News & Updates The Desk welcomes new assistant editorial director and data journalist Two new additions to the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk bring expertise in science journalism. Ag & Water Desk Aug 25, 2026
Louisiana Illuminator Whooping cranes are on the cusp of a comeback story. Could a Trump policy change the ending? A program in Louisiana aims to be a model for endangered species preservation as protections for habitats are scaled back. Elise Plunk Louisiana Illuminator Aug 20, 2026
Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk Scientists find smaller ‘dead zone’ in the Gulf than initially expected this summer At approximately 1,332 square miles, the low oxygen area is the second-smallest in four decades of measurement Héctor Alejandro Arzate Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk Aug 13, 2026
The (Kansas City) Beacon Are Missouri and North Dakota in a water war? A project to divert water away from the Missouri River has sparked a new fight in a decades-long conflict over how to manage the river’s water in times of drought. Ceilidh Kern The (Kansas City) Beacon May 5, 2026
