I wrote thousands of stories during my time at NBC News Radio, covering politics, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, economics, entertainment, and more. Efficiency is paramount in broadcast writing; effective copy delivers as much information as possible in just a few sentences, and care has to be taken to choose words that are as easy for the listener to understand as they are for a broadcaster to say with little to no preparation.

Here’s a sampling of my news writing work.

>>12th Victim Dead In Virginia Beach Shooting

(Virginia Beach, VA) — The death toll is rising in today’s shooting at a municipal center in Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach Police Chief Jim Cervera says the number of victims killed in the shooting is now 12, up from the previous report of eleven. The gunman in the shooting is dead after a long gun battle with police. Cervera said the suspect was armed with a 45-caliber handgun with a suppressor, along with several extended magazines. So far, there’s no word on the motive of the attack.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam called the shooting a senseless act of violence. He said families are dealing with painful loss and grief, and they’ll need to be supported in the days, months and years to come.

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>> Study: U.S. Army Soldiers See Dramatic Rise In Insomnia Rates

(Belcamp, MD) — America’s soldiers are having a tough time getting some shut-eye. A study published in the journal “Sleep” shows a significant spike in the rates of insomnia and sleep apnea among soldiers in the Army. The rates jumped more than 600 percent from 2003 to 2011, especially among soldiers who were deployed. Soldiers who were exposed to combat situations were slightly more likely to have sleep problems than those who were just deployed. Researchers warn that insufficient sleep is associated with several health problems, including PTSD, suicide, diabetes, obesity, and heart attack.

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>>OU Linebacker’s Dad Testifies In J&J Opioid Trial

(Oklahoma City, OK) — The father of a University of Oklahoma linebacker is one of the first witnesses in a trial dealing with Johnson & Johnson opioids. Craig Box told the Norman court he never realized the danger of the drugs that led to the death of his son, Austin. Lawyers for Johnson & Johnson remarked that Austin Box didn’t necessarily use the company’s drugs. Johnson & Johnson is accused of marketing opioids as safe and downplaying how addictive they can be. The company’s stock has fallen more than six percent over the past three days.

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>>Genetically Modified Fungus Shows Promise In Malaria Fight

(College Park, MD) — A genetically modified fungus is showing promise in the fight against malaria. Researchers worked with a type of fungus that typically infects mosquitoes that spread malaria in Africa. They modified it to include a type of spider venom. Field tests in west Africa showed a near-total drop in mosquito populations within about 45 days. The World Health Organization says nearly half of the world’s population is at risk of malaria. In 2015, more than 200 million people came down with the disease, and nearly half a million died from it.

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>>Too Close To Call Between Clinton & Trump In FL

(Tallahassee, FL) — It’s still too close to call between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton in the key battleground state of Florida. Vote counts between the two have swung back and forth as more precincts report their results. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson has earned a small percentage of votes. Both Trump and Clinton are without a doubt wishing that those votes were in their column. Florida has 29 electoral votes, and political experts say Trump will have a tough time winning if he doesn’t win the Sunshine State.

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>>School Shooting Shocks Nation, Shatters Small Connecticut Town

(Newtown, CT) — A nation mourns and a small community in southwestern Connecticut is shattered by a shooting spree that left 20 young children dead. It happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. The total death toll is 27. That includes six adults and the shooter in the incident. Police are still looking into the shooter’s identity and the possibility of another crime scene in New Jersey.

President Obama called the incident an unbelievable tragedy and a heinous crime. He has ordered flags to be flown at half staff to mark the tragedy. Wiping away tears, Obama said something must be done to prevent a similar event, regardless of politics. Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said nothing can prepare a community for this kind of catastrophe. He added that the shooting will leave a mark on the school and the community.

Scenes from the school are heartbreaking. The lucky parents whose kids survived the attack gratefully took their kids away from the school hugging and kissing them. The young survivors have said they heard several shots and struggled to come up with the words to describe the experience.

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