Journalism Portfolio: Susan Berger

Letter to Editor/ NY Times April 19, 2018 re: death of Barbara Bush

The Charm of Barbara Bush/ originally published 1999- on Smerconish.com

I had the privilege of meeting Barbara Bush in 1999.  Read the story here: http://www.smerconish.com/politics/barbara-bush-charm/

Philip Vatamaniuc sentenced to 54 years for murder of Colin Nutter/ Chicago Tribune 3/2/2018

Read story here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-lns-colin-nutter-killer-sentence-st-0303-20180302-story.html

Woman who was convicted in 'huffing' crash that killed Highland Park girl is out of prison/ Feb. 9 2018 Chicago Tribune

Carly Rousso, who was convicted of aggravated DUI and reckless homicide after she struck and killed a 5-year-old on Labor Day 2012, was released from prison. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Carly Rousso, who was convicted of aggravated DUI and reckless homicide after she struck and killed a 5-year-old on Labor Day 2012, was released from prison. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

READ STORY HERE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/highland-park/news/ct-met-huffing-crash-prison-release-highland-park-20180209-story.html

The Bill Cosby We Loved Is Gone/ 1/27/2014 Smerconish.com

 

Originally posted in January 2014 reprinted on Smerconish.com 

Read story here http://www.smerconish.com/culture/bill-cosby-gone/

I Love Oprah/ originally published in 2011 reprinted on Smerconish.com 1/7/2108

 

I wrote this in 2011 - reprinted on Smerconish.com in light of Oprah’s speech at the Golden Globes .  Read the story here: http://www.smerconish.com/culture/love-oprah/

After Uber driver killed on the job, family finds solace in other violent crime victims/ Chicago Tribune/12/24/2017

 

Grant Nelson, an Uber driver from Wilmette, was killed by a passenger last May. (Courtesy of Todd Nelson)

READ STORY HERE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-uber-driver-killed-family-copes-20171224-story.html

Teen in cellphone theft that turned deadly pleads guilty to reckless homicide/Chicago Tribune 10/4/2017

 

 

READ STORY HERE; http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-cell-phone-theft-death-guilty-met-20171004-story.html

Woman defending daughter before fatal Waukegan stabbing pleads guilty to reduced charge/Chicago Tribune 10/2/2017

 

 

READ STORY HERE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-lns-waukegan-stabbing-guilty-plea-st-1003-20171002-story.html

Fox Lake cop widow's trial is delayed; state to appeal ruling barring her emails/Chicago Tribune 6/19/2017

 

 

READ STORY HERE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-fox-lake-police-widow-hearing-met-20170619-story.html

Family of Uber driver killed with stolen knife, machete sues Walmart/Chicago Tribune 6/26/2017

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-uber-driver-killed-family-sues-walmart-met-20170626-story.html

At funeral for stabbed Uber driver, he's remembered as 'a kind soul in a cruel world'/Chicago Tribune 6/2/2017

 

READ STORY HERE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-uber-driver-killed-funeral-met-20170602-story.html

Teen randomly killed Uber driver/Chicago Tribune 5/31/2017

Waukegan man found guilty of murder/Chicago Tribune 5/26/2017

Murder suspect says he lied to police because he feared being deported again/Chicago Tribune 5/24/2017

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-cousin-killed-lake-county-murder-trial-met-20170524-story.html

Lawyer: Man in murder trial says he stabbed cousin in self-defense/Chicago Tribune 5/22/2017

READ STORY HERE

2 men now convicted of killing Colin Nutter, but what about the 3rd suspect?/ Chicago Tribune

 

 

READ STORY HERE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-colin-nutter-murder-third-suspect-michael-coffee-met-20170502-story.html

Judge finds Highland Park man guilty of murder/Chicago Tribune Page One

 

 

READ STORY HERE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/

Murder suspect says he lied to police because he feared being deported again/5/24/2017

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-cousin-killed-lake-county-murder-trial-met-20170524-story.html

Colin Nutter's parents testify at his murder trial/Chicago Tribune 4/19/2017

Trial opens in Highland Park man's slaying/ 4/16/2016 Chicago Tribune

Colin Nutter murder trial to begin on Monday/ Chicago Tribune

 

 

 

READ STORY HERE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-colin-nutter-accused-killer-trial-met-20170414-story.html

CNN/ Michael Smerconish Show / 2/25/2017 Guest appearance re: New Trier High School controversy

 

 

 

My appearance on CNN/ The Michael Smerconish Show re: New Trier High School civil rights seminar - See video here:

 

 

 

Charges against Fox Lake police widow stand; trial delayed again/ Chicago Tribune 1/9/2017

 

 

READ STORY HERE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-fox-lake-police-shooting-wife-court-met-20170109-story.html

A walking movement is energizing African American women / Washington Post 11/19/2016

 

A walking movement is energizing African American women

Suburban man pleads guilty to child porn possession, avoids prison/Chicago Tribune/ 9/19/2016

 

John Malecki of Barrington.

