Meet The News & Observer’s new service journalism reporter, Simone Jasper
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Simone Jasper is a new service journalism reporter at The News & Observer.
- She will cover best-of rankings, wildlife and entertainment stories in North Carolina.
- She invites readers to send story tips via phone or email.
Hello, Raleigh. I’m Simone Jasper, and I’m a new service journalism reporter at The News & Observer. I can’t wait to help fulfill this team’s mission of informing readers.
You may have read my past stories about the coronavirus pandemic, storm forecasts and other topics impacting North Carolinians. Now, I want to tell you more about myself and what I plan to do in this new role.
What brought you to where you are now?
I grew up in Ohio and developed a passion for writing at a young age. I first landed in North Carolina when I enrolled at Elon University, where I was a double major in journalism and Spanish. As a college student, I remember admiring the impactful stories at The News & Observer.
Then, after getting my first reporting job in Texas, I moved back to North Carolina to join The N&O staff in 2019. I spent the past few years connected to the newsroom through McClatchy’s national real-time team, where I covered best-of rankings, animal shelter adoptions and other trending topics in the Southeast.
When I’m not working, you’ll find me…
Traveling. I love gathering mementos and photos from my trips and combining them with craft supplies to make scrapbooks. In 2023, I was thrilled to win a first-place blue ribbon in the scrapbooking competition I entered at the N.C. State Fair.
Around this time of year, you also will find me watching basketball. I grew up following the NBA and still catch games on TV whenever possible. I’m also a fan of March Madness, though I admit I don’t have a favorite college team in the Triangle.
What do you love about the Raleigh area?
I love exploring the outdoors, so I’m always visiting the parks and gardens in and around Raleigh. We have such beautiful fall foliage here. And in the spring and summer, I make an effort to see the tulips, roses and sunflowers bloom.
The Triangle has so many impressive museums and walkable shopping plazas. I also never get tired of checking out our area’s charming suburban downtowns.
What I’m most excited to do in this service journalism role is…
Answer readers’ questions. I look forward to helping people better understand issues that impact life in North Carolina, a state I have called home for roughly a decade.
Get in touch!
As a service journalism reporter, I’m excited to continue covering studies that rank the top places to live and vacation in North Carolina. I also will cover wildlife and entertainment stories, focusing on movies, TV shows and concert tours with ties to the state.
If you have story tips, please feel free to call me at 919-836-5768 or email me at sjasper@newsobserver.com.
This story was originally published March 3, 2026 at 8:00 AM with the headline "Meet The News & Observer’s new service journalism reporter, Simone Jasper."
