On Tuesday, I deleted Threads from my phone. And I vowed to stop looking at X. As so often happens when there’s an all-encompassing news cycle, I can get pulled under through splashes and then waves of information. 

After the very public and gruesome killing of Charlie Kirk and the reactions and news that followed, I felt trapped in a kind of info riptide. 

My instinct in these kinds of news cycles is to unplug completely. But this time it was more — and different — information that helped me swim out of that riptide.

This week, I want to highlight some local reporters whose work has been a lifeline. I’d love to hear from you, too. Respond to this email and tell me whose work is helping keep you afloat right now. Here are several of mine. 

Jason Rosenbaum, political reporter, St. Louis Public Radio

Rosenbaum and I worked together at the St. Louis Beacon and I always perk up when I hear him on NPR. That happened yesterday, when he appeared on WAMU’s “1A” to talk about redistricting in Missouri. I was aware of that news, but it wasn’t until he took the time to explain what’s happening in my home state and all the ways it can play out that I actually understood it. Thank you, Jason!

Margo Snipe, founder, The Stories Within

Snipe is a journalist who stepped out of the industry to help us rest, recover and do some trauma-informed healing and writing coaching. In the bumper-to-bumper, horns blaring, road-raging experience of being on social media, her Instagram posts feel like benevolent speed bumps that remind me to slow down, take a breath and do something kind for myself. Thank you, Margo!

NIHCM Grants Supporting Health Care Journalism

Lane DeGregory, Tampa Bay Times, and Maria Carrillo, retired

DeGregory and Carillo worked together for years on the “WriteLane” podcast, illuminating good storytelling and journalism. And now it’s back. Their first episode is a conversation with ProPublica’s Kavitha Surana and her “Life of the Mother” series. What a treat it is to get to listen to smart people talk about great journalism. Thank you, Lane and Maria (and Kavitha!)

Staff, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

I want to know about the street mural battles and the latest on open carry laws, but one thing I love about Tampa Bay’s local alt-weekly is that there’s also always something that’s both informative and delightful. Lately, that includes a photo story about a midcentury atomic round house in Sarasota; a piece about Florida’s only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home, which is up for sale; and the reminder that this Saturday is St. Petersburg’s free museum day. Thank you, Ray Roa, Selene San Felice and CL Tampa team!

I really do want to hear yours. I might do a shout-out to them next week if I collect enough. 

While you’re here:

• Free Press Indiana has a new women and girls reporter, and why don’t all newsrooms have this?

• Check out this webinar series from the Institute for Independent Journalists. 

• The Mental Health in Journalism Summit takes place online from Oct. 8-10. Learn more here. 

• The Baltimore Banner is expanding to a bureau in Montgomery County. 

That’s it for me. I had a lovely time at ONA in New Orleans and ate beignets at every opportunity. I also need to write a correction and apology. In last week’s newsletter with tips for surviving conferences, I misspelled my colleague Megan Griffith-Greene’s last name. I’m so sorry! 

Kristen