The U.S. Forest Service is reorganizing. The federal agency will move their headquarters from Washington D.C. to Salt Lake City, closing over 50 research stations in 31 states, and will restructure management to rely on states more.

All these changes are coming while state GOP leaders and the Trump administration are pushing for the sale or transfer of federal public lands.

Montana voters of all backgrounds are loudly against this idea.

In Episode 26, you’ll hear from Stateline reporter Alex Brown, who has been covering all of the shifts within the Forest Service.

Then, you’ll hear from Mountain Ecosystems professor Rick Graetz, who led the University of Montana’s 2026 Voter Survey on Public Lands. He’ll break down how value misalignment between officials and voters on the issue of public lands could shift an election.

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:

• Forest Service shake-up will boost states’ role — but even supporters have concerns (Stateline)
• Republicans target public lands protections in a new way (Stateline)
• Survey: Montanans increasingly concerned over public land access, sales (Daily Montanan)
• A year post-DOGE, Wyoming forest workers still feel uncertainty and chaos (WyoFile)
• U.S. Forest restructuring could threaten Wisconsin-based research, advocates say (Wisconsin Examiner)

Got questions? An episode idea? Email us at podcast@statesnewsroom.com

Photo: Clouds hang over Lake Cushman, as seen from the mountains of the Olympic National Forest. The U.S. Forest Service has announced plans to close 57 research stations in 31 states. (Photo by Alex Brown/Stateline)

In Louisiana, the starting pay of a plumber is pretty decent. But that’s only after an aspiring worker spends thousands of dollars for on-the-job training to get a plumber’s license.

One state lawmaker in Louisiana wants to fast-track this process and reorganize the state’s plumbing board. However, some tradespeople don’t think it’s a good idea.

In Episode 25, we’re handing the reins to our States Newsroom colleagues at the Louisiana Illuminator.

On their podcast, “The Light Switch,” Editor Greg LaRose and reporter Wes Muller break down how state legislators are trying to fill a skilled worker shortage in Louisiana.

Episode produced and edited by Mallory Cheng. Music for Stories From The States composed by David Singer.

Relevant reading from States Newsroom outlets and partners:

• Louisiana looks to scrap its plumbing board to speed up licensing (Louisiana Illuminator)
• Plumbers peeved over proposal to fast-track licensing in Louisiana (Louisiana Illuminator)

Got questions? An episode idea? Email us at podcast@statesnewsroom.com

Photo: Louisiana lawmakers advanced a proposal on April 9, 2026, that would overhaul the state’s methods of licensing plumbers. (Photo by Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator)

For years, Idaho lawmakers have set their sights on Medicaid. In their most recent session, they considered Gov. Brad Little’s call for $22 million in budget cuts and a bill to repeal voter-approved Medicaid expansion.

Last year, the legislature slashed funding for a mobile treatment program for people with severe mental illness. The Idaho Sheriffs’ Association warned the changes risked public safety.

In less than three months, four patients died, sparking outrage from providers and some lawmakers.

The deaths hovered over the debate about Medicaid before the Idaho Legislature restored the program. But lawmakers still reduced pay rates for providers who care for people with disabilities and extended cuts to Medicaid’s already low reimbursement rates for doctors.

In Episode 24, Idaho Capital Sun reporter Kyle Pfannenstiel reported closely on all the changes to Medicaid in the state.

Then, we’ll hear from Laura Scuri, the co-owner of Access Behavioral Health Services. She pushed the legislature to restore the mobile treatment program after one of her clinic’s patients who participated in the program died.

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:

• Idaho lawmakers dodged Medicaid expansion repeal. But what did they do with Medicaid? (Idaho Capital Sun)
• After four patients died, Idaho governor approves restoring cut Medicaid mental health programs (Idaho Capital Sun)
• State Medicaid budgets will decline by $665 billion under new federal law, report finds (Stateline)
• Plan to put Medicaid work requirements in state Constitution draws public opposition (Missouri Independent)

Photo: Advocates for Idaho Medicaid and people with disabilities rally against proposed federal Medicaid cuts in front of the Idaho State Capitol on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)