Stories From The States

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A weekly podcast focused on one theme in the news. Host and States Newsroom publisher Chris Fitzsimon, with producer Mallory Cheng, will explore one issue with the help from local journalists, experts and community members who are experiencing the fallout of sweeping changes happening across the country. By zooming into one story each week, Stories From The States contextualizes what is happening now. New episodes every Friday. For more information visit, https://www.newsfromthestates.com/podcast/stories-states.  Subscribe to Stories From the States on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube.

  1. When ICE enforcement and the First Amendment collide

    HACE 16 H

    When ICE enforcement and the First Amendment collide

    President Donald Trump’s second term has been marked by aggressive attacks on the press that have led to restrictions in access, the search of a reporter’s home, heated public exchanges and even arrests. Journalist Estefany Rodríguez was arrested and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on March 4, 2026 in Tennessee. The Nashville Noticias reporter was held in ICE custody for 15 days.   Since her release, Rodríguez and her lawyers have asserted in court that the federal government violated her rights under the First and Fifth Amendments. They claim Rodríguez’s arrest was connected to her reporting on ICE activities in Middle Tennessee over the past several months.  The case raises the question: With threats to journalists rising under Trump’s second term, how are they being protected? In Episode 23, you’ll hear from Tennessee Lookout senior reporter Anita Wadhwani. She’s been covering Rodríguez’s case and how members of the Tennessee media community are reacting. Journalists and news outlets across the country are again trying to navigate how to report in these times.  Lisa Zycherman, vice president of Legal Programs of Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, is helping out. The organization provides legal services to journalists and resources to protect First Amendment freedoms and the newsgathering rights of reporters. Finally, Evening Wrap newsletter author Danielle Gaines shares the top stories she’s watching. Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer.  Click here for the full transcript. Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:  Nashville journalist released from ICE detention details retaliation claims (Tennessee Lookout) Republican ‘anti-SLAPP’ legislation, opposed by legislator who targeted local paper, fails (Wisconsin Examiner) First Amendment lawyers say Minneapolis ICE observers are protected by Constitution (Minnesota Reformer) Missouri Senate passes bill aimed at meritless lawsuits targeting free speech (Missouri Independent)  Photo: The arrest of Nashville Noticias reporter Estefany Maria Rodríguez Florez on March 4 by ICE agents has sparked national attention. (Photo: courtesy of Nashville Noticias)

    33 min
  2. ‘This is abhorrent’: Chaos takes over debate of WV child abuse bill

    3 ABR

    ‘This is abhorrent’: Chaos takes over debate of WV child abuse bill

    West Virginia lawmakers fought until the wee hours of the morning – and the final minutes of this year’s session March 14 over Raylee’s Law. Named for 8-year-old Raylee Browning, the bill would have prevented a parent from pulling a child out of public school to homeschool if social services is investigating abuse or neglect in the home. One of the highest profile bills of the session, the measure boasted bipartisan support. But it faced fierce opposition from homeschool lobbyists, parents and some Republicans, calling it an attack on parental rights. In Episode 22, you’ll hear from West Virginia Watch reporter Amelia Ferrell Knisely. She’s been reporting closely on this issue. You’ll also hear from Republican West Virginia state Senator Amy Grady. She championed Raylee’s Law and worked across the aisle to try to get it passed. She’s also a 4th grade public school teacher and serves as the chair of the West Virginia Senate Education Committee. Finally, Evening Wrap newsletter author Danielle Gaines shares the top stories she’s watching. Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer.  Click here for the full transcript. Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:  WV House members criticize running clock out on Raylee’s Law, Speaker Hanshaw offers no explanation (West Virginia Watch) ‘These kids are invisible’: Child abuse deaths spur clash over homeschool regulation (Stateline) CT bill draws homeschool families to Capitol in emotional hearing (CT Mirror) Homeschool bill stalls in Illinois House, but sponsor says it’s still alive (Capital News Illinois) Got questions? An episode idea? Email us at podcast@statesnewsroom.com Photo: Del. Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, held up a poster of Raylee Browning, a child who died from abuse and neglect after her parents removed her from public school to homeschool her. Raylee’s Law would prevent parents from removing their child from school to homeschool them if a teacher has reported them for abuse. (Perry Bennett | West Virginia Legislative Photography)

