Cover boy: Blessed with a sunny disposition and an unfailing work ethic, Independent news reporter Chris Meagher makes the challenging job of researching and writing a top-notch cover story look easy. The Michigan native, who started working at newspapers in 2005 after graduating from Michigan State University, covers everything from courts to crime, but found the subject matter of this week’s piece-a swindling adoption agency that promised but never delivered children to hopeful families- particularly distressing. “It really touched me to hear the stories of these different families, and how the emotional toll was far greater than the financial one,” he said.