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April 23, 2015 - Five years after the BP oil spill, the people of the United Houma Nation continue to live with impacts of the disaster but are barred from recovery funds due to the tribe's lack of federal recognition. This week, the Houma are renewing their long fight for federal status by launching a petition to the Obama administration.

April 23, 2015 - The U.S. Supreme Court sent North Carolina's redistricting challenge back to the state's high court this week, asking it to reconsider whether the legislature relied too heavily on race in drawing voting lines. The decision comes following similar rulings in cases out of Alabama and Virginia, offering hope for an end to racial gerrymandering.

April 22, 2015 - The Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation has launched a "Southern Voices" oral history project to capture the stories of Southern leaders working for social and economic justice. This special Earth Day installment focuses on environmental justice.

April 20, 2015 - Super PACS that get nearly all of their money from one donor quadrupled their share of overall fund-raising in 2014.

April 17, 2015 - Tobacco giants Reynolds American and Altria are suing the federal government over regulation of color-coded cigarette packing, arguing that it impinges on the corporations' free-speech rights.

April 17, 2015 - The Welcoming America movement, which has its roots in the South, is being hailed by a White House task force as a model approach for helping communities be more proactive in addressing immigration.

April 17, 2015 - Companies spent millions in lobbying on immigration issues that led to a spike in incarceration levels and, in turn, boosted corporate profits.