Hi. Thanks for stopping by my blog and online portfolio.

I’ve been a newspaper reporter for more than 10 years. I currently work at The State Journal-Register in Springfield, Ill., where I am a cops reporter and online producer. I cover area crime, police and fire departments, courts, local government, features and general assignments.

I’ve won numerous awards through the years, including:

James S. Copley Ring of Truth award

• 2004 - second place with co-author Dave Bakke for a story about a 20-year-old man who lost his liberty and his sight while trying to make methamphetamine and an accompanying story about meth problems in the Springfield area.
• 2004 - finalist for deadline reporting on a fire at H.M. Buckley & Sons.
• 2005 - first place for deadline reporting with a team of reporters on the Formosa Plastics plant explosion in Illiopolis.
• 2006 - first place for best news story for package of stories about Margaret Geldrich, a 98-year-old woman brutally attacked in her home by three teenagers.

Illinois Associated Press Editors Association Editorial Excellence

• 2005 - third place for deadline reporting with a team of reporters on the fatal shooting of Statehouse security guard Bill Wozniak.
• 2007 - second place for feature writing for a package of stories about Jerry Gaston, who was left paralyzed when an unlicensed, uninsured driver crashed into him while fleeing the police.

Illinois Press Association

• 2005 - first place for government beat reporting for a series of stories about city fairness in hiring.
• 2006 - honorable mention for investigative-enterprise reporting with co-author Sarah Antonacci for story about questionable practices by two police detectives.
• 2007 - honorable mention for best web project with photographers Justin Fowler and T.J. Salsman.

Southern Illinois Editorial Association’s Better Newspaper Contest

• 2008 - honorable mention with co-author Chris Wetterich for best news story for coverage of the CWLP power plant explosion.

In addition to working at The State Journal-Register since 2001, I have worked at the Southeast Missourian in Cape Girardeau, Mo.; at the Daily Egyptian, the student newspaper at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale; and as a technical report editor at American Resources Group; an archaeological firm in Carbondale.

I am married and have two sons, Matthew and Henry. I enjoy local history, crossword puzzles, reading and cooking. I grew up in Pinckneyville in southern Illinois, about 30 miles north of Carbondale. If you ever drive from Springfield to Carbondale, you’ll know it as the town with the courthouse you have to meander around.

You can reach me at jayette@jayette.com or twitter.com/jayette. You can view recommendations about my work at linkedin.com.

Feel free to browse my portfolio, which includes a variety of my favorite, best and most-memorable stories, as well as examples of video and blogging I’ve done.