    35 min
  3. Data center dilemma: Why money isn’t winning over communities

    27 MAR

    Data center dilemma: Why money isn’t winning over communities

    At least 37 states offer some sort of financial incentives to businesses building data centers. The incentives aren’t just a drop in the bucket either. In Virginia, for instance, the state has notched up about $1.6 billion in data center tax breaks.  Public opposition is on the rise, however, and some states such as Virginia and Ohio are reconsidering whether to keep offering the financial breaks.  Stateline’s Madyson Fitzgerald breaks down the change in tune. In Episode 21, you’ll also meet Max Moran, a sixth-generation farmer from Mason County, Kentucky. The area has been known for its tobacco market, but now it’s making headlines for its fight against a proposed hyperscale data center. Moran, who also is a city commissioner of Germantown, Kentucky, helps lead “We Are Mason County,” a group pushing back against the proposed project.  Finally, Evening Wrap newsletter author Danielle Gaines shares the top stories she’s watching. Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer. Click here for the full transcript:  Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:  Temporarily banning data centers draws more interest from state, local officials (Stateline) Should data centers pay up front or build their own power plants? (Penn Capital-Star) Lawmakers in driest state weigh excessive water and energy needs of data centers they court (Nevada Current) That 1% incentive to encourage data center approvals? Final deal watered it down (Indiana Capital Chronicle) Data center restrictions signed into South Dakota law after push for incentives failed (South Dakota Searchlight) Got questions? An episode idea? Email us at podcast@statesnewsroom.com Photo: Attendees gather at a Maysville-Mason County Joint Planning Commission on September 3, 2025, including members of “We Are Mason County” who expressed their concerns about a data center project. (Photo courtesy of Max Moran)

    33 min
  4. ‘It’s dire’: A closer look at the new anti-trans law in Kansas

    20 MAR

    ‘It’s dire’: A closer look at the new anti-trans law in Kansas

    States legislators have advanced a record number of bills attacking LGBTQ rights over the past few years. Many bills include, but aren’t limited to, restrictions on access to health care, forced outings in schools or barriers to accurate IDs. In February, the Kansas legislature passed a new law that invalidated driver’s licenses and criminalizes bathroom use for transgender residents. Trans people in Kansas are worried about living in the state.  In Episode 20, we’ll hear from Kansas Reflector editor-in-chief, Sherman Smith. He and his team have been covering the controversial legislation, which was fast-tracked by the legislature’s GOP majority.   We’ll also look at how the American Civil Liberties Union is responding. The ACLU is tracking almost 500 anti-LBGTQ bills across the country. The Trans Legislation Tracker also notes that over 20 anti-trans bills have been passed in state legislatures.  We’ll hear from Harper Seldin, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU's LGBTQ & HIV Rights Project who has been on the ground fighting these bills, including in Kansas.   Finally, Evening Wrap newsletter author Danielle Gaines shares the top stories she’s watching. Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer. Click here for the full transcript.  Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:  Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2026 (ACLU) Trans Kansans struggle with Legislature’s ‘cruelty’ as driver’s licenses are invalidated (Kansas Reflector) Two anti-trans ballot measures will appear on 2026 Colorado ballot (Colorado Newsline) With a new support crew, trans Utahns fight a range of bills in the Legislature (Utah News Dispatch) Mainers to vote on whether to end transgender inclusion in school sports (Maine Morning Star) Got questions? An episode idea? Email us at podcast@statesnewsroom.com Photo: A group of trans activists pose for pictures on Feb. 6, 2026, at the Kansas Statehouse, advocating against a bathroom bill that eventually passed. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

