— Josh has written for the Kitsap Sun since 2005, covering crime and the courthouse for seven years, the city desk for another seven and now covers the military in the Pacific Northwest.
His work on the opioid epidemic in Kitsap was an integral part of a PBS’ Frontline special, and his stories have been featured in print publications around the country, including USA TODAY. He’s the winner of six first-place awards from the Society of Professional Journalists (NW Region) for breaking news, short and long feature writing and more.
— Some stories can be told. Others should be lived. In 2014 Josh created and began organizing “Story Walks,” taking readers beyond his printed stories to hear from the people and places making news in Kitsap County. They commonly draw hundreds of people and include sponsorships that bring in a new source of revenue for media organizations.
Walks have included a behind-the-scenes look at an aircraft carrier, the reopening of an Art Deco theater and an interactive tour of how a century-old neighborhood was built.
— In the digital age, the print media model has been flipped upside down. Josh believes video storytelling is integral to its future. In October 2015, he took a camera to the basement of the Kitsap Sun — formerly where the print presses ran — and filmed his first “Beat Blast,” a look at five cultural happenings on the Kitsap Peninsula.
From the more light-hearted (a contest to determine the five best bites of Bremerton) to the serious (solving the housing crisis), the Blast is not only watched by thousands of people across platforms each week (YouTube links attached) but includes two sponsors that bring in a new source of revenue.
— Josh was born with his sleeves rolled up. In 2018, he invited people to come walk Bremerton’s bridges over the Port Washington Narrows — and 1,000 people showed up. Four events — an art walk, wildlife tour, children’s scavenger hunt and pub crawl — helped to highlight this amazing, yet underrated community asset.
While the Manette and Warren Avenue Bridges were built for automobiles, the spans over Puget Sound also created a three-mile hike where peninsulas converge, plush with Puget Sound views, mountain vistas and a trove of Bremerton lore. Since “Bridging Bremerton,” efforts are underway to add signage and improve the weaker links of the trail — and a second annual event is planned. Josh was named “citizen of the year,” by the East Bremerton Rotary Club for his efforts.