Gulf States Newsroom
How will Avis Williams lead New Orleans Public Schools? Look to her work in Selma
Avis Williams transformed Selma, Alabama’s schools during her five years as superintendent. Now, she’s set to lead New Orleans’ all-charter school system.
Deliberate Indifference: A conversation about Alabama, Mississippi prison issues
WBHM’s Mary Scott Hodgin talks with Brittany Brown of the Gulf States Newsroom about issues plaguing Alabama and Mississippi prisons.
Q&A: After federal complaint for COVID vaccine rollout, what’s next for Mississippi?
The NAACP’s and SPLC’s federal complaint claims that Mississippi didn’t equitably spend its federal COVID-19 relief funds, leaving out communities of color.
‘Better isn’t good enough’: Starbucks workers in Birmingham, New Orleans discuss unionizing
Starbucks stores in Birmingham and New Orleans could be the next to unionize. Those leading the efforts sit down to discuss why and what they've learned so far.
A day after SCOTUS leak, Gulf States begin to prep for a future without Roe v. Wade
While nothing officially changes until the Supreme Court delivers its decision, advocates on both sides of the issue are preparing for an end to legal abortion.
What does a successful guaranteed income program look like? Jackson might have the answer
A successful guaranteed income program in Jackson, Mississippi could offer insights to cities in Alabama and Louisiana as they launch their own pilots.
To reduce gun violence, New Orleans is turning to community groups instead of police
Advocates in New Orleans work to curb gun violence by focusing on prevention and community needs over policing and aim to spread it across the Gulf South.
Q&A: After DOJ’s Parchman report, what changes are needed at Mississippi Corrections?
The Gulf States Newsroom’s Brittany Brown details the Department of Justice’s report on the Mississippi State Penitentiary, and what comes next.
The fate of Amtrak’s Mobile to New Orleans line will be decided by these key issues
Amtrak is making its final pitch for a Gulf Coast passenger train line. The private companies that own the tracks the trains would run on, however, oppose it.
Watch Live: The Gulf States Newsroom is hosting a live storytelling event.
The Gulf States Newsroom, a collaboration among public radio stations in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, is teaming up with Back Pocket Media to put on a live storytelling event on Tuesday.
In New Orleans, students are using Anne Frank’s story to teach each other about injustice
"In Quarantine with Anne Frank,” helps students learn to talk to each other about discrimination.
A year into striking, Alabama coal miners are frustrated but defiant as ever
As the strike in Alabama drags on, coal miners say it’s not just about the money. They’re also fighting for their dignity.
As Gulf South lawmakers fight over Medicaid, new moms weigh in: ‘Safety nets do save lives’
The COVID-19 health emergency could end soon; tens of thousands of new mothers could lose their healthcare coverage unless legislators take action.
Record-high gas prices are cutting into Alabama drivers’ budgets. Here’s how they’re coping
The added expense affects people in Alabama’s Black Belt differently, including road trippers, commuters and even those who can’t drive.
Key COVID moments in the Gulf South 2 years later
On the two-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, take a look back at the Gulf States Newsroom’s coverage of the infectious disease’s impact on the Gulf South region.
Why Gulf South oil producers can’t protect the region from rising gas prices
Experts say activating unused oil wells could temper the rising costs of gas, but consumers should not expect prices to get anywhere near their COVID low.
After a wave of HBCU bomb threats, a look at another era of violence at Jackson State
In 1970, the campus was the scene of a violent shooting by police that left two young men dead, many others injured and campus changed forever.
A rodent infestation shut down Family Dollar stores. How one Alabama town is coping
A Family Dollar in York, Alabama is one of the few shopping options in town. But it's shuttered due to a warehouse rodent infestation.
Is New Orleans ready for Mardi Gras? A Q&A with health director Jennifer Avegno
New Orleans is in full celebration mode with Mardi Gras just days away, but where does COVID fit into the equation? The city’s health director has answers.
The 2021 Jackson water crisis and the cracks that remain in a long-damaged system
A year ago, below freezing temperatures collapsed Jackson, Mississippi’s water system, revealing longstanding cracks in its infrastructure.
Mississippi’s plan to stop Alabama from stealing its teachers? Pay them thousands more
As Mississippi lawmakers plot how to keep more teachers in the state, educators warn the state’s bill targeting critical race theory could drive them away.
Amtrak’s proposed Mobile-New Orleans line is ‘a bad idea’ for Alabama, officials say
Mississippi wants to move full steam ahead with plans to restore the passenger rail, but Alabama worries the line will disrupt the freight rail.
Travel nurse salaries are rising due to demand. Some hospitals say it’s price gouging
In the Gulf South, Mississippi has spent around $90 million on temporary medical staff. Louisiana has spent nearly $250 million.
Gulf South hospitals face ‘worst-case scenario’ as staffing costs skyrocket
Facilities are under strain and federal assistance only goes so far.
Seeking asylum in the U.S. is not easy. It’s harder when you speak a rare language
Two men who speak a rare language languished in Louisiana and Mississippi detention centers, they say, because they couldn't interview in their native tongue.
Critical race theory divides Gulf South educators and state leaders
Critical race theory is a hot-button issue for politicians in the Gulf South. Alabama and Mississippi are attempting to pass new laws prohibiting it.
As demand for travel nurses increases, hospitals in the South struggle to stay competitive
COVID-19 hospitalizations are now twice as high in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama as they were two weeks ago, contributing to now record hospitalization numbers nationwide.
Mississippi wants more tech jobs. Here’s what it can learn from Alabama’s tech success
Louisiana and Mississippi rank at the bottom nationally when it comes to the percentage of tech jobs in the state workforce. Alabama sits in the middle of the list, mostly because of Huntsville’s Research Park.
Guaranteed income is coming to the Gulf South. Take a look at the 3 programs
Guaranteed income programs are coming to three cities in the Gulf South including Birmingham, which is set to launch soon.
With the mental health system strained, here’s how some people are coping during the pandemic
Alabama is among the bottom of states for media health providers per capita. That has people looking online and other places to find help.
The 2021 moments that will stick with us: Reflections from the Gulf States Newsroom
Our regional reporters reflect on the most memorable moment they had in the field as they covered stories across Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
As much of the Gulf South remains unvaccinated, New Orleans issues a mandate for kids
The city will expand its mandate in 2022 to include children 5 and older. The city health director said “there was no good scientific or educational reason to wait.”
