Since joining more than 100 union employees on a strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in October 2022, I’ve been producing stories and pictures for a worker-run strike newspaper, the Pittsburgh Union Progress.
*Click on the images below to read the stories.*

Voices from a damaged town

A Norfolk Southern train hauling several cars loaded with hazardous chemicals derailed on a frigid night in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3, 2023. East Palestine, Ohio. I’ve spent the past several months documenting the changes this toxic event forced on residents.

The Beginning

On a frigid and fiery February night, a train upended lives in East Palestine

'Beautiful, sad tapestry'

Attorney Kristina Baehr says residents’ stories can bring justice, compensation.

'They thought I was crazy'

All of those health symptoms can have a root cause in toxic exposure, one expert says.

Derailment Awakens Terrifying Memories

The Dettmers’ derailment story differs from so many others because of a deadly fire that occurred decades ago.

Restarting Life

One couple made a dramatic step to avoid living in a town they consider toxic.

Ups and Downs of a Settlement

Norfolk Southern agreed to pay more than $600 million, but some say the deal doesn’t solve residents’ problems.

Worse than it Appears?

A toxicologist explains why the derailment and fires endangered more people than previously thought.

The Presidential Visit

Joe Biden came to East Palestine, but did he hear the people’s concerns?

Stories of Pain

Activists from unions, environmental groups and journalists hear stories of pain.

An Industry's Toll

Destruction and tragedy accompanied prosperity after trains came to East Palestine.

'It's Not Safe'

A voice from the buried town of Times Beach has advice for East Palestine residents: Get out.

‘Depression is Through the Roof’

East Palestine residents can’t return to homes they fear are poisoned, and it’s taking a toll.

'I Don't See Hope in Anything'

Seven weeks after rail disaster, residents struggle with the unknown.

An Industry Out of Control

The toxic train derailment in East Palestine is a symptom of addiction to plastic, says a resident turned activist.

'Don't Lie To Us'

At a town meeting, East Palestine residents plead: ‘By the grace of God, please get our people out of here.’

History: Working people in a labor town

1927 North Side Explosion

An early morning blast leveled a portion of Manchester and caused damage that continues to reverberate.

Pain lingers from 1915 factory fire

A dozen workers died, most were girls and young women.

Death at Darr mine

Dec. 19, 1907: A day of ‘heart-piercing shrieks of grief’ in a Westmoreland coal town

Seven days on edge

Two strikes rattled the region in a single week in 1916; one ended in cheers, another in bloodshed.

The Klan takes a beating

When the KKK came to town 100 years ago, Carnegie residents fought back — and things got bloody.

The price of a bridge

The Wabash Bridge pier is for sale; its story is one of sacrifice and loss.

‘Help, get me out’

The tragic and troubled history of Stowe’s tunnel.

'Out of This Furnace'

Remnants of life flicker on Braddock’s Washington Avenue.

'I want to meet him in heaven'

One journey with a Bethel AME pastor in 1898 reveals extraordinary grace in a brutal era.

Strike stories that go beyond the picket line

Why am I on strike?

One family’s story of working life led to a picket line

A look at Scabby's past

Investigation into famous balloon rat reveals inflated claims

What (or who) is a scab?

History reveals several answers

Honking horns, popping fires, screaming coyotes

Days and nights on an isolated picket line

Post-Gazette stories published before the strike

Featured story:

How a photo taken a few days after Labor Day 1913 affected a Pittsburgh family for generations. (*click on image to read)*

A Triumphant, Tangled Legacy

Ed Gainey’s Virginia and Pittsburgh roots run deep

A Legacy of Resilience

The Gainey family has a long history of first in Pittsburgh

Painful memories at the Flight 93 Memorial

Twenty years after the attacks, several people travel to Somerset County to see where 40 passengers and crew members died in an effort to regain control of an airliner hijacked by terrorists.