker of the Apple iPhone - this front-page feature tracks the company's evolution from humble start-up to the world's largest contract electronics maker. It's a tale with twin narratives – a story of meteoric growth and outsized influence in China, and in recent years, a harsh portrait of factory life.
- • Writer and lead reporter on the story.
DISPATCH
"Hijacker set to be buried in his uniform," South China Morning Post, 27 August 2010
"From relaxed joker to pitiless killer," South China Morning Post, 29 August 2010
- • Published six days after the 23 Aug 2010 hostage crisis in Manila, this dispatch from Manila was the first definitive account of the events inside the bus that ended in the killing of seven Hong Kong tourists and their tour guide.
- • Drawing from exclusive interviews with police officials, leaked internal police documents, and unpublished sworn statements by witnesses. In addition, this account was the first in English-language print media to quote extensively from interviews with Mendoza that aired live on television and radio during the crisis, including the final minutes before the hostages were killed.
"Twists, turns that led Mendoza to despair," South China Morning Post, 12 September 2010
- • Sunday front-page story was the first to trace Rolando Mendoza's descent from decorated police captain to desperate hostage-taker. Published just three weeks after the hostage crisis, as officials in the Philippines were investigating the events in an effort to explain Mendoza's act and the botched rescue operation that followed, the story revealed Mendoza's frustrated efforts to appeal what appears to be his politically influenced dismissal from the police force, leading him to this final, deadly act of desperation.
- • Drawing from interviews, emails, records from the Ombudsman's office, internal police personnel transcripts, and court records, this story was the first attempt by the English press to explain the seemingly counterintuitive sympathy in the country for Mendoza, as well as explore the a broken justice system that was laid bare by the hostage crisis.
PROFILE
"He saw China's open door but it's closed to him," South China Morning Post, 25 April 2010
- • Front-page investigative profile followed incremental reports on a local court case involving companies tied to Steven Cheung Ng-sheong, one of Hong Kong's most celebrated academic celebrities.
- • While Cheung did not respond to requests for comment, the profile drew from US and Hong Kong court records, interviews, and other public records to stitch together an account of the famed economist's feats and foibles over the past decade.
"Bruno takes a last bow on tour," Times Union, 19 July 2008
- • Front-page centerpiece profiled former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno on his final day in office, after 32 years in the state Senate.
POLITICS
"Playing the Albany game for big gain," Times Union, 3 May 2009
- • Sunday front-page story examines how state leaders missed opportunities to prevent and expose alleged pay-to-play schemes at the New York State Comptroller's office under Alan Hevesi.
"Ethics panel works in secret," Times Union, 11 May 2008
"Truth issue rises at Capitol," Times Union, 1 February 2009
- • Front-page analysis piece explains Gov. David Paterson's credibility problem in the wake of the Senate selection process and its impact on the upcoming budget negotiations.
"Budget a tough sell for Paterson," Times Union, 18 December 2008
- • Analysis piece describes the challenges Gov. David Paterson faces in trying to address the states ballooning $15.4 billion budget deficit.
"Senate majority drama endures," Times Union, 11 December 2008
- • Front-page story describes the death of a deal between Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith and the so-called "Gang of Three" that would have secured Democratic leadership of the chamber.
"Juvenile justice policy in flux," Times Union, 23 March 2008
- • This Sunday A1 story was part of a multimedia package that included 4 videos, shot by the reporter on-location while reporting for print.
- • The story was the first of two stories written during the budget process in March/ April 2008. Brace Residential Center and three other facilities were closed, resulting in a multi-million dollar cost savings to the state annually.
"Partisanship stalls budget action," Times Union, 19 November 2008
- • This A1 story describes the political theater of a public leaders' meeting where state leaders failed to act on the state's $1.5 billion midyear budget deficit.
"At Capitol, looking ahead," Times Union, 11 March 2008
- • Part of the multi-story package reported the day Gov. Eliot Spitzer acknowledged solicitation of a prostitute. It examines the political implications of Spitzer's disclosure.
"Democrats in dogfight; McCain leads GOP race," Times Union, 6 February 2008
- • Reported on location from the Hillary Clinton Super Tuesday event in New York City, this front-page story was written on tight deadline after results for New York were in.
MUSIC
"Ryan Adams: Live at the Catalyst," GT Weekly, 26 July 2007
- • Concert review/ music feature for the alternative-weekly in Santa Cruz, California.
"Yearning to endure," GT Weekly, 2 August 2007
- • Music feature for the alternative-weekly in Santa Cruz, California.
FOOD
"Asian Comfort: Van's Vietnamese offers the Far East's version of chicken soup," Times Union, 25 October 2009
- • Part restaurant review, part food memoir about the comfort of pho.
POLICY
"The High Cost of Being Poor" series, Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2005, 2006
- • Three essays profiling Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, researched and written for the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
- • Employed computer-assisted reporting techniques to process Census 2000 data, IRS tax data, National Center for Children in Poverty Family Resource Simulator microdata; GIS mapping; "experimental audit" of homeowner and auto insurance rates; interviews.