Gulf States Gumbo

A look at education savings accounts in the Gulf South

On this week’s episode, we say hello to a new team member and discuss the school choice movement in the Gulf South. WWNO’s and WRKF’s Aubri Juhasz is joining the team as our new Youth and Families Reporter. She jumps into the host chair this week to talk with community engagement reporter Elise Catrion Gregg about a story they co-reported on education savings accounts. They’re similar to school vouchers, where states basically give scholarships to families to help them pay for private school tuition. The two discuss implementation issues of the accounts in Louisiana, concerns about the possible harm to public schools in Mississippi and more. This episode is hosted by Aubri Juhasz. The podcast is produced by Matt Bloom, Elise Catrion Gregg, Maya Miller and Drew Hawkins, Tanya Ott, Orlando Flores Jr. and Ryan Vasquez. Joseph King is our social producer. Nellie Beckett is our community engagement producer. Our theme music is by DJ Supreme. To get in touch with the team, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org [connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org]. And support our local station partners by donating to WWNO [https://wwno.secureallegiance.com/wwno/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WEB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=nTVTsCAcZKMVQycLjeawDdW0piuR9ZMb], MPB [https://www.pledgecart.org/home?campaign=EBABB0FB-5C8E-4F49-A51B-CB12FA1FE3C5&source=&_gl=1*p9nank*_gcl_au*Mjg5MDYzNTc1LjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga*NTYzNzY4MTMxLjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga_2FEM5FVN6S*MTc0NDIxMDk3MS43LjAuMTc0NDIxMDk3MS42MC4wLjA.], or WBHM [https://wbhm.secureallegiance.com/wbhm/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=BASIC&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=9dD3CJn2bYniQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT].

A viral climate study, and the local response to it

On this week’s episode, we’re talking climate change and a recent Tulane University study that made waves online. WWNO’s and WRKF’s Aubri Juhasz and Eva Tesfaye join us to talk about The Guardian’s article on the study, titled: ‘‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level rise, study finds. The two discuss what they found reading through the study it’s based on, the national media coverage of it and how locals are responding to it. This episode is hosted by Elise Catrion Gregg. The podcast is produced by Matt Bloom, Drew Hawkins, Orlando Flores Jr. and Ryan Vasquez. Joseph King is our social producer. Nellie Beckett is our community engagement producer. Our theme music is by DJ Supreme. To get in touch with the team, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org [connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org]. And support our local station partners by donating to WWNO [https://wwno.secureallegiance.com/wwno/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WEB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=nTVTsCAcZKMVQycLjeawDdW0piuR9ZMb], MPB [https://www.pledgecart.org/home?campaign=EBABB0FB-5C8E-4F49-A51B-CB12FA1FE3C5&source=&_gl=1*p9nank*_gcl_au*Mjg5MDYzNTc1LjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga*NTYzNzY4MTMxLjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga_2FEM5FVN6S*MTc0NDIxMDk3MS43LjAuMTc0NDIxMDk3MS42MC4wLjA.], or WBHM [https://wbhm.secureallegiance.com/wbhm/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=BASIC&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=9dD3CJn2bYniQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT].

Sitting down with the Southern Music Research Center

On this week’s episode, community engagement producer Nellie Beckett talks with Burgin Mathews, director of the Southern Research Music Center, about the culture and history of music in the Gulf South. The Southern Music Research Center [https://www.southernmusicresearch.org/] is a public online archive of rescued recordings, rare photos and flyers, oral history interviews, and other artifacts from a deep diversity of musical genres and eras. Founded by Birmingham English teacher and scholar Burgin Mathews, the nonprofit catalogs the musical expressions, traditions and histories of the American South. Nellie speaks to Burgin about the work of archiving Southern music culture and bringing it to life every week on his show, The Lost Child [https://www.wbhm.org/show/the-lost-child], a weekly dive into grassroots Southern musical history. This episode is hosted by Nellie Beckett, who is also our social producer. The podcast is produced by Matt Bloom, Elise Catrion Gregg, Drew Hawkins, Orlando Flores Jr. and Ryan Vasquez. Joseph King is our social producer. Our theme music is by DJ Supreme. To get in touch with the team, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org [connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org]. And support our local station partners by donating to WWNO [https://wwno.secureallegiance.com/wwno/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WEB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=nTVTsCAcZKMVQycLjeawDdW0piuR9ZMb], MPB [https://www.pledgecart.org/home?campaign=EBABB0FB-5C8E-4F49-A51B-CB12FA1FE3C5&source=&_gl=1*p9nank*_gcl_au*Mjg5MDYzNTc1LjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga*NTYzNzY4MTMxLjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga_2FEM5FVN6S*MTc0NDIxMDk3MS43LjAuMTc0NDIxMDk3MS42MC4wLjA.], or WBHM [https://wbhm.secureallegiance.com/wbhm/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=BASIC&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=9dD3CJn2bYniQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT].

