$2.5 Million Mosquito Bite
I've been collecting some gems lately from The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C. Last month Jean P. Fisher wrote about Jerry Ansley, a Carolina man who suffered acute viral encephalitis after a mosquito bit him and who ended up needing medicine that cost up to $21,500 a dose. Fisher's "Hospital Sues Patient over Bill as Two-Year Medical Ordeal Drags On" describes how the state-sponsored hospital system sued Ansley after his health insurance stopped paying his bills once they topped $150,000. Fisher does a nice job of humanizing the high cost of medical care with this story.
In August, The News & Observer's Thomas Goldsmith revealed how North Carolina residents in adult-care centers are dying from preventable mistakes. His "53 Deaths in Five Years Tied to Adult-Care Violations in Rest Homes" details how these residents, most of them frail and elderly, died after wandering into traffic, freezing, choking or being given the wrong medicine. On Friday, Goldsmith added an update that describes how difficult it is for families of the elderly to learn about violations at the centers.
And late last week, the reporters, photographers and editors of The News & Observer moved quickly after an explosion rocked the nearby town of Apex. Their coverage of the fire at a hazardous waste plant and the resulting evacuation of more than 17,000 people demonstrates how skilled journalists can quickly put together lively, comprehensive reports. The stories, such as this one by Ryan Teague Beckwith and Sarah Ovaska were vivid and informative. In addition to reporting on the fire itself, the News & Observer published stories about what was happening at local hospitals, schools and evacuation shelters after the explosion. Be sure to also view the pictures by photographers Ted Richardson, Robert Willett, Chuck Liddy and Ethan Hyman.
News Gems often focuses on multi-part narratives and big investigative stories, but sometimes spot news coverage such as the News & Observer's can be just as impressive. Do you know of any other great examples of breaking news coverage that you'd like to suggest?