Rosemary Westwood
@rosemarywestwood.bsky.social
Award-winning journalist. Fellow @nytimes.com Formerly @wwno.org @NPR.org @KFFhealthnews.org
Pinned
We are thrilled to announce the first fellows in our 2026-27 Local Investigations Fellowship class. The journalists, who hail from Mississippi and Louisiana, are part of the new investigative reporting center established by The Times and Deep South Today. www.nytco.com/press/introd...
Introducing the First Fellows for New Regional Investigative Reporting Center | The New York Times Company
We are proud to announce two journalists joining the Local Investigations Fellowship and the newly established Deep South Today Investigative Reporting Center created in collaboration with The New…
www.nytco.com
Personal and very exciting news: I've joined @nytimes.com as part of the Local Investigations Fellowship!
I’ll spend the next year reporting on public health in Louisiana. (Send tips to [email protected] or reach out for Signal)
I’ll spend the next year reporting on public health in Louisiana. (Send tips to [email protected] or reach out for Signal)
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
An important story about Louisiana’s surgeon general by @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social at @veritenews.org developed through @deepsouthtoday.org’s partnership with @nytimes.com.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
How Louisiana’s New Surgeon General Wants to Transform Public Health
Dr. Evelyn Griffin is pushing for more emphasis on wellness and prevention. She has also aligned with the MAHA movement in fighting government mandates and questioning the safety of some vaccines.
www.nytimes.com
August 18, 2026 at 1:09 PM
An important story about Louisiana’s surgeon general by @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social at @veritenews.org developed through @deepsouthtoday.org’s partnership with @nytimes.com.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
Meet the top public health physician in Louisiana, the state with the worst health outcomes in the nation. RFK appointed her to a vaccine advisory committee. Public health leaders say she's dangerous. @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
How Louisiana’s New Surgeon General Wants to Transform Public Health (Gift Article)
Dr. Evelyn Griffin is pushing for more emphasis on wellness and prevention. She has also aligned with the MAHA movement in fighting government mandates and questioning the safety of some vaccines.
www.nytimes.com
August 17, 2026 at 5:50 PM
Meet the top public health physician in Louisiana, the state with the worst health outcomes in the nation. RFK appointed her to a vaccine advisory committee. Public health leaders say she's dangerous. @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
Share your experiences with the public health system in Louisiana
The New York Times is examining how public health is changing in the state, from the whooping cough outbreak to vaccine policies, and we want to hear from you.
The New York Times is examining how public health is changing in the state, from the whooping cough outbreak to vaccine policies, and we want to hear from you.
Share your experiences with the public health system in Louisiana
The New York Times is examining how public health is changing in the state, from the whooping cough outbreak to vaccine policies, and we want to hear from you.
veritenews.org
August 17, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Share your experiences with the public health system in Louisiana
The New York Times is examining how public health is changing in the state, from the whooping cough outbreak to vaccine policies, and we want to hear from you.
The New York Times is examining how public health is changing in the state, from the whooping cough outbreak to vaccine policies, and we want to hear from you.
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
Dr. Evelyn Griffin has spent the last five years embedding herself in Louisiana’s right-leaning alternative health community. Now she’s bringing that MAHA-aligned vision to the state’s surgeon general post. https://ow.ly/aGj550ZAuIn
How La. Surgeon General Evelyn Griffin wants to change public health
Dr. Evelyn Griffin is pushing for more emphasis on wellness and prevention. She has also aligned with the MAHA movement in fighting government mandates and questioning the safety of some vaccines.
ow.ly
August 17, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Dr. Evelyn Griffin has spent the last five years embedding herself in Louisiana’s right-leaning alternative health community. Now she’s bringing that MAHA-aligned vision to the state’s surgeon general post. https://ow.ly/aGj550ZAuIn
New in today's @nytimes
Dr. Evelyn Griffin had led a life out of the spotlight, until she testified alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a statehouse hearing. Now she holds prominent roles that position her to help carry out his vision.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
Dr. Evelyn Griffin had led a life out of the spotlight, until she testified alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a statehouse hearing. Now she holds prominent roles that position her to help carry out his vision.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
How Louisiana’s New Surgeon General Wants to Transform Public Health
Dr. Evelyn Griffin is pushing for more emphasis on wellness and prevention. She has also aligned with the MAHA movement in fighting government mandates and questioning the safety of some vaccines.
www.nytimes.com
August 17, 2026 at 4:49 PM
New in today's @nytimes
Dr. Evelyn Griffin had led a life out of the spotlight, until she testified alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a statehouse hearing. Now she holds prominent roles that position her to help carry out his vision.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
Dr. Evelyn Griffin had led a life out of the spotlight, until she testified alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a statehouse hearing. Now she holds prominent roles that position her to help carry out his vision.
www.nytimes.com/2026/08/17/u...
