
Olivia Aldridge
Health Care ReporterWhat I cover
I report on issues related to health in AGÕæÈ˰ټÒÀÖ County and the surrounding region. My work centers on local health care systems and resources â€� how they fit together and how they function. I’m also interested in following trends in the health care workforce and that affect local access to medical care.
Plus, I’m game for the occasional fun tangent, like my obsessive search for a lost time capsule.
My background
I’m from a tiny, rural town in Georgia called Monticello. Growing up, I rarely saw places like my home reflected in the media I consumed, and I wanted to hear the voices and challenges of my neighbors amplified more often. That background is at the core of why I’m passionate about local news.
I started my career as a reporter and producer for NPR member station South Carolina Public Radio. There, I focused on South Carolina’s recovery from a series of devastating floods and hurricanes. I also delved into some fun local oddities, like a small town’s belief in a .
My entry into health reporting came at Community Impact, where I reported on communities in Central and Southwest Austin. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I led coverage of the pandemic in Austin, reporting on everything from the development and rollout of vaccines to hiring challenges in the nursing workforce.
I also spent a year launching, hosting and producing three local news podcasts for Community Impact covering the Austin, Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth metro areas.
Journalistic ethics
Radio may be an auditory medium, but I strive to be more of a listener than a talker. My best days at work are the ones where I get to sit down and listen to someone tell me their story without being rushed by a pressing deadline. I care about representing people honestly and with respect. I also care about being precise with the language I choose � every word carries weight.
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A federal agency found that Ascension Seton Williamson Hospital failed to give a pregnant woman prompt care for her emergency condition.
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Leaders from the two organizations say they are ready to move forward as stronger partners after disagreements over the nature of their relationship.
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The data was included in a statewide report released on Friday. The cases are not thought to be connected to the measles outbreak in West Texas at this time.
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The Texas House on Thursday passed Senate Bill 33, which aims to prevent local governments from using tax money to support people who leave the state to find abortion care. The bill will need final approval from the state Senate before heading to Gov. Abbott’s desk.
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Senate Bill 31 comes after reporting found that confusion surrounding Texas� abortion ban had resulted in the deaths of at least two women. After receiving final approval from the Texas House on Thursday, the bill now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott.
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Mosquitoes are usually busiest from spring to fall. That's also when the risk of West Nile virus is highest.
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An El Paso resident was infectious with measles while visiting Austin in late April, the local health authority said.
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Abortion is illegal in Texas, but some women are still accessing abortion through mail-order drugs. Senate Bill 2880 aims to crack down on the practice.
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Salud Pública de Austin compartió los lugares donde el individuo enfermo pudo haber expuesto a otras personas al virus.
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Austin Public Health shared locations where the sick individual may have exposed others.