Gulf States Newsroom
Efforts to restore voting rights for people with felony convictions lag in the Gulf South
A new report shows that more people with past felony convictions can vote in this election cycle than previous ones, but millions remain disenfranchised.
1 reason people don’t evacuate for hurricanes? Rising costs, and they’re getting pricier
One researcher estimates evacuations can cost residents more than five times the amount they did 20 years ago.
Alabama voting FAQ: How to register, cast your ballot for Nov. 5 election
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5. Here’s how to register to vote, submit an absentee ballot, find your polling location and more.
‘Mississippi Five’ parole issues highlight the toll of ‘graying’ in Gulf South prisons
A campaign to free five women, known as the "Mississippi Five," shows how prison populations throughout the region are aging.
‘A terrible experience’: LGBTQ+ students face challenges amid Alabama’s Title IX, sports ban debate
Transgender students’ rights have come under increased scrutiny with a new school year underway as Alabama continues to push back against new Title IX rules.
Alabama, Mississippi receive millions to improve rural health care; here’s how they’ll spend it
The federal funding from the Biden-Harris administration will help each state improve maternal health care and opioid addiction treatment in rural communities.
Q&A: Gulf States Newsroom reporters discuss covering Birmingham mass shooting
Reporters Drew Hawkins and Stephan Bisaha discuss their perspectives of covering the mass shooting in Birmingham’s Five Points Neighborhood.
Q&A: Is an innocent man on Alabama death row? Here’s the latest on Toforest Johnson’s case
Reporter Beth Shelburne talks with the Gulf States Newsroom about how Johnson's case has progressed a year after the release of her podcast, "Earwitness."
How Alabama food banks are keeping rural communities fed
As the November election approaches, food insecurity is one issue that’s top of mind for residents in Alabama’s newly redrawn District 2.
Bill Greason, the oldest-living Negro Leaguer, takes another trip around the bases at 100
Greason, a former pitcher for the Birmingham Black Barons, was honored for his contributions to baseball, his community and his country at a recent celebration.
‘A dream come true’: Alabama ‘grandfamilies’ are set to receive opioid settlement funds
The new state program— the first of its kind in the U.S. — will give $280,000 from opioid settlement funding to grandparents raising their grandchildren.
An art exhibit reckons with Alabama’s death penalty toll
The traveling exhibit includes artwork, letters and audio from people incarcerated on Alabama’s death row.
High school football is back. How are Gulf South schools keeping players safe from the heat?
Student-athletes may not be too concerned about playing in extreme heat, but parents, coaches and trainers are taking plenty of precautions to keep them safe.
These 3 farms are an example of Mississippi’s growing network of sustainable agriculture
A group of Mississippi farmers is taking advantage of more federal support for climate-smart agriculture, with plans to grow membership and train others.
A plan to fix Jackson’s water system could cost all of Mississippi its food stamps
The DOJ and USDA said using a SNAP recipient’s information to distribute JXN Water’s roughly $30 discount to low-income customers would violate privacy.
Q&A: A New Orleans Dollar General employee discusses $12M settlement, store closures, more
Dollar General stocker and advocate David Williams hopes the complaint and settlement will lead to positive changes for employees.
Meet the people working to protect Southern protesters’ civil rights
Legal observers are trained to painstakingly document everything that happens at a protest. They've become more crucial as demonstrations have ramped up.
A new EPA grant is sending millions to the Alabama Black Belt to solve sanitation issues
The team that received the $14 million grant is also partnering with others to help fully address the Black Belt's sanitation issues.
Nissan workers in Mississippi consider another union campaign: VW ‘proved it can be done’
Pro-union workers at the Canton, Mississippi, plant say Volkswagen proved the UAW can win in the South, but other factors are in play — like the 2024 election.
Need help with breastfeeding? Here are some local resources for Alabama parents
August is National Breastfeeding Month, but the Gulf South has some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the country. Advocates are trying to change that.
Voting advocates in Alabama’s District 2 are training, gearing up for 2024 election
Nearly 40 participants took part in a recent Community Action Training to better prepare for the majority-Black district’s first election since being redrawn.
Q&A: Baldwin & Co. bookstore owner on James Baldwin’s impact, carrying on his legacy
DJ Johnson discusses Baldwin’s lasting legacy ahead of a 100th birthday celebration, and the importance of keeping Black businesses thriving in New Orleans.
In Louisiana, mutual aid networks help residents prepare for the peak of hurricane season
Groups like Micah 6:8 Mission are forming mutual aid networks to help fill in the gaps left by federal funding — pooling and volunteering resources.
Women’s health care in the Gulf South is ‘bleak,’ new report says. Here’s how Alabama ranks
Poor ratings in preterm birth rate, infant mortality led to Alabama ranking 45th in the U.S. in the Commonwealth Fund's new "scorecard" on women's health care.
In Mississippi, student filmmakers tell Emmett Till’s story through their lenses
The Mississippi Delta Film Academy's program helps local students reimagine Till's tragic story and deepen their understanding of their region.
This free training aims to address the Gulf South’s shortage of sexual assault nurses
The week-long, free program gives medical professionals tools to provide trauma-informed care — and potentially help with prosecutions.
The UAW’s union dreams seemed unstoppable. Then came the realities of the South
After a historic victory in Tennessee, the United Auto Workers southern campaign is still recovering from a big rejection in Alabama. How will it recover?
Thousands of Dollar General stores now sell fresh produce. Could it improve rural food access?
The discount store chain has added fresh fruits and vegetables at more than 5,400 stores. Grocery store advocates say the move could hurt mom-and-pop grocers.
Q&A: Prison reform advocate Terrance Winn on gun violence in Shreveport, Louisiana
Winn sat down with the Gulf States Newsroom's Kat Stromquist to discuss what causes Shreveport to struggle with shootings, and what could help.
Should heat waves get names like hurricanes? Some believe it could help save lives
As heat waves and heat domes become more intense, the idea of naming extreme heat as we do with other major disasters is gaining traction with some experts.
Gun violence and incarceration issues go ‘hand in hand’ in this Louisiana city, residents say
Some residents say Shreveport’s history of mass incarceration has changed their community — and their families.
In the fight against gun violence, this Gulf South city is searching for ways to save lives
As violent crime slows down across the South, Shreveport, Louisiana, is reckoning with the aftermath of an unusually deadly 2023.
