https://www.jayroot.us/home daily 1.0 2024-11-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/d0323bc9-c0ad-41e0-861e-290ff496e4b4/Screenshot+2024-11-10+at+2.43.04%E2%80%AFPM.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/76fbe58b-7ff0-4b44-b808-10fcff4aa73c/Screenshot+2024-11-10+at+2.38.52%E2%80%AFPM.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/6aaca85b-7940-49c8-8639-ff1521a7315d/Screenshot+2024-11-10+at+2.33.28%E2%80%AFPM.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/759f035b-60a8-44da-9b5b-236b492b6a87/Screenshot+2024-11-10+at+2.48.21%E2%80%AFPM.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/75eabc49-ed3c-427e-8e5d-654adc295ec4/scan.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/0e54b8ed-5109-48ff-81ce-e45573236390/scan2.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1616886024264-4VASI5P0MJ7QCRRS4KYQ/Jay+and+GWB+1.jpeg Home - Before joining The Times, Jay Root was an investigative reporter in his home state of Texas. His stories there put the current Texas attorney general on the path to criminal indictment, helped shut down rampant criminal prosecutions of rent-to-own customers in Texas, and sparked firings and resignations at a free-spending Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1617072136667-Z4DGFLV7E9H1151XY0B2/JayOrleans1.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1616887078999-3UI8OCGYWUJ3TW506FBD/Bullock+With+Press.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1624586322864-7ZTA1SZ9FYZZ9PG51GLM/Screen+Shot+2021-06-24+at+8.50.43+PM.png Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1618283304143-EPJ3YXYLJUXIEOZ42ODV/Guadalajara%2B1992.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1618171462604-BVOMIABCT3RBLYBBWSZH/Screen+Shot+2021-04-11+at+3.04.00+PM.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1618171141212-DVBHV99OLFGNJTED4CYS/Screen+Shot+2021-04-11+at+2.58.24+PM.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1618171669046-MTQFII2JQ62SI18B7GY2/Screen+Shot+2021-04-11+at+3.07.38+PM.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1624636612739-FRHQO88NQX31O1DUQFSH/Screen+Shot+2021-06-25+at+10.56.28+AM.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1624584842888-766VR781ZLMM2QBLJLDG/Screen+Shot+2021-06-24+at+8.33.52+PM.png Home - Of course Perry never made it to the White House, and when the bottom fell out of his presidential aspirations I was there to chronicle it. At the time, the Texas Tribune had a co-publishing deal with the New York Times, but the deadlines were pretty early. Naturally, Perry's decision to call it quits came suddenly, so I only had a few hours to throw together a story about his campaign's collapse. But all these years later I'm still proud of it: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1624584953623-0TN3X1PQALPZLYRZI7YJ/Screen+Shot+2021-06-24+at+8.35.40+PM.png Home - I love to sink my journalistic chops into a good narrative, particularly if I can hang a bunch of political reporting on it that otherwise might not find a broad audience. So when I stumbled onto the story of Shawn Riggs, an Austin-area resident who ran afoul of his homeowners association's code enforcement cops, I knew I had a long-read winner. Turns out the homeowner's association was run by a state senator who — surprise, surprise — wrote the pro-industry law that allowed Riggs' HOA to initiate foreclosure proceedings against him. Published in Texas Monthly in 2013, this story won a best-of-year award from Longform.org. (A bonus: Riggs got some help from a certain senator once we brought his saga to light). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1624585184086-2TWXJIQ5V7PX6ERY62LA/Screen+Shot+2021-06-24+at+8.26.18+PM.png Home - Speaking of longreads with impact: I was thrilled when the print version of Border Hustle — my award-winning half-hour documentary with the same title — was published in TIME magazine. The photos by Verónica G. Cárdenas are extraordinary, and no doubt helped trigger an outpouring of support from readers who wanted to help the little Honduran girl featured in the article. Read the story first then look here to see what some generous donors were able to accomplish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1624585235811-P3A1QSM3MQU2URQTXYP5/Screen+Shot+2021-06-24+at+8.28.36+PM.png Home - I love investigative reporting, and I think every journalist should be digging deep and looking for watchdog opportunities no matter what beat they cover. But I love a good political yarn, and I've spent most of my career in journalism spinning them. I covered Texas Gov. Rick Perry for a good dozen years, so when he launched a White House bid in 2011 I felt like I'd won the lottery. Here is a triple-bylined story on his right-hand man — lobbyist Mike Toomey — that ran on the front page of the New York Times. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1624586589304-TDBCWQ14A67CGXJU5XZ2/Screen+Shot+2021-06-24+at+8.47.59+PM.png Home - Make it stand out This photo was shot while I was touring the submerged Lakeview neighborhood with a New Orleans cop. Somewhere under all this water is Denise Thornton’s house and that ruined grand piano. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/1731268400605-DOLYI2RRW88P334008WC/Screenshot%2B2024-11-10%2Bat%2B2.52.37%25E2%2580%25AFPM.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/bbcbce35-8d4b-4a0b-9688-6e92d52eaa59/Screenshot+2024-11-10+at+2.54.01%E2%80%AFPM.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/0643bb24-c13f-4936-8750-261e2d063341/Screenshot+2024-11-10+at+2.54.52%E2%80%AFPM.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/605e65c734d1506c0e616915/9c975c0f-49a9-4cdf-8d79-5bcdbda85bd8/Screenshot+2024-11-10+at+2.55.40%E2%80%AFPM.png Home