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
No, there's no reason to split up the MMR vaccine. No, vaccines don't come in vats. Yes, a lot "bad can happen from what we’re doing."
Fact-Checking Trump’s Claims About Childhood Vaccines After Executive Order (Gift Article)
Mr. Trump signed an executive order on Monday calling to scale back the number of vaccinations American children receive.
www.nytimes.com
August 10, 2026 at 11:44 PM
No, there's no reason to split up the MMR vaccine. No, vaccines don't come in vats. Yes, a lot "bad can happen from what we’re doing."
Trump signed an executive order calling for fewer childhood vaccines. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/w...
Trump Signs Executive Order Calling for Fewer Childhood Vaccines
It is not clear whether the order, the president’s third to address the topic in less than a year, has any legal power.
www.nytimes.com
August 10, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Trump signed an executive order calling for fewer childhood vaccines. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/10/w...
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
NEW: A panel of advisers to the FDA, several of them sellers of experimental peptides, dismissed the concerns of the agency’s scientists on Thursday, voting in favor of allowing broad production of poorly understood peptide treatments.
www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/h...
www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/h...
A Peptide Showdown: F.D.A. Scientists May Clash With R.F.K.’s Agenda (Gift Article)
Agency scientists are advising against allowing widespread use of several peptide injections. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, has said people should be free to experiment.
www.nytimes.com
July 23, 2026 at 11:07 PM
NEW: A panel of advisers to the FDA, several of them sellers of experimental peptides, dismissed the concerns of the agency’s scientists on Thursday, voting in favor of allowing broad production of poorly understood peptide treatments.
www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/h...
www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/h...
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
BREAKING: The Supreme Court is punting on the fate of abortion pills until Thursday, giving itself a few more days to decide how to handle clashing arguments from Louisiana, drug manufacturers and the Trump administration.
May 11, 2026 at 7:47 PM
BREAKING: The Supreme Court is punting on the fate of abortion pills until Thursday, giving itself a few more days to decide how to handle clashing arguments from Louisiana, drug manufacturers and the Trump administration.
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
SCOOP: The F.D.A. blocked the release of studies finding that Covid and shingles vaccines were safe.
In the case of Covid, FDA staff had to withdraw studies heading toward publication:
www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/u...
In the case of Covid, FDA staff had to withdraw studies heading toward publication:
www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/u...
F.D.A. Blocked Publication of Research Finding Covid and Shingles Vaccines Were Safe
www.nytimes.com
May 5, 2026 at 6:47 PM
SCOOP: The F.D.A. blocked the release of studies finding that Covid and shingles vaccines were safe.
In the case of Covid, FDA staff had to withdraw studies heading toward publication:
www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/u...
In the case of Covid, FDA staff had to withdraw studies heading toward publication:
www.nytimes.com/2026/05/05/u...
This is very, very big news.
A huge portion — 27% of all abortions in the US — were provided via telemedicine in the first half of 2025, per @societyfp.bsky.social
Abortions in Louisiana have risen since the state's ban b/c of telemedicine
www.nytimes.com/2026/05/01/w...
A huge portion — 27% of all abortions in the US — were provided via telemedicine in the first half of 2025, per @societyfp.bsky.social
Abortions in Louisiana have risen since the state's ban b/c of telemedicine
www.nytimes.com/2026/05/01/w...
Federal Appeals Court Temporarily Halts Abortion Pills by Mail
www.nytimes.com
May 1, 2026 at 10:44 PM
This is very, very big news.
A huge portion — 27% of all abortions in the US — were provided via telemedicine in the first half of 2025, per @societyfp.bsky.social
Abortions in Louisiana have risen since the state's ban b/c of telemedicine
www.nytimes.com/2026/05/01/w...
A huge portion — 27% of all abortions in the US — were provided via telemedicine in the first half of 2025, per @societyfp.bsky.social
Abortions in Louisiana have risen since the state's ban b/c of telemedicine
www.nytimes.com/2026/05/01/w...
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
At least a third of the nearly 20 bills Louisiana lawmakers proposed to put guardrails on artificial intelligence have been scrapped following threats from President Donald Trump to pull federal funding from states that regulate the industry. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports
Louisiana scraps some, but not all, AI proposals after Trump threats • Louisiana Illuminator
At least a third of the nearly 20 bills Louisiana lawmakers proposed to put guardrails on artificial intelligence have been scrapped following threats from President Donald Trump to pull federal fundi...
lailluminator.com
April 1, 2026 at 3:13 PM
At least a third of the nearly 20 bills Louisiana lawmakers proposed to put guardrails on artificial intelligence have been scrapped following threats from President Donald Trump to pull federal funding from states that regulate the industry. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
NEW: They Didn’t Want to Have C-Sections. A Judge Would Decide How They Gave Birth.
