I cover national trending news at The Philadelphia Inquirer, explaining big topics through a local lens. The job comes with an inherent need to understand how audience engagement and social media can drive a conversation. It’s a mix of writing briefs, explainers, features, and aggregated stories in different formats. One day I might be talking to local fishmongers about a national snow crab shortage and the next I’m running a live blog on former President Donald Trump’s latest indictment. You can see all of my work here, but below is a list of some of my favorite and best-performing stories. I also led the paper’s overhaul of how we cover major concerts and events, starting with our coverage of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, but following suit with other concerts including Beyoncé and Bruce Springsteen.
- Bud Light’s partnership with a trans influencer sparked a right-wing boycott
- Why are people mad at Balenciaga? Five things to know about the ad campaign controversy.
- A Snoopy plushie from CVS dressed in a puffer jacket is the season’s hottest toy. Good luck snagging one.
- Urban Outfitters is selling ‘vintage retro’ iPods and millennials’ feelings are hurt
- Spotify Wrapped SZN is here — here’s what it is and how to see your results
- Hundreds of pounds of pasta were dumped in the New Jersey woods. Police are investigating.
- Waffle House brawl videos continue to go viral. But to regulars, it’s just part of the lore.
- Meet the woman who gifted Ron DeSantis a ‘fascist’ snowflake. It’s not the first she’s made.
- Lensa is the app behind your friends’ new profile pics. Here’s what artists have to say about it.
- Macy’s cuts ties with Salvation Army this holiday season citing social mission
- The Army veteran who stopped the Club Q shooter owns a brewery. Supporters across the country are buying his beer and merch to say thanks.
- Jake Cohen — ‘The King of Nosh’ — comes to Philly
- Philly Flair at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
- An Iowa school district used ChatGPT to ban Buzz Bissinger’s ‘Friday Night Lights.’ He’s not happy.
- Who’s The Boss: Can you win our Bruce Springsteen lyric quiz?
- This Barbie is from Philly: What would your Barbie look like?
- If Twitter is Pat’s, then Threads is Geno’s: A Philly cheesesteak explanation of the new app
- Alex Pearlman says he’s just a guy from Philly’s burbs. His viral TikToks have scored him invites to President Joe Biden and Gov. Josh Shapiro’s media events.
- Why is ‘Barbenheimer’ having such a cultural moment?
- The Bonne Maman Advent Calendar is incredibly popular. This Jewish reporter asks why.
- The Burger King Whopper song is a bop — we asked experts why
- Fake photos of Trump’s arrest spread across social media. They were AI generated.
- Gen Z turnout may have stopped a ‘red wave.’ Young voters say they were underestimated.
- Florida students say they’re walking out and teaching themselves banned history lessons to protest censorship and anti-LGBTQ laws in education
- ‘RuPublicans,’ an Instagram account that reimagines GOP leaders as drag queens, goes viral
- We caught up with the 24-year-old Philadelphia Etsy designer behind Beyoncé’s viral disco cowboy hat
- American Girl released ‘historic’ 1990s dolls. Elder millennials aren’t taking it well.
- There’s a new wave of bad Yankee Candle reviews on Amazon. Does that tell us anything about COVID trends?
- This rapper’s song went viral before it was even available to stream. The full version is out now.
- A South Floridian’s guide to being a Miami Heat fan in Philly
Emily Bloch 