Here are newspaper writing samples dating back to 1997, when I began my post-college newspaper career.

At the top of the page are a selection of the stories I did during my first semester at the Columbia School of Journalism. These are unedited and the headlines are of my own devising.

Most of the professional samples are from the Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal, where I most recently worked. I have only one sample from the Willoughby (Ohio) News-Herald now online. I don't have these in electronic format and haven't gotten around to typing them in yet.

All of the clips are combined into one file here. If you would like hard copies of the articles, please email me.

-tjg

Sunday, Nov. 12, 2000
SUNNYSIDE GARDENS PROVIDE 'OASIS' IN QUEENS
The stately tree in the midst of the old brick buildings reluctantly surrendered to autumn, holding on to a few orange leaves while sending their brown brethren to the ground below.
Most of the other vegetation has already capitulated, leaving the maze of gardens a little less colorful than it might be otherwise. But the coming of winter can't disguise the verdant beauty of Sunnyside Gardens, a celebrated and historic group of residences on the edge of Queens.

Thursday, Nov. 2, 2000
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS CANDIDATE?
Trina knew the name, she said. It was on the tip of her tongue.
She lit a cigarette with a customer's lighter, leaning over the bar to return it. It didn't help. "Nope," she finally said. "I'm not sure who's running."

Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2000
THE TALE OF THE TAPE
By day's end, they didn't even bother shredding the stuff. Not enough time; too much excitement.

Friday, Oct. 27, 2000
'A LEGAL LOAN SHARK'
She has a job, the woman says, pressing her fingertips against the scarred plastic window. She just can't prove it.
Gayle Lluberes, on the other side of the window, rolls her eyes, but keeps her voice polite as she tries to help the woman complete the paperwork to get her boyfriend out of jail.

Sunday, Oct. 15, 2000
THERE'S NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT THE COMICS BUSINESS
Nobody wandered over to the comic section of the store.
Perhaps surprisingly for a place named Comic Heaven, the thin trickle of customers roaming this Sunnyside shop Wednesday afternoon seem interested in anything but comics.

Sunday, Oct. 1, 2000
LIONS AND TIGERS AND ELEPHANT-HEADED GODS, OH MY
Alex Gonzalez pulled the sweatshirt over his head and turned around, displaying a bare back decorated in a mosaic of primary colors.

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000
PEDDLING PEACHES
Some of the homeward-bound commuters almost seemed afraid of Tony Burtin's hoarse shout.
"C'mon," he yelled at the crush of people exiting the seven train at 46th Street in Sunnyside. "Six tomatoes for a buck. A dozen peaches. C'mon. I wanna go home."

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2000
MOBS SEND MIXTURE OF MESSAGES AT UN SUMMIT
The drums outside the United Nations stopped at 11 a.m. Exactly 11 a.m. Sure, it was a protest. But that didn't mean they had to be uncivilized about it, does it?

Saturday, April 22, 2000
NEIGHBOR DISCOVERS WOMAN MURDERED
DELAND -- A 77-year-old woman was found murdered in her home Friday morning, stunning residents in her quiet country club community.

Tuesday, February 8, 2000
THOUSANDS PAY TRIBUTE TO OFFICER
ORLANDO -- His comrades in arms said their final goodbyes Monday morning to Orlando police Officer George S. DeSalvia, bidding him farewell just yards away from where he was fatally shot.

Friday, February 4, 2000
PUPILS PRESERVE THE PAST
DELTONA -- King Chicken began his journey to the underworld Thursday.

Tuesday, February 1, 2000
CONDO MEETING TURNS INTO FRACAS
DELTONA -- A meeting of the Edgewater Condominium association devolved into chaos over the weekend, with two senior citizens coming to blows in the lobby of the Deltona Civic Center.

Saturday, December 11, 1999
CURMUDGEON VOWS TO STAY PUT
ORANGE CITY -- Christmas is being stolen from the Grinch. While the Whos in Who-ville gather in song, a self-admitted crotchety old man is being forced from his mobile home park.

Saturday, December 4, 1999
'IT WAS LIKE OBVIOUS DEATH': MIDAIR CRASH OVER DELAND LEAVES 4 DEAD
DELAND -- Four people including two flight instructors, a commercial pilot and a student were killed in a midair collision between two small planes Friday morning over DeLand Municipal Airport.

Sunday, November 21, 1999
'SUICIDE RATE IS OUTRAGEOUS': LOCAL OFFICIAL TOUTS PREVENTION
Three more Volusia County residents took their own lives last weekend.

Friday, November 5, 1999
DEBARY MAN CHARGED IN PLOT TO KILL STEPMOTHER
DEBARY -- A marina owner accused of hiring a transsexual trucker to kill his stepmother left jail Thursday after posting a $1 million bail bond.

Sunday, August 8, 1999
A CENTURY OF LIVING: 'OLD AGE SHOULD BE SATURATED WITH DREAMS'
ORANGE CITY -- They've grown old as the world waits to become young again.

Monday, July 5, 1999
OPERATIONS CENTER RACES TO KEEP SPEEDWAY TRAFFIC UNDER CONTROL
DAYTONA BEACH -- A collective sigh went up from the workers in the traffic operations center at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Sunday, May 2, 1999
SNAKES LEAD CHARMED LIVES
DELTONA -- Snakes have belly buttons.

Sunday, May 2, 1999
INTERNET, BOOKS OFFER QUICK ACCESS TO BOMB RECIPES
DELTONA -- "Pipe bombs are some of the easiest and deadliest ways to kill a group of people or destroy a few things. First off, we will talk about the pipes. Second will be the explosives and last will be the shrapnel."

Thursday, April 8, 1999
TRASH JOB OFTEN REEKS OF DANGER
DELTONA -- The smell grows and mutates, slowly.

Monday, February 15, 1999
ORANGE CITY WONDERS FOR WHOM THE BELL (RANDOMLY) TOLLS
ORANGE CITY -- File it in the "be careful what you wish for" department. Iris Scheff, a city employee, was standing on the steps of City Hall around 6 p.m. last week when the bell in the building's cupola exploded into a tumultuous tintinnabulation.

Sunday, November 22, 1998
NICOLE'S ESCAPE
A teen-age girl's battle for acceptance ends in suicide
"Dear Mom,
By the time you get this I'll be gone. It's not your falt (sic). It's no one's fault. I was just sick of everything and I needed to get away."