Two Florida women had to attend virtual court hearings while in labor to argue for their right to choose their own medical care.
By @amyyurkanin.bsky.social
Two Florida women had to attend virtual court hearings while in labor to argue for their right to choose their own medical care.
By @amyyurkanin.bsky.social
They Didn’t Want to Have C-Sections. A Judge Would Decide How They Gave Birth.
Two Florida women had to attend virtual court hearings while in labor to argue for their right to choose their own medical care. As their state pushes to expand some types of medical freedom, it has a...
www.propublica.org
March 14, 2026 at 12:00 PM
NEW: They Didn’t Want to Have C-Sections. A Judge Would Decide How They Gave Birth.
Two Florida women had to attend virtual court hearings while in labor to argue for their right to choose their own medical care.
By @amyyurkanin.bsky.social
Two Florida women had to attend virtual court hearings while in labor to argue for their right to choose their own medical care.
By @amyyurkanin.bsky.social
Another C.D.C. Vaccine Skeptic Steps Down www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/h...
Another C.D.C. Vaccine Skeptic Steps Down
www.nytimes.com
February 23, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Another C.D.C. Vaccine Skeptic Steps Down www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/h...
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
It is a pleasure to announce that Mukta Joshi and @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social are joining @deepsouthtoday.org newsrooms as Local Investigation Fellows as part of our new regional investigative reporting center launched in partnership with @nytimes.com.
deepsouthtoday.org/2026/02/05/2...
deepsouthtoday.org/2026/02/05/2...
2 Investigations Fellows Joining Southern Reporting Center - Deep South Today
The Local Investigations Fellowship welcomes two fellows to a new regional investigative reporting center created in collaboration with Deep South Today.
deepsouthtoday.org
February 5, 2026 at 3:58 PM
It is a pleasure to announce that Mukta Joshi and @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social are joining @deepsouthtoday.org newsrooms as Local Investigation Fellows as part of our new regional investigative reporting center launched in partnership with @nytimes.com.
deepsouthtoday.org/2026/02/05/2...
deepsouthtoday.org/2026/02/05/2...
Personal and very exciting news: I've joined @nytimes.com as part of the Local Investigations Fellowship!
I’ll spend the next year reporting on public health in Louisiana. (Send tips to [email protected] or reach out for Signal)
I’ll spend the next year reporting on public health in Louisiana. (Send tips to [email protected] or reach out for Signal)
We are thrilled to announce the first fellows in our 2026-27 Local Investigations Fellowship class. The journalists, who hail from Mississippi and Louisiana, are part of the new investigative reporting center established by The Times and Deep South Today. www.nytco.com/press/introd...
Introducing the First Fellows for New Regional Investigative Reporting Center | The New York Times Company
We are proud to announce two journalists joining the Local Investigations Fellowship and the newly established Deep South Today Investigative Reporting Center created in collaboration with The New…
www.nytco.com
February 5, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Personal and very exciting news: I've joined @nytimes.com as part of the Local Investigations Fellowship!
I’ll spend the next year reporting on public health in Louisiana. (Send tips to [email protected] or reach out for Signal)
I’ll spend the next year reporting on public health in Louisiana. (Send tips to [email protected] or reach out for Signal)
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
We are thrilled to announce the first fellows in our 2026-27 Local Investigations Fellowship class. The journalists, who hail from Mississippi and Louisiana, are part of the new investigative reporting center established by The Times and Deep South Today. www.nytco.com/press/introd...
Introducing the First Fellows for New Regional Investigative Reporting Center | The New York Times Company
We are proud to announce two journalists joining the Local Investigations Fellowship and the newly established Deep South Today Investigative Reporting Center created in collaboration with The New…
www.nytco.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:28 PM
We are thrilled to announce the first fellows in our 2026-27 Local Investigations Fellowship class. The journalists, who hail from Mississippi and Louisiana, are part of the new investigative reporting center established by The Times and Deep South Today. www.nytco.com/press/introd...
I’ve changed my bio because I’m changing jobs! More to come, but I wanted to thank my incredible colleagues and friends at @wwno.org @npr.org @kffhealthnews.org and elsewhere.
January 30, 2026 at 9:17 PM
I’ve changed my bio because I’m changing jobs! More to come, but I wanted to thank my incredible colleagues and friends at @wwno.org @npr.org @kffhealthnews.org and elsewhere.
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
The health department has partially reversed course on canceling Medicaid contracts that provide health insurance to hundreds of thousands of people.
It will now continue to work with Aetna in 2026, but UnitedHealthCare is still out.
lailluminator.com/2025/12/09/l...
It will now continue to work with Aetna in 2026, but UnitedHealthCare is still out.
lailluminator.com/2025/12/09/l...