(Lake County Sheriffs Office)

 

 READ STORY HERE:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-child-pornography-barrington-met-20160919-story.html

There’s new hope for blood cancers, and it comes from umbilical cords/ Washington Post 9/5/2016

 

 

Story teased on Page One of the Washington Post:

READ STORY HERE:  https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/theres-new-hope-for-blood-cancers-and-it-comes-from-umbilical-cords/2016/09/02/04620816-2d89-11e6-9b37-42985f6a265c_story.html?postshare=3871473085284852&tid=ss_tw

Daughters’ pleas, model jail behavior don’t earn a corrupt governor a reduced term, judge decides/Washington Post 8/9/2016

 

READ STORY HERE: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/08/09/ex-gov-blagojevich-to-appear-at-resentencing-via-closed-circuit-tv-from-prison/?postshare=8781470775777397&tid=ss_fb&utm_term=.70f3c3f6b7d4

Kane County Sheriff's Deputy charged with drug possession/ Chicago Tribune 6/24/2016

READ STORY HERE:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-kane-county-sheriff-deputy-drug-charges-met-20160624-story.html

 

A few tips from experts for interacting with Alzheimer’s patients/Washington Post 5/30/2016

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/a-few-tips-from-experts-for-interacting-with-alzheimers-patients/2016/05/27/328341d0-1789-11e6-aa55-670cabef46e0_story.html

What’s the best way to talk to someone with Alzheimer’s?/Washington Post 5/30/2016

 

 

 

 

READ STORY HERE: ashingtonpost.com/national/health-science/whats-the-best-way-to-talk-to-someone-with-alzheimers/2016/05/27/b6ac5246-032d-11e6-9203-7b8670959b88_story.html

Judge refuses to stop anti-abortion fliers targeting Lake Forest CEO/ Chicago Tribune April 13, 2016

READ STORY HERE: http://trib.in/1XrLtt2

Jailhouse informant's slaying complicates prosecution in killings of Zion girls/ 3/11/2916 Chicago Tribune

READ STORY HERE: http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-zion-girls-killed-jailhouse-informant-dead-met-20160311-story.html

Report details search for 4 North Shore men who died in canoe accident/ Chicago Tribune Feb. 25, 2016

 

READ  STORY HERE http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/winnetka/news/ct-wisconsin-canoe-accident-new-trier-deaths-met-20160225-story.html

Last of 4 canoe accident victims from North Shore laid to rest/ Chicago Tribune 1/12/2016

Last of 4 canoe accident victims from North Shore laid to rest
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/winnetka/news/ct-wisconsin-canoe-accident-funeral-met-0113-20160112-story.html

 

Doctor who cited concussions in NFL sees racism in reaction to his warnings/ Washington Post 1/12/2016

4th victim of Wisconsin canoe accident is found as funeral held for another/Chicago Tribune 1/8/2016

READ STORY HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Third victim identified as search resumes for fourth man in Wisconsin lake/ Chicago Tribune 1/6/2016

 

 

READ STORY HERE

Unstable ice hindering search for fourth man in Wisconsin canoe accident/Chicago Tribune 1/7/2015

 

READ STORY HERE

Canoe Accident claims 4 pals from North Shore/Chicago Tribune PAGE ONE 1/5/2016

 

 

READ STORY HERE

Bennet Omalu, doctor who raised alarm bells about NFL head injuries, on racism in U.S. science/ Washington Post 12/29/2015

 

 

Read Story Here: http://wpo.st/y_J-1

One tiny sesame seed was all it took/Washington Post Nov. 16, 2005

READ STORY HERE

Ex-teacher gets 50 years for sex crimes/Chicago Tribune 11/5/15

READ STORY HERE

Ex-substitute teacher in North Shore guilty of child porn possession/Chicago Tribune Oct. 8 2015

READ STORY HERE

 

 

‘Transparent’ is more than a TV show, creator says: It’s part of a ‘movement’/ Washington Post 9/21/205

My reporting from California on location as Transparent wraps Season 2 and days before winning 5 Emmy Awards
 

read story here

Molly, a form of MDMA or ecstasy, can cause fatal reactions/ Washington Post 7/27/2015

READ STORY HERE

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-doctor-public-indecency-met-20150729-story.html/ Chicago Tribune 7/29/2014

 

READ STORY HERE

Teacher jailed for not reporting colleague's alleged sex with student /Chicago Tribune 7/21/2015

READ STORY HERE

Brother of ex-teacher charged with child porn was killed by police/ Chicago Tribune 7/14/2015

READ STORY HERE

Troops overseas get pizza on the Fourth thanks to suburban initiative/ Chicago Tribune 7/4/2015

READ STORY HERE