Hava's Journalism Portfolio

(Hava Herzog/Courier) Headline: More Prescott residents report insurance cancellations, mitigation demands Published July 25, 2026 in The Daily Courier Word Count: 1,745 Link : tinyurl.com/mwns8bpd The City of Prescott has long faced wildfire risk, but in the past year, more homeowners have reported challenges with their home insurance coverage. Some residents have received notices from insurers requiring them to meet specific defensible-space standards to maintain coverage, while others have seen their policies canceled altogether. In August 2026, all of Prescott will be incorporated into the wildland-urban interface (WUI), as approved by the City Council in May 2026. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, a WUI is a zone where homes and other development border undeveloped wildland vegetation. These areas face an increased wildfire risk because human-caused ignitions can spread into wildlands, while wildfires can quickly threaten homes and infrastructure. To reduce that risk, hom...

(Hava Herzog/Courier) Headline: Federal lawsuit alleges civil rights violations by City of Prescott, police, CAFMA fire chief Published July 3, 2026, in The Daily Courier Word Count: 613 Link: dcourier.com/news/federal-lawsuit-alleges-civil-rights-violations-by-city-of-prescott-police-cafma-fire-chief/article_d9f9240a-34e9-4f7e-9e94-c622089a9bc9.html The City of Prescott, members of the Prescott Police Department, and members of a detective’s family have been named as defendants in a federal civil lawsuit filed by former Prescott resident Matthew Massucci.  On July 16, 2023, a confrontation between Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority (CAFMA) Deputy Chief of Operations Dustin Parra and Massucci occurred at Star Mart in Prescott.  Members of the Parra family allegedly made false reports to police about the incident, leading to Massucci’s arrest and felony charges.  Massucci’s complaint was filed Tuesday, June 30, against the City of Prescott, PPD Chief Amy Bonne...

(Courtesy/Prescott Valley Illustrated) Headline: Chef, owner, storyteller, Ivan Pugh to bring Cajun cooking to Prescott Valley Word Count: 751 Published July 13, 2026 in Prescott Valley Illustrated Link: dcourier.com/news/prescott-valley-illustrated/chef-owner-storyteller-ivan-pugh-to-bring-cajun-cooking-to-prescott-valley/article_b5e1f39a-749a-46ed-8d2e-07fe736a167f.html Chef Ivan Pugh is bringing the flavors of the bayou to Prescott Valley this fall with his new concept Southern Bites Pugh grew up as a nomad, he said, living all across the country. Growing up in Tennessee, Pugh recalled living off the land as a ranch hand. He and his family would make apple cider from fresh apples, tap maple trees for syrup, and make mustard sandwiches with butterleaf lettuce. His first introduction to cooking was with a neighbor farmer who made rabbit gumbo and homemade pork sausage. Pugh said he grew up with food insecurity so to get extra calories in before dinner, he would help his mom in the kit...

KAFF News Extra (Produced by Dave Zorn and Edited by Casey Everett)

https://youtu.be/vow1Ox3bjIM  

Features Writing Sample:  The McMillan gives new life to historic building The past and the present blur on the corner of East Route 66 and North Leroux Street, where the McMillan Building stands as the oldest building in downtown Flagstaff. Since 1886, the building has witnessed the changing Flagstaff scene in its nearly two centuries standing. Now,  The McMillan Bar and Kitchen  operates out of the historic location, giving the former bank hotel new life as a modern eatery. The McMillan upholds its legacy of hospitality by welcoming locals and tourists alike to “drink in the history.” The McMillan Building was originally  The Bank Hotel Building . The National Park Service lists it on its  National Register of Historic Places , which ensures the building’s indefinite preservation in near-original conditions. The McMillan building is included in  Flagstaff’s Railroad Addition Historic District .  Tucker Woodbury, the founder of The McMillan Bar and Ki...

  News-Feature Writing Sample:  Fake ID culture on college campuses Fake IDs have been a staple of college campuses across the United States  since the ‘80s . As real driver licenses evolved, so did the legitimacy of fakes.  While it may look genuine to the untrained eye, a fraudulent ID is not guaranteed to fool bouncers, restaurant staff, scanners or law enforcement.  A  rise in fake IDs  began with the passing of the  1984 National Minimum Drinking Age Act . Former New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg alongside  Mothers Against Drunk Driving  proposed the act to reduce drunk driving by prohibiting people under 21 from purchasing or possessing alcohol. This law does not require states to adhere to the national minimum age, but if states do not comply, they lose 10% of federal highway funding.  Before the act was passed in 1984, the drinking age varied from state to state, with Arizona’s minimum age set at 19. The  2005 REAL ID...