Louisiana partially reverses course to restore Aetna’s canceled Medicaid contract • Louisiana Illuminator
Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration partially pulled back on its plan to cancel two of the state’s six Medicaid contracts with private companies that provide health insurance to hundreds of thousands of...
lailluminator.com
December 9, 2025 at 8:03 PM
The health department has partially reversed course on canceling Medicaid contracts that provide health insurance to hundreds of thousands of people.
It will now continue to work with Aetna in 2026, but UnitedHealthCare is still out.
lailluminator.com/2025/12/09/l...
It will now continue to work with Aetna in 2026, but UnitedHealthCare is still out.
lailluminator.com/2025/12/09/l...
Here's a beautiful story if you need one: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/h...
These Hospitals Figured Out How to Slash C-Section Rates
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Here's a beautiful story if you need one: www.nytimes.com/2025/11/24/h...
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
Louisiana's former surgeon general is reportedly now the deputy director of the CDC. Earlier this month, we published a story about how he addressed a deadly (and vaccine-preventable) whooping cough outbreak.
By @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
By @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Louisiana Took Months To Sound Alarm After Two Babies Died in Whooping Cough Outbreak - KFF Health News
Louisiana health officials appear to have deviated from the usual steps for public health communications amid a whooping cough outbreak after it killed two infants.
kffhealthnews.org
November 26, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Louisiana's former surgeon general is reportedly now the deputy director of the CDC. Earlier this month, we published a story about how he addressed a deadly (and vaccine-preventable) whooping cough outbreak.
By @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
By @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Story to come but here's some reporting on Louisiana's surgeon general, named to the No. 2 position at the CDC
November 25, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Story to come but here's some reporting on Louisiana's surgeon general, named to the No. 2 position at the CDC
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
“I’m devastated because I know that this [season] is happiness for him, he loves presents and he knows these days are supposed to be joyful. On Monday I asked for permission to see if he could spend Thanksgiving with me but they told me it wouldn’t be possible.”
A disabled child’s mom reported him missing. He was in federal custody for 48 days.
When Emmanuel Gonzalez walked away from his mom’s fruit stand in October, Houston Police called ICE instead of reuniting them.
19thnews.org
November 24, 2025 at 5:02 PM
“I’m devastated because I know that this [season] is happiness for him, he loves presents and he knows these days are supposed to be joyful. On Monday I asked for permission to see if he could spend Thanksgiving with me but they told me it wouldn’t be possible.”
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
NEW:
In 2024, Tierra Walker was sick and getting sicker. She was also pregnant.
She knew abortion was illegal in Texas, but thought there was an exception for women like her, whose health was at risk. Doctors told her there was no emergency.
Then she died.
www.propublica.org/article/texa...
In 2024, Tierra Walker was sick and getting sicker. She was also pregnant.
She knew abortion was illegal in Texas, but thought there was an exception for women like her, whose health was at risk. Doctors told her there was no emergency.
Then she died.
www.propublica.org/article/texa...
“Ticking Time Bomb”: A Pregnant Mother Kept Getting Sicker. She Died After She Couldn’t Get an Abortion in Texas.
Walker is one of several women ProPublica found with underlying health conditions who died when they couldn’t access abortions.
www.propublica.org
November 19, 2025 at 11:08 AM
NEW:
In 2024, Tierra Walker was sick and getting sicker. She was also pregnant.
She knew abortion was illegal in Texas, but thought there was an exception for women like her, whose health was at risk. Doctors told her there was no emergency.
Then she died.
www.propublica.org/article/texa...
In 2024, Tierra Walker was sick and getting sicker. She was also pregnant.
She knew abortion was illegal in Texas, but thought there was an exception for women like her, whose health was at risk. Doctors told her there was no emergency.
Then she died.
www.propublica.org/article/texa...
Reposted by Rosemary Westwood
NEW: ProPublica has found multiple cases of women with underlying health conditions who died when they couldn’t access abortions.
Tierra Walker, a 37-year-old mother, was told by doctors there was no emergency before preeclampsia killed her.
Tierra Walker, a 37-year-old mother, was told by doctors there was no emergency before preeclampsia killed her.
“Ticking Time Bomb”: A Pregnant Mother Kept Getting Sicker. She Died After She Couldn’t Get an Abortion in Texas.
Walker is one of several women ProPublica found with underlying health conditions who died when they couldn’t access abortions.
www.propublica.org
November 19, 2025 at 12:00 PM
NEW: ProPublica has found multiple cases of women with underlying health conditions who died when they couldn’t access abortions.
Tierra Walker, a 37-year-old mother, was told by doctors there was no emergency before preeclampsia killed her.
Tierra Walker, a 37-year-old mother, was told by doctors there was no emergency before preeclampsia killed her.