Mississippi
Alabama’s 2nd nitrogen gas execution raises questions about method’s future use
As Alabama sets the course for the controversial execution method's future, activists and legal scholars say eyewitness accounts could halt widespread adoption.
‘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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In Northeast Mississippi, Black cowboys celebrated Juneteenth with a horse show
More than 100 people attended the inaugural show, hosted by A Step Above Horse Riding Club in the farming community of Pontotoc, to celebrate the holiday.
Gulf South states among U.S. leaders for juvenile life without parole sentences, study shows
A youth sentencing study shows Alabama and Mississippi are among just four states that top the nation in new juvenile life without parole sentences since 2012.
Researchers look into community health impact of wood pellet production in rural Mississippi
Brown University and Tougaloo College students are testing for potential air and noise pollution near the Drax wood pellet plant in Gloster, Mississippi.
‘Stupidity of politics’: Medicaid expansion effort dies in Mississippi
Mississippi lawmakers couldn’t come together to pass a bill that could have expanded Medicaid for thousands of residents.
Once praised, settlement to help sickened BP oil spill workers leaves most with nearly nothing
Thousands of ordinary people who helped clean up after the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico say they got sick. A court settlement was supposed to help compensate them, but it hasn’t turned out as expected.
Alabama’s racial, ethnic health disparities are ‘more severe’ than other states, report says
Data from the Commonwealth Fund show that the quality of care people receive and their health outcomes worsened because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
How food stamps could play a key role in fixing Jackson’s broken water system
JXN Water's affordability plan aims to raise much-needed revenue while offering discounts to customers in need, but it is currently tied up in court.
‘Anybody can be a lobbyist’: In Mississippi, incarceration fuels legislative advocacy training
The program aims to teach the art of political influence and policymaking to formerly incarcerated people and their loved ones.
1 year after devastating tornado, Rolling Fork mobile home park residents fight to return home
Modern building codes, rebuilding expenses and a low inventory of existing permanent housing have made returning to a normal life in Rolling Fork a struggle.
Q&A: A bad deal made Jackson’s water problems worse. It wasn’t the only Mississippi city harmed
Reporter Sarah Fowler talks about her investigation that found at least eight Mississippi cities were harmed by deals over faulty smart water meters.
Some Jackson residents still face water billing issues despite new systems in place
In trying to rectify decades of billing chaos and draw new revenue, another issue has emerged for JXN Water: How much should customers be on the hook for?
‘Living in fear’: Small-town Mississippi residents are skeptical of DOJ’s police investigation
The "pattern or practice" investigation into the Lexington Police Department stems from allegations of excessive force, racist roadblocks and more.
The Gulf South’s rejection of the Summer EBT program puts further strain on child hunger issues
Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama have opted out of the USDA’s Summer EBT program, but advocates say the need is far greater than one program.
Jackson estimated his water bill and overcharged him by thousands. He fought back and won
When James Henley suspected his water bill was inaccurate, he put his spreadsheet skills to use and got back $3,208. Now, he’s helping others do the same.
MLK Day is Monday. In Alabama and Mississippi, it’s also Robert E. Lee Day.
Here’s a quick history lesson on why the unlikely joint celebration of a civil rights icon and a Confederate general is still happening.
Place, Erased: A virtual listening session with the Gulf States Newsroom; watch replay
Watch a replay of the Gulf States Newsroom's listening session for its recent series about towns transformed by major environmental shifts.
How making Jackson’s famed Farish Street more green could also help cool it off
On the heels of Mississippi’s record-breaking summer, the historic neighborhood hopes that adding more trees and green space can solve its heat island problem.
Place, Erased: Is this Mississippi community really a ghost town? It depends on who you ask
Some say this coastal Mississippi town doesn’t exist anymore, wiped off the map due to repeated storms. But to its residents, it’s still alive and well.
Remembering Margaret Walker 50 years later, as her groundbreaking poetry festival returns to Jackson
A conversation with author Maryemma Graham on her biography of Walker, famed novelist and professor who created the Phillis Wheatley Festival in 1973.
The Gulf South’s record heat brought another pain for residents — higher power bills
This summer’s high temperatures also brought higher utility bills. The spike caused some, like Christopher Bogan, to make tough choices with their budget.
How Gulf South outdoor workers dealt with the hottest August on record
With no federal or state guidelines regarding extreme heat, outdoor workers and employers in the Gulf South are coming up with their own methods for protection.
6 months later, Mississippi communities hit by March tornado fear they’ve been abandoned
As national attention wanes and volunteers head to other disasters, residents of Rolling Fork and nearby Silver City have been left to recover on their own.
Gulf South’s ‘Hot Labor Summer’ is heating up heading into the fall
The seven strikes in the region signify a slow-growing labor movement that gained momentum in 2021.
A campaign aims to bridge the breastfeeding gap for Black mothers in the Gulf South
Despite its well-documented advantages, many regions in the US — especially in the South — continue to grapple with low breastfeeding rates. States like Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana have some of the the lowest rates in the country.
