Julia Cooper
ReporterJulia Cooper reports on all things Florida Keys and South Dade for WLRN.
Before joining the team full-time, she was WLRN’s Fall 2023 Intern and graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s in Journalism and minor in Women’s Studies.
During her time at UF, she served as an audio producer and multimedia journalist for WUFT News, North Central Florida’s NPR-affiliate. She also served as a photojournalist for The Independent Florida Alligator and the Gainesville Sun, and reported for the statewide Fresh Take Florida news desk — you can see some of her reporting here.
Cooper also contributed to the award-winning project, The Price of Plenty which was a collaboration between journalists from the University of Florida and University of Missouri. That project was funded by a grant from the Pulitzer Center’s nationwide Connected Coastlines reporting initiative.
Her contributions to the audio news documentary Surviving Ian were recognized with a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award, she won first place in general assignment reporting from the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists and placed in the Hearst Journalism Awards for the Audio News and Features category.
Julia can be reached at jcooper@wlrnnews.org.
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A new artificial reefs program that scientists hope will help reduce stress on the Florida Keys' fragile marine ecosystem has started this month — with the first project off Key West already in the works. -
While council member Henry Rosenthal has entered into a settlement deal with the Florida Commission on Ethics, investigators on Mayor Buddy Pinder's case they have recommended that the commission find no probable cause he violated state laws. -
Solar eclipse viewing parties popped up across South Florida, with first-time spectators, couples, astronomers and families gathering outside to catch a glimpse of the rare spectacle. -
State officials in Monroe County are undergoing a community health assessment process that includes a survey of people who live and work in Monroe County. The goal: Identify and address the most pressing health concerns. -
County leaders are preparing to undertake a major project at the Monroe County Courthouse in Key West. They’re hoping to fortify the iconic 1890s-era building, with help from architects specializing in historic preservation, to withstand 200 miles per hour winds. -
The non-profit group Queer Keys is gearing up to open the island chain’s only LGBTQ+ support community center. The Key West city commission helped clear the way for the organization to reach its goal by voting to waive over $3,000 in fees for the group to receive a permit to operate. -
Land is being purchased for two new affordable housing projects. The projects are slated to yield eight housing units in difficult-to-secure parts of the Florida Keys. -
County commissioners approved Roman Gastesi's resignation to retire as the government navigates one of its biggest issues: the future of development in the Florida Keys. -
Clifton Truman Daniel will bring President Truman’s story to life by portraying his grandfather in the one-man, one-act play, 'Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!' The performances are part of a President's Day Weekend event series benefitting the Truman Little White House, Florida's only presidential museum. -
The new store offers expanded services and wider food selections compared to a previous Publix in an adjacent spot. The Florida Keys is an area with limited grocery store options - part of it is considered a “food desert” - so to many, this is a huge deal. -
In recent years, balloon-related power outages have slowly increased across the lower Florida Keys. Here are some tips on how to help avoid the disruption - and to be safe. -
A second audit of the Tourist Development Council reinforced allegations that a contractor used a fake company to request reimbursements for services and submitted misleading financial receipts.
