Trump’s travel ban keeps Afghan immigrants — even those who risked their lives alongside U.S. troops — separated from their families. They haven’t seen their wives and children in four years. Four years. madison.com/news/local/g...

My Lee Enterprises colleague @emilyhamer.bsky.social and I won the Don Bolles award for investigative reporting. This was for our project, called Twisted Message, on a global religious sect and one of its churches in Tucson. The series led to two indictments this year. tucson.com/news/local/a...

A new victim from the Golden Dawn Tabernacle came forward today. He said he was sexually abused during hundreds of church services, starting when he was 11 years old. His story: tucson.com/news/local/c...

The pastor told me in September that I didn’t have a story and that I was trying to get him arrested but “it’s not going to work.” He has now been arrested for failing to report child-sex abuse allegations.

The first arrest was that of Jose Mora, who admitted to me and @emilyhamer.bsky.social that he had sexually touched a 12-year-old boy. He appeared briefly in court this morning and remains jailed pending trial. tucson.com/news/local/c...

A pastor at a Tucson church has been indicted for failing to report child sexual abuse, following reporting on the church and its sect by @emilyhamer.bsky.social and me. This is the second set of criminal charges following our project, called Twisted Message. tucson.com/news/local/a...

Trump is gutting SAMHSA, a federal agency that has given more than $300 million to Wisconsin mental health initiatives, including about $35 million to support school mental health. Here’s how SAMHSA funds have helped Wisconsin schools: madison.com/news/local/e...

My latest story explores how the state and federal government are gutting school mental health funding as depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation are rising among youth: madison.com/news/local/e...

‘Cult’ church member molested small boy while his children napped, new victim says (Golden Dawn Tabernacle, connected to William Branham's The Message movement) tucson.com/news/local/a... (Branham: bit.ly/WilliamBranhamCult) #cults #religion #religionnewsblog #williambranham #themessage

A new victim of the alleged child molester from the Golden Dawn church “cult” has come forward. He is sharing his story of abuse and recovery publicly for the first time. tucson.com/news/local/a...

In November, @emilyhamer.bsky.social and I published a series digging into The Message religious sect. Among all the revelations, nothing was as surprising as the admission by a Tucson church member that he had sexually abused a child. Now he's been arrested. tucson.com/news/local/c...

The latest from my investigation into the cover-up of child sex abuse allegations at a Tucson church. One congregant has been arrested: tucson.com/news/local/c...

One of my favorite holidays!!! Shows my two sides: Pink-princess-strut-pop and bachelor podcast listener. Van-life-indie-rock and daily news consumer.

Eve had sex with the serpent. Race-mixing is "hybreeding" -- "a dangerous and damnable thing." In an online-only coda to our project, Twisted Message, @emilyhamer.bsky.social and I tell of the racial ideologies passed down from a 1960s preacher still being spread today. tucson.com/life-enterta...

Last story in the Twisted Message series posted today. I was shocked to learn that’s it’s pretty normal for Message churches to advise against interracial marriage. tucson.com/life-enterta...

Videos show 'Message' pastors preach against interracial marriage across U.S. @emilyhamer.bsky.social

Our project on The Message religious sect, and a Tucson church that is part of it, shocked a lot of people. It also overwhelmed some readers. Now you can go back chronologically through Twisted Message, at this landing page, and take your time with the stories. tucson.com/life-enterta...

The final chapter of @timsteller.bsky.social and I’s church “cult” series ends on a more hopeful note Congregants who escaped share the joy they felt as they danced, traveled, wore high heels, watched movies and celebrated holidays — activities the church considers sinful tucson.com/news/local/f...

Tucson's Sabino Canyon a pilgrimage site for followers of 'prophet' Branham @timsteller.bsky.social

A Tucson church “cult” manipulated members’ lives by controlling their health decisions — even when it resulted in deaths. The COVID death rate at Golden Dawn was 10 times higher than the county, estimates show. But the church stayed open. From @timsteller.bsky.social: tucson.com/news/local/c...

A staple of my Twitter was photos of me and my cat Maisie. Wanted to keep that going here.

This is from last week, but I just joined BlueSky a few days ago so haven’t gotten a chance to share on here yet. The story by me and @timsteller.bsky.social is one of the most devastating topics I’ve reported on, but I’m glad these victims finally have a voice. tucson.com/life-enterta...

Listen: Alleged child molester from Tucson ‘cult’ church responds to questions. @timsteller.bsky.social @emilyhamer.bsky.social

These two stories came out in print today in Tucson, Arizona. It’s some of my most important work: tucson.com/life-enterta...

“I know for a fact young women did not want to be 17, 18 years old and marrying a man in his 50s. They were horrified by that idea,” Naomi Wright said. “But the parents had a different view.” tucson.com/life-enterta...

More stories about women’s experiences in The Message out online today. Sarah Kiser said that when she went to her assistant pastor for help with her abusive husband, the pastor responded: “That’s a normal man.” tucson.com/life-enterta...

The pastor, his children, and church leaders own 7 houses in Tucson's west-side foothills. Average size: 4,159 square feet. Average value: $914,000. Former members accuse the pastor of turning the church into a fine-tuned money-making apparatus that exploits members. tucson.com/news/local/e...

Today’s story in the “Twisted Message” series shares the experiences of women who have been treated like “second-class citizens” in a sect called The Message. One woman said she was scolded for using the words “I think” and “I feel.” Now she and others are speaking out. tucson.com/life-enterta...

Been working on this series about a fringe religious sect for more than a year now. The investigation by me and my colleague @timsteller.bsky.social is the first news-media account of “The Message” and it’s global influence. This story was the first installment: tucson.com/life-enterta...