This year I learned the term “offbeat reporting” — reporting that, rather than focusing on an established specialty or beat, looks broadly, and includes original stories that might otherwise be overlooked or covered in less depth. These are my favorite stories to read in Pittsburgh City Paper and those I was most excited to write when I joined as a staff writer! Naturally, Pittsburgh has no shortage of mysteries (our regards to Michael Chabon), hidden history, colorful characters, and people doing unsung work. Here are my 2023 highlights:

Pittsburgh’s @pgh_scanner Twitter account is no joke // Jul. 26, 2023

Before Pittsburgh Scanner (@pgh_scanner) was a viral sensation or City Paper’s Best Twitter Account of 2023, the person behind it was a mystery — and obviously deserving of a profile. I was surprised to find that no one had interviewed Nick yet (a CP exclusive!) and was even more surprised to meet a steelworker and dad of two whose modest ambition when starting the account was 500 followers. (Three years later, it has about 44,000, plus its own logo and merch.)

Nick Offerman promises to be "generally redolent of condiments" when he returns to Pittsburgh // Sept. 29, 2023

The opportunity to interview Parks and Rec star Nick Offerman came about because of the SAG-AFTRA strike, which put him on an impromptu comedy tour stopping in Pittsburgh. Not expecting more than a few minutes to talk, Offerman spoke with me for more than an hour, candidly discussing his career, Hollywood labor conditions, and general thoughts on art, woodworking, and life, which I was so excited to render into a full profile. There were a few things I wish I could’ve included at greater length — mostly that he knows Pittsburgh loves him and the feeling is mutual. He described the city as “avuncular.”

“Pittsburgh… collectively, as a cultural center, it’s a group of people who know how to use hand tools,” Offerman told me. “And I think [you] can smell that coming off of me as well, so I don't have to go far to reach my audience.”

The Ghost Bomber of the Monongahela blends conspiracy, truth, and tragedy // Oct. 4, 2023

It will soon be 70 years since a B-25 Mitchell bomber landed in the Monongahela River, sank, and was never seen again — a story that’s haunted me since covering it. (Who wants to join my letter writing campaign to James Cameron?) Despite living in Pittsburgh for more than a decade, I hadn’t heard of the missing B-25 until working on an article for CP’s 2023 Fall Guide about Pittsburgh’s most famous urban legends, discovering that the “Ghost Bomber” even has its own archival collection at Heinz History Center. I was also delighted to find that Heinz History President and CEO Andy Masich is a master storyteller, and so the story ends where Masich ended it: “And then, it’s all gone. What happened?"

Greenfield's Holiday Parade celebrates 30 years of fireworks, floats, and festivities // Nov. 22, 2023

As a Greenfield resident, I was proud to represent my neighborhood in this story, taking it on after mentioning the Holiday Parade offhandedly at our weekly editorial meeting. But I soon discovered the Parade was celebrating its 30th anniversary and CP was the only publication to cover it. Also, no comprehensive reporting existed about this beloved neighborhood tradition — though it’s pulled in local celebrities and politicians — so I had the honor of reporting it as a (mostly) original history. Also check out the wonderful Greenfield Holiday Parade slideshow by photographer Mars Johnson.

Big screen, little lies: Pittsburgh is being gaslit about IMAX theaters // Nov. 29, 2023

Pittsburgh’s lack of an IMAX theater has been a mystery and personal bone of contention for years, but I originally thought this would be a short, niche story with some quick answers for fellow film fans. Instead, it took me down a reporting rabbit hole (which at one point involved a Deep Throat-esque source) and evolved into a larger exploration about the film industry’s transition in the wake of COVID. As a bonus, soon after this story ran, Row House Cinema announced the debut of a new 70mm film projector and “oversized screen” at the Hollywood Theater next fall.