    32 min
  5. America’s complicated relationship with the death penalty

    13 MAR

    America’s complicated relationship with the death penalty

    Executions in the United States have been on the decline over the past few decades, yet 27 states still enforce the death penalty – and many are imposing it more often.  One very recent case in Alabama illustrates the complicated and emotional debates unfolding around the death penalty.  In 2025, Alabama executed five people, and the state was set for its first execution of 2026 this month. Charles “Sonny” Burton, 75, had been convicted of felony capital murder in 1992, even though he didn’t pull the trigger, and was scheduled to die March 12.  However, Burton’s fate quickly changed this week when Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey commuted Burton’s death sentence to life in prison. Alabama Reflector senior reporter Ralph Chapoco will have the latest.  This episode also examines a death penalty abolition movement in Indiana as well as developments in Arizona and Utah.  In Episode 19, host Chris Fitzsimon catches listeners up on breaking news in Alabama, where the governor this week commuted the death sentence of a prisoner to life in prison.  He’ll also talk with Kim Dillman, an opponent of the death penalty whose family history may make her position surprising. In 1994, her uncle Eric Wrinkles shot and killed her parents, Tony and Natalie, and her aunt Debbie, in a brutal mass murder in Evansville, Indiana.  Kim and her brother and cousins were in the house where the murder occurred. Wrinkles was convicted and sentenced to death for the murders. He was executed by lethal injection in 2009.  Since Wrinkles’ conviction and execution, Dillard has become a vocal opponent of the death penalty. She is involved with the Indiana Abolition Coalition, which advocates to end the practice.  Finally, Evening Wrap newsletter author Danielle Gaines shares the top stories she’s watching. Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer. Click here for the full transcript. Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:  Gov. Kay Ivey commutes death sentence of Charles ‘Sonny’ Burton (Alabama Reflector) New records show additional Indiana dollars paid for last round of execution drugs (Indiana Capital Chronicle) Utah bill to speed up timeline on death penalty cases moves forward (Utah News Dispatch) Arizona could ask voters to allow firing squad executions under GOP proposal (Arizona Mirror) Photo: The chair used for firing squad executions is shown in the execution chamber at the Utah State Correctional Facility. (Photo courtesy of the Utah State Department of Corrections)

    30 min
  6. Billion Dollar Baby Bump

    6 MAR

    Billion Dollar Baby Bump

    Since the 2022 Dobbs decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, state governments decide how they’ll regulate abortion. This includes which organizations receive reproductive health funding.  Crisis pregnancy centers, religiously affiliated organizations that advertise free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds but dissuade women from pursuing abortions, are seeing an influx of taxpayer dollars. At the same time, officials are pulling funding from Planned Parenthood and other health clinics across the country. States Newsroom conducted a 50-state investigation examining state and federal budgets, as well as the tax records of hundreds of crisis pregnancy centers around the country.  In Episode 18, you’ll hear from States Newsroom reproductive rights reporter Sofia Resnick, who will break down how this is playing out and how public money is being spent.  You’ll also hear from Dr. Kristin Lyerly, an OB-GYN based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Since 2013, Lyerly has worked in rural Minnesota, Arizona and a Wisconsin Planned Parenthood clinic. She’ll share her firsthand experiences at the center of the fight over abortion access. Finally, Evening Wrap newsletter author Danielle Gaines shares the top stories she’s watching. Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer.  Click here for the full transcript. Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:  Taxpayer dollars flood pregnancy centers. Oversight hasn't followed. (States Newsroom) Arguing an abortion procedure is unlawfully barbaric worked once. Will it work again? (States Newsroom) ‘We’re not done’: Missouri GOP pushes penalties, fetal personhood in renewed abortion fight (Missouri Independent) Appeals court strikes down Ohio law requiring burial of abortion remains (Ohio Capital Journal) Got questions? An episode idea? Email us at podcast@statesnewsroom.com Photo: Crisis pregnancy centers have been the beneficiary of at least a half-billion dollars since the U.S. Supreme Court ended federal abortion protections in June 2022, a States Newsroom investigation found. The centers discourage women from seeking abortion and contraception, which medical experts say compromises public health. (Illustration by David Jack Browning for States Newsroom)

