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Abby Hess on Muck Rack

Abby Hess

Verified
West Plains
As seen in: West Plains Daily Quill, Energy Central, Autobody News
Small-town journalist. Unfettered optimist-skeptic. Nerd, mom, awkward award winner, wife. KU & Cubs fan 4 life. R/Ts =/= endorsements. My opinions are mine.

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Abby Hess’s Biography

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I'm a Sunflower State Jayhawk transplant to a strange and lovely land between Tiger Country and Razorback Territory.

I've been telling stories as long as I can remember and got my first gig reporting when I was 13, for the school paper. Once I knew the exhilaration of pushing deadline, there was no turning back. Before I knew it, I was editing my high school yearbook for three years running.

I grew up in an era of physical cutting and pasting and red wax pencils, learned how to lay out pages o…

Abby Hess’s Journalist Portfolio

Quill staff member wins photography contest award

Quill staff member wins photography contest award

Second place in the Best Feature Photograph category in the 2017 Missouri Press Association Better Newspaper …

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Articles

Candidates disavow dark money ahead of Tuesday’s primary

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By Abby Hess Verified
| West Plains Daily Quill Verified
Editor’s Note: This report concludes a three-part Quill investigation into outside political action committee (PAC) spending in local August primary races. The Quill does not endorse candidates; all findings are based on Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) filings, legislative journals and on-the-record interviews with Republican 154th District candidates Lisa Durnell and Travis Smith.
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MANAGING EXPECTATIONS: Why we followed the paper trail

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By Abby Hess Verified
| West Plains Daily Quill Verified
It’s that time of year again: We’re all opening our mailboxes to find glossy campaign flyers telling us why we should or should not vote for this or that candidate or ballot issue on Tuesday. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I barely glance at them before tossing them into the recycling bin — usually. I prefer to make my voting decisions based on newspaper interviews, town halls and debates, and publicly available records.
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Why is a Capitol PAC targeting rural lawmakers?

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By Abby Hess Verified
| West Plains Daily Quill Verified
Editor’s Note: This report is Part 2 of a Quill investigation into outside political action committee (PAC) spending in local August primary races. The Quill does not endorse candidates; all policy and voting analyses are sourced directly from Missouri House of Representatives roll-call ledgers (house.mo.gov), Missouri Ethics Commission (MEC) contribution disclosures for 'We the People Priorities PAC', and an on-the-record interview with 154th District Rep. Lisa Durnell.
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Interview

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What was your first job as a journalist?

I was the assistant online editor of the Emporia State University News Bulletin. Paid $5.35/hour! It was a fun gig. My job was to put the day's content up on the website. In those days that required extensive knowledge of HTML and usage of an FTP server. Much more work than it is now!

Have you ever used a typewriter?

I own two, both antique Royals, about 50 and 60 years old respectively. I love the way the keys feel and that satisfaction of resetting to the next line of text.

What does it mean to be a journalist?

Two words: building bridges. My goal is to bring content to readers in a way that is not just accessible, but that enables them to find meaning and relevance to their own lives, regardless of subject matter.