John Snell
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John Snell has worked in the TV news business in New Orleans since 1983. During that time, he's reported on virtually every major story in Southeastern Louisiana, from the 1984 World's Fair to the collapse of the oil industry, the Edwin Edwards trials, hurricanes and their aftermath.
Since the 2005 storms, John has focused on South Louisiana's storm protection, including natural features, such as barrier islands, marsh and cypress swamps.
His 2012 documentary, "Disappearing Defenses," won two national honors: an Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio-Television Digital New Directors Association and a distinguished Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.
John has a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communications from Southern Illinois University. In his spare time, he enjoys bicycling and photography.
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All that was left of that little spot was a little island, a small spit of land, separated from the shoreline with a lone cypress tree.
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Levee district juggles with ways to remove marsh grass while avoiding a cash crunch
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Satellite images show damage to wetlands from Ida appears most severe in areas around Barataria Bay
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25% of the homes in Lafourche Parish are destroyed or uninhabitable
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Ida heavily damaged or destroyed six of the roughly 20 camps along the Wilkinson Canal
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The 2020 hurricane season claimed more land around the Irish Bayou community
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This working alligator farm, like many businesses, copes with the COVID-19 pandemic
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The state says Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion played no role in Mandy Tumlin’s civil service appeal
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Children are returning to school and it’s not a bad idea to have a calm, honest conversation with them about strangers and avoiding potentially dangerous situations.
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Lake Itasca State Park in Minnesota draws thousands of visitors curious to see the source of the Mississippi River
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Louisiana scientists explain fruit flies and humans share many of the same cancer-related genes.
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Dredging project adds hundreds of acres to barrier island near Grand Isle
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Whooping crane conservation efforts recover after being "severely impacted" by COVID-19
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Most of the Mississippi River’s land-building ingredients never make it to the marsh
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The Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project stirs strong emotions on both sides
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Lt. Governor warns the Mid-Breton sediment diversion would kill Louisiana seafood industry.
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A tour guide hopes to raise awareness about America’s largest river swamp.
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Young trees may already provide a degree of hurricane protection
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A brown pelican injured during the BP oil spill found its way from Georgia home to Louisiana
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The Pontchartrain Conservancy sows a little hope south of Madisonville.
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Draft Environmental Impact Statement examines proposed $2 billion sediment diversion.
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The coastline was steadily retreating before the back-to-back Hurricanes Laura and Delta of 2020
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Settlement money from the 2010 BP oil spill funded the island restoration.
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After several high-water events, new land forms in the West Bay diversion in Plaquemines Parish
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Settlement from 2010 Gulf oil spill funds $16 million project
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Corps of Engineers halts work on a portion of New Orleans to Venice levee project because of nearby bald eagle nest
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A record-breaking five storms made landfall in Louisiana.
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New Orleans City Park offers train rides as an add on to Celebration in the Oaks
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West Bank facility nurses Kemps ridley turtles back to health
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Louisiana has talked about its coastal land loss for years but finally it’s doing something about the problem.
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Late season repairs may have come just in time
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Hurricane tossed about Celebration in the Oaks displays
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Still far from rebuilt, the Alabama Gulf Coast shows resiliency
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Managers take on coronavirus, the enemy which almost put them out of business
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"The whole building was shaking"
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$750,000 in grant money builds speed bumps and new channels in the marsh to capture sediment
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Among the casualties of Hurricane Laura are massive amounts of fish.
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94-year-old Lee Ray Broussard witnessed formal signing ceremony on U.S.S. Missouri
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Man-made Gunn Island hosts the state's largest bird colony
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Researchers say sharks are functionally extinct in nearly one-fifth of coral reefs
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Without a drink of fresh water, scientists warn half the swamp will disappear.
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Bi-partisan plan will sends hundreds of millions of dollars annual to America's parks and forests
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Dr. Sherwood “Woody” Gagliano, a geographer, geologist and archaeologist who was among the first to warn of Louisiana’s coastal land loss, has died at the age of 84.
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The Aquarium of the Americas plans to welcome back visitors Thursday
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Levee inspections had been ongoing for nearly six months.
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30 percent of pelican chicks perished in the storm, biologists estimate
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State and federal officials say they are studying ways to expedite the repairs
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A weather phenomenon 5,000 miles away could bring yellow and orange skies to South Louisiana later this week.
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Austin Raye and Julian Daigre are tag competitors in high energy game of chase.