Two longtime N&O journalists have taken on new roles. Let us re-introduce them
Two familiar faces have joined The News & Observer’s service journalism team this week, helping produce informative, connective utility journalism for everyone in the Triangle.
Anna Roman and Simone Jasper, who have both worked at The N&O for years, now make up a team of six service journalists who serve readers by sharing necessary, important, engaging and entertaining information for and alongside our communities.
Let’s meet them!
Anna Roman
Anna has been The N&O’s Raleigh city government and Wake County reporter since 2018, explaining to readers how government works for (and sometimes against) them while keeping us all informed on life-altering decisions and elections. Some of her standout reporting includes:
- Explaining why Raleigh gave money to residents of a former homeless camp.
- Revealing accusation of “predatory” encounters by a Raleigh City Council member, prompting his resignation.
- Lovingly remembering those who died in Raleigh while experiencing homelessness.
Utility journalism (often called “news you can use”) has always been a part of Anna’s reporting. As the Raleigh city government reporter, she taught us:
- Why our water smelled (and tasted) a little funky last year.
- How to help families with missing loved ones.
- What ballot measures, like Raleigh’s $80 million affordable housing bond back in 2020, really mean.
On the service team, Anna will continue to explain how and why government systems work for those who rely on them, and keep us up to date on important, time-sensitive news we need to live our best, most informative lives.
To reach Anna with a question or news tip, you can contact her at 919-829-4807 and amroman@newsobserver.com.
Simone Jasper
Simone has been a part of The News & Observer with the Real Time Team since 2019. Her reporting has helped residents and visitors feel more connected to where they live. Some of her most unifying reporting includes:
- Sharing the local restaurants, nearby cities and vacation destinations that ranked among the best in the country.
- Describing how lost pets were reunited with their families.
- Uncovering the narratives behind milestones in North Carolina history.
On the service team, Simone will continue helping readers feel grounded in North Carolina. She’ll tell us about the critters we sometimes see when we step outside (including, but not only, those pesky copperheads). She’ll loop us into local ties on television shows and in Hollywood productions.
Bottom line, she’ll tell us what makes where we live so special — from renowned restaurants to hospitals, small businesses to schools.
To reach Simone with a question or news tip, you can contact her at 919-836-5768 and sjasper@newsobserver.com.
Our service journalism team
The service journalism team was created in 2021 to “explain our communities and answer vital questions.”
In its five strong years, the team has done that with aplomb. We:
- Brought you inside grocery stores and warehouse clubs, price checking items to tell you where you can get the most bang for your buck.
- Took you to recycling plants across the state, showing you with our own eyes how recycling happens and really makes a difference.
- Shared how to donate to victims of Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina, ensuring we found trusted avenues that would get donations directly to those suffering.
These are just a few examples of the critical work our service journalism team does to serve readers in the Raleigh/Durham area and across the state.
Anna and Simone join our Raleigh-based team, which also includes Renee Umsted and Drew Jackson.
Our team’s other two reporters, Evan Moore and Tanasia Kenney, are based at The Charlotte Observer and are incredible collaborators with our Raleigh-based teammates, ensuring everyone across the state is well-connected and informed.
The team is led by Kimberly Cataudella Tutuska, one of The N&O’s first service reporters.
To reach any member of the service journalism team with a question, idea or tip, you can email us at ask@newsobserver.com or fill out our form:
This story was originally published February 19, 2026 at 2:18 PM with the headline "Two longtime N&O journalists have taken on new roles. Let us re-introduce them."
