Too many local news outlets have disappeared in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. The Gulf States Newsroom was created to ensure that stories related to health care, criminal justice, the economy and other important issues continue to be told. WWNO and WRKF in Louisiana, WBHM in Alabama, Mississippi Public Broadcasting, and NPR are working together as a regional newsroom to plan coverage, share resources and add reporting power in a story-rich region that has for too long gone under-covered.
Support for the Gulf States Newsroom comes from WBHM, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, NPR, the Commonwealth Fund and the Public Welfare Foundation. To learn more about the Gulf States Newsroom, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org.
The Regional Team:
Ryan Vasquez, interim managing editor based at WWNO in New Orleans
Orlando Flores Jr., digital editor based at WWNO in New Orleans
Stephan Bisaha, senior reporter covering economic mobility based at WBHM in Birmingham
Kat Stromquist, senior reporter covering justice, incarceration and gun violence based at WWNO in New Orleans
Drew Hawkins, public health reporter based at WWNO in New Orleans
Nellie Beckett, community engagement producer based at WBHM in Birmingham
Joseph King, sports and culture reporting fellow based at WBHM in Birmingham
Danny McArthur, environment & communities reporter based at Mississippi Public Broadcasting in Jackson
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Lil Wayne will close out the main stage for the first time in his career Saturday — a feat that’s eluded most other rappers who’ve performed at the festival. -
A court hearing in Baton Rouge provided a rare window into working conditions on Louisiana State Penitentiary's "farm line," which prisoners are challenging. -
SB 2 proponents presented unfounded links between the levels of fluoride in drinking water and autism, low IQ and thyroid problems at the hearing. The bill is strongly opposed by health experts and dentists. -
The American Lung Association's latest "State of the Air" report shows air quality has worsened in some Gulf South metro areas. -
Past success bringing foreign car companies stateside means the U.S. has more to lose and less to gain in today’s trade wars. -
Urban flooding has long plagued Treme, a historically Black neighborhood in New Orleans. Residents are getting creative to find solutions to the issue. -
At least three bills in the 2025 legislative session propose changes that could affect cases moving forward amid a push to carry out more death sentences. -
As Wall Street swings wildly under the weight of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, reactions in the Gulf South are mixed. -
Although most abortions remain illegal in Alabama, the decision allows doctors and advocacy groups to tell patients about abortion options in other states, and help with travel and other costs -
Marginalized people often bear the brunt of environmental injustices. An annual conference in New Orleans is shaping young Black leaders to solve these issues.
