Chelsey Zhu
Digital ProducerWhat I do at KUT
I’m all over the place. Most of the time, I focus on writing stories for our website, creating social media posts and putting together . Occasionally, I edit digital stories, speak into a mic and play matchmaker for Austin singles. I’m always on the lookout for stories that are positive, local and restore people’s faith in humanity.
My background
I’ve always wanted to work in public radio � as a kid, I fantasized about signing off a story with, “Chelsey Zhu, NPR News.� (Yes, that is an extremely weird thing for a 10-year-old to dream about.)
In pursuit of that goal, I took journalism classes in college, wrote for the , dabbled in podcast production and interned at places like Forbes, WXPN and FactCheck.org. My first job out of college was being a producer for HerMoney, a personal finance podcast that helps women gain confidence with money.
I’m originally from Murfreesboro, Tenn. I lived in Philadelphia for a few years before moving to Austin in 2022. My favorite thing about this city is that people thank bus drivers here.
Journalistic ethics
I used to think being a good journalist meant only reporting on Very Serious Things. But I’ve come to realize that people need to read and listen to happy stories, too, and those are the stories I love to chase! Examples: I’ve made people scream as a haunted house actor, investigated Austin’s love of nostalgia and interviewed a local reality TV star about finding love at any age.
There’s no better feeling than talking to someone who’s doing a really funny/heartwarming/quirky thing in their community � and who wants to share that joy with everyone else. If you know of anything like that, please reach out at [email protected].
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Stores and restaurants around town are giving money and distributing supplies to people affected by floods in Central Texas. -
Four people are missing in AGÕæÈË°Ù¼ÒÀÖ County as of July 16. Meanwhile, Austin ISD's superintendent told the community that families in the district had been impacted by the floods in Kerr County. -
AGÕæÈË°Ù¼ÒÀÖ County emergency responders have conducted dozens of water rescues since the flooding began. Officials are encouraging residents to sign up for alerts from Warn Central Texas to stay up to date on the situation. -
The demonstration was held in solidarity with protests in Los Angeles, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have arrested more than 100 people since last week. -
Austin’s main Pride parade isn’t until August, but there are parties, picnics, movie screenings and more all throughout the month of June. -
A severe thunderstorm brought heavy rain and damaging winds to areas along I-35. -
Funcionarios escolares del ISD de Liberty Hill confirmaron que el menor de edad asistió a la Escuela Primaria Bar W. No hay detalles disponibles sobre el historial de sus viajes o su estado de vacunación. -
School officials with Liberty Hill ISD confirmed the child attends Bar W Elementary School. There are no details available on the child's travel history or vaccination status.
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A tornado touched down in Burnet County in the afternoon, the county's office of emergency management said. -
The longtime Austin tradition takes place Saturday from 11 a.m. until sunset at Pease Park.
