Jorgelina Manna-Rea is an environmental reporter for the Kingsport Times News. Before joining the team in Kingsport, she was a producer at NPR and WAMU’s live talk show 1A. There, she produced a variety of conversations ranging from how communities recover from disasters to what it means to love. She also produced and reported at NPR and WBUR’s “Here & Now” and NPR member station WUSF, respectively. While studying at the University of South Florida, she was a staff writer and assistant news editor at The Oracle, the student-run newspaper.
Beat: Environmental impacts on tourism and residents' wellbeing
Industrial companies and a U.S. Department of Defense ammunition plant have been linked to multiple air and water contamination incidents in recent years. Despite residents filing complaints with government agencies, enforcement has been limited, and small fines have done little to deter further violations. Concerns about the long-term health effects of these chemicals persist. Adding to this, September brought Hurricane Helene, which devastated natural resources in communities across Tennessee’s picturesque mountains, leaving a lasting impact on the region. This reporter will focus on these environmental impacts on tourism and the region's residents.