    32 min
  7. Billionaires and private school vouchers

    27 FEB

    Billionaires and private school vouchers

    For years, voucher and scholarship programs that used taxpayer dollars for private school tuition were limited to low-income or special needs students.  Now, states like Arizona, Iowa and Texas have universal programs that allow any student to use public money for private school tuition. By the 2026-2027 school year, at least 17 states are expected to have that policy.  There’s been a significant shift in the conversation about school choice in state legislation. Advocates say it gives parents options. Critics argue there’s not enough oversight over public dollars that billionaires are lobbying for. In Episode 17, you’ll hear about the culture shift on school choice. Joining us will be Joshua Cowen, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University who wrote “The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers.”  And we’ll look at South Carolina, where legislators are dealing with some unintended consequences of a school voucher law they wrote in 2025. They’re now debating whether homeschooled students should be included in the voucher system.  South Carolina Daily Gazette reporter Skylar Laird, who has been covering this, will discuss her reporting. Finally, Evening Wrap newsletter author Danielle Gaines shares the top stories she’s watching. Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer. Click here for the full transcript:  Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:  School choice programs grow in popularity — and cost (Stateline) Arizona voters may decide future of universal school voucher system (Arizona Mirror) Lawmaker reverses course on bill to restrict money for Ohio school districts that sue over vouchers (Ohio Capital Journal) ‘A real trust problem’: Senators question SC superintendent’s judgment giving homeschoolers vouchers (SC Daily Gazette) School Vouchers Were Supposed to Save Taxpayer Money. Instead They Blew a Massive Hole in Arizona’s Budget. (ProPublica) Photo: A sign held by a teacher at a rally at the Arizona Capitol on June 5, 2024, to advocate for restrictions on the state’s school voucher system, known as Empowerment Scholarship Accounts. (Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy/Arizona Mirror)

    26 min
  8. As Trump targets elections, states fight back in court

    20 FEB

    As Trump targets elections, states fight back in court

    Since President Donald Trump’s return to office, elections have been a priority for his administration.  The FBI raid of an election warehouse in Fulton County, Georgia, seizing 2020 ballots. The Department of Justice demanding voter registration lists and other information from all states. Mail-in ballots at risk of not being postmarked. Trump’s threat of a federal takeover of state elections. Trump has continued to push false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. The DOJ sued 21 states plus the District of Columbia in an attempt to gain access to state voter rolls. But in Georgia and across the states, election officials and lawyers are trying to prevent the Trump administration from succeeding. In Episode 16, you’ll hear from Fulton County Commissioner Rob Pitts. He sued the DOJ to get the county’s election records back and to find out why they were taken.  You’ll hear from Elisabeth Frost, the Litigation Chair at Elias Law Group, who has been leading the effort to push back against lawsuits filed by the DOJ to access states’ sensitive voter data. And Stateline reporter Jonathan Shorman, who covers democracy, will fill us in on potential problems with mail-in voting and how those ballots will be counted. Finally, Evening Wrap newsletter author Danielle Gaines shares the top stories she’s watching. Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer.  Click here for the full transcript:  Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:  Lawmakers praise, rebuke affidavit used to justify Fulton County election raid (Georgia Recorder) NM House passes law shielding elections from federal interference (Source NM) Federal judge dismisses Trump administration attempt to access Michigan voter rolls (Michigan Advance) Bipartisan group of New Hampshire residents challenge Trump voter file request (New Hampshire Bulletin) Voting by mail faces uncertain moment ahead of midterm elections (Stateline) Photo: Fulton County Police officers stand by outside county election headquarters while FBI agents seize documents related to the 2020 election. (Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder)

    41 min
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A weekly podcast focused on one theme in the news. Host and States Newsroom publisher Chris Fitzsimon, with producer Mallory Cheng, will explore one issue with the help from local journalists, experts and community members who are experiencing the fallout of sweeping changes happening across the country. By zooming into one story each week, Stories From The States contextualizes what is happening now. New episodes every Friday. For more information visit, https://www.newsfromthestates.com/podcast/stories-states.  Subscribe to Stories From the States on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube.

Información

  • Creador
    States Newsroom
  • Años de actividad
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodios
    27
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © States Newsroom 2025
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Stories From The States

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