The communities caught in the crossfire of redistricting

On this week’s episode, community engagement reporter Elise Catrion Gregg talks with Greg LaRose, editor of the Louisiana Illuminator, about the local effects of redrawing electoral maps. Redistricting is playing out across the Gulf South following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais. Most of the redrawing is occurring at the state level, but local representation is just as vulnerable without protections under the Voting Rights Act. Elise speaks with local officials in Mississippi about their concerns with redistricting on the horizon, and Greg breaks down what cuts to local representation are already taking shape in New Orleans. This episode is hosted by Elise Catrion Gregg. The podcast is produced by Matt Bloom, Drew Hawkins, Orlando Flores Jr. and Ryan Vasquez. Joseph King is our social producer. Nellie Beckett is our community engagement producer. Our theme music is by DJ Supreme. To get in touch with the team, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org [connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org]. And support our local station partners by donating to WWNO [https://wwno.secureallegiance.com/wwno/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WEB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=nTVTsCAcZKMVQycLjeawDdW0piuR9ZMb], MPB [https://www.pledgecart.org/home?campaign=EBABB0FB-5C8E-4F49-A51B-CB12FA1FE3C5&source=&_gl=1*p9nank*_gcl_au*Mjg5MDYzNTc1LjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga*NTYzNzY4MTMxLjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga_2FEM5FVN6S*MTc0NDIxMDk3MS43LjAuMTc0NDIxMDk3MS42MC4wLjA.], or WBHM [https://wbhm.secureallegiance.com/wbhm/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=BASIC&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=9dD3CJn2bYniQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT].

Jefferson Parish has the most opioid overdoses in Louisiana. How is it spending money intended to help?

On this week’s episode, we take a look at how the parish with the most opioid overdoses in Louisiana is spending its opioid settlement money.  Jefferson Parish is receiving the largest share of money from legal settlements with opioid manufacturers, marketers and distributors. But an investigation [https://www.wwno.org/public-health/2026-05-28/jefferson-parish-is-using-opioid-settlement-money-for-a-new-drug-court-is-it-the-best-use-of-funds] from senior reporter Drew Hawkins and Verite News senior reporter Katie Jane Fernelius [https://veritenews.org/author/katie-fernelius/] shows, so far, the parish has spent little of the money. And some believe what it has been spent on may not be the best investment.  This episode is hosted by Drew Hawkins. The podcast is produced by Matt Bloom, Elise Catrion Gregg, Orlando Flores Jr. and Ryan Vasquez. Joseph King is our social producer. Nellie Beckett is our community engagement producer. Our theme music is by DJ Supreme.  To get in touch with the team, email connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org [Connect@gulfstatesnewsroom.org].  And support our local station partners by donating to  WWNO [https://wwno.secureallegiance.com/wwno/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=WEB&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=nTVTsCAcZKMVQycLjeawDdW0piuR9ZMb], WRKF [https://wkrf.donorsupport.co/page/P26S], MPB [https://www.pledgecart.org/home?campaign=EBABB0FB-5C8E-4F49-A51B-CB12FA1FE3C5&source=&_gl=1*p9nank*_gcl_au*Mjg5MDYzNTc1LjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga*NTYzNzY4MTMxLjE3NDE3MTgyNDQ.*_ga_2FEM5FVN6S*MTc0NDIxMDk3MS43LjAuMTc0NDIxMDk3MS42MC4wLjA.], or WBHM [https://wbhm.secureallegiance.com/wbhm/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=BASIC&PAGETYPE=PLG&CHECK=9dD3CJn2bYniQl%2byqVkEd4HJipnY8PNT].