Louisiana
Alabama has 5th highest U.S. gun death rate. A study blames weak laws, high ownership
The Violence Policy Center, a non-profit educational organization, used the most recent CDC data on gun death rates in the U.S. for its analysis.
While rebuilding homes, Amish volunteers bond with South Louisiana over faith and food
Amish groups have stepped in to help Louisiana storm victims rebuild when other forms of aid have ended. It’s also led to cultural exchanges and connections.
The real winner of Super Bowl 57? The Gulf South and its wide range of football talent
The big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will feature nearly 30 players from Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi combined.
‘Nobody is getting to you’: How workforce challenges leave Gulf South EMS agencies strapped
Emergency services in Louisiana are spending more time waiting to offload patients at hospitals and that means fewer are responding to calls at any given time.
Why 2022 was a rough year for Gulf South food pantries, and those who need them
The federal aid that Gulf South food pantries have relied on during the pandemic ended this year, but the demand for food assistance still remained high.
The Gulf South is dealing with a ‘tripledemic’ of Covid, flu and RSV as the holidays near
Health officials say now is not the time to let your guard down on protecting yourself, and others, as the three contagious viruses spread across the region.
3 key reasons why ESPN chose Jackson State’s rivalry with Southern for College GameDay
An ESPN producer called JSU’s rise one of college football's biggest stories. Here are three key elements that make Saturday’s rivalry game worth highlighting.
6 ways the conversation around a guaranteed income in the US has changed
A guaranteed income conference held in Atlanta shows how the movement has progressed since 2017, with more than 50 pilots currently handing out cash.
A Louisiana woman sought a legal abortion and was denied. Now, she wants lawmakers to step in
The woman, who was denied an abortion after her baby was diagnosed with a lethal anomaly, is asking her state lawmakers to make the change in a special session.
A woman’s denied abortion highlights how Louisiana hospitals are in limbo post-Roe
Nancy Davis' story underscores a new reality: Even the few legal abortions are hard to get when that access is now in the hands of hospital administrators.
What to know about Alabama abortion rights after SCOTUS overturns Roe v. Wade
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to an abortion. Here’s what the decision means for the Gulf South region.
‘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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Prison visits are back in the Gulf States. Many have not seen loved ones for nearly 2 years
This holiday season, many incarcerated people in the Gulf States are seeing their loved ones for the first time since March 2020 due to COVID restrictions.
How the social safety net has — and hasn’t — changed in 2021 in 5 charts
Updates to SNAP, TANF and the Child Tax Credit have helped families in the Gulf South, but not everyone has been able to access the improved benefits.
Families in need received more from the social safety net in 2021. How helpful was it?
Experts hail changes like the Child Tax Credit and increases in SNAP benefits as historic. But were recipients better off after getting them?
As Supreme Court heard Mississippi abortion ban case, Gulf South demonstrators rallied in DC
Hundreds of demonstrators for and against abortion rights protested in front of the U.S. Supreme Court ahead of a monumental hearing on Wednesday.
Deep South’s most vulnerable residents share their stories during EPA’s ‘Journey to Justice’ tour
Black residents of Southeast Louisiana, dedicated to fighting air and soil pollution in their own neighborhoods and towns met with EPA Administrator Michael Regan on his “Journey to Justice,” listening tour, sharing their stories and frustrations.
More renters in the Gulf South face eviction, but states are still slow providing aid
A slowed rollout to federal aid, tedious applications and non-cooperative landlords are just some of the issues renters are now facing a few months after the CDC’s eviction moratorium ended.
School Is Still In Session In This Louisiana Parish. How Is The ‘Balance Of Instruction’ Going?
Red River Parish Public Schools is the first district in Louisiana to throw out the traditional school calendar. The goal for school leaders is to provide more instruction and support throughout the year, but some parents say students are burnt out.
Uneven Vaccine Rollout Threatens To Leave Black Communities Behind
An NPR analysis of COVID-19 vaccination sites around the country found that access is uneven in cities across the South.
Pandemic Complicates Preparations for Hurricane Season
Hurricane season in the Deep South is nothing new. But hurricane season with a pandemic? That is different.
COVID-19 Crisis Threatens To Bankrupt And Close Struggling Hospitals In The Rural South
The executive director of the Alabama Rural Health Association says closing rural hospitals is his greatest concern. That's because these hospitals located across the Deep South were struggling to stay open before COVID-19.
Three Dead in Alabama After Severe Weather Sweeps Through the South
Three people in Alabama died after severe storms hit the area on Saturday.
Priming the Pipeline for STEM in the South: A Look Across the Region
Over the next ten years, the number of jobs in science, technology, engineering and math fields are expected to outpace other industries by about five to ten percent. That’s according to the group Change the Equation, an organization that pushes for greater STEM education in schools. Yet, throughout the South, particularly in rural and high poverty communities, administrators have trouble attracting educators qualified to teach STEM.
Matters of Choice: New Orleans – The Choice Epicenter
Most Southern states allow for some form of school choice – magnet schools, vouchers for private schools, charter schools and more. How do these options affect learning, school demographics, and student success? We explore Matters of Choice beginning with this report from WWNO’s Mallory Falk in New Orleans.
Teaching Tough Topics: Teaching Beyond The Test
Civil Rights, Voter ID laws, Felon Rights. These topics aren’t foreign for teachers and students in Southern classrooms. But what happens when pressure to teach to the test prevents challenging conversations?
