Louisiana Considered

When we think of fertilizer, most of us probably picture cow manure. But some farms have been switching to a chemical formula that causes radioactive waste. Today on Louisiana Considered, we hear the first part of the latest episode of Sea Change, “The True Cost of Fertilizer.” Investigative reporter Garrett Hazelwood looks into the environmental impacts of chemical formula and why there isn’t muc...

Thanks to a new executive order from Gov. Jeff Landry, Louisiana colleges can now pay student athletes directly for name, image and likeness (NIL) deals. The order prohibits the use of state-allocated funds and will remain in effect until federal NIL legislation is enacted.  The order after President Donald Trump halted plans to create a college sports commission.  Maddy Hudak, deputy editor for T...

It’s the end of the month, and that means it’s time to catch up with our neighbors in Acadiana. Founder and editor of The Current, Christiaan Mader, breaks down the latest news in the region, including how U.S. deportations are raising concerns in a Laotian refugee community in the area. Following the jailbreak at the Orleans Parish Justice Center, law enforcement agencies across the state began p...

Two weeks ago, we hosted a Sea Change live event at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. We wanted to talk about the science behind the massive land loss crisis we are experiencing, what it means to live in a vanishing landscape, and importantly, what we can do about it. But this is New Orleans, so we also wanted to celebrate! Celebrate the culture and joy of living in this special place. And while we can...

It’s Thursday and that means it’s time to catch up on politics with The Times-Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist, Stephanie Grace. Today she tells us about the political turmoil unfolding since the Orleans Parish jailbreak, including Sheriff Hutson halting her re-election campaign. If you’ve ever looked at the vast spreads of prepared food at groceries, bakeries, café’s, and...

As Congress continues to debate deep cuts to Medicaid, a new report shows that the program has been central to providing health coverage for women of childbearing age.  The Georgetown University study found that Medicaid covered nearly half of all births in rural America, and that Louisiana was among the states where women rely on Medicaid most. To learn more, public health reporter Rosemary Westw...

Ten inmates escaped the Orleans Parish Justice Center last Friday, the biggest jailbreak in state history. Three of the men were captured shortly after they fled, and one more was arrested last night. Local and state law enforcement officials all seem to be pointing blame at one another. WWNO/WRKF reporter Matt Bloom has been covering the story and  joins to give us an update.  Hellenic heritage w...

Louisiana lawmakers are asking Congress to bring back a federal program that helped schools buy food from local farms. It’s one of the cuts the Trump administration made to the Department of Agriculture. Education reporter Aubri Juhasz explains how one school district used the money and how cuts are impacting their current relationships with local farms. A recent investigation into Steward Health...

Today on Louisiana Considered, we bring you a special episode of the coastal podcast Sea Change. Live from the New Orleans Jazz Museum, we hear conversations and songs about the intersection between climate and culture from scientists, tribe leaders and musicians. Hosts Carlyle Calhoun and Eva Tesfaye are joined by musician Louis Michot; his father and musician and scientist and coastal researcher...

It’s Thursday, and that means it’s time for our week in politics with the Editorial Director and Columnist for the Times-Picayune/The Advocate, Stephanie Grace. Today we dig into the rumors that Sen. Chuck Schumer is trying to convince former Gov. John Bel Edwards to run for Senate. Coastal stories are all over the news these days, with vanishing wetlands causing major concerns for the future of L...

Last Thursday, Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the new pope. Now known as Pope Leo XIV, he’s the first American pope in the Vatican’s history. Father Mark Mossa, Program Director for the Canizaro Center for Catholic Studies at  Loyola University of New Orleans, tells us more about what it means to have an American pope and how this could shape the Church’s future.  The start of hurricane s...

Last week, Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the new pope. Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, is the first American pope in the Vatican’s history. Although he was born and raised in Chicago, a local genealogist and historian quickly traced his family’s lineage to New Orleans.  Jari Honora, family historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection, tells us more about what he discovered about th...

We are all affected by ocean conditions, and we're talking about huge things like global food security and human health, to fisheries we depend on, to the transport of a whopping 90% of the world's goods. So it's vitally important to understand ocean conditions. What can the fascinating field of ocean forecasting tell us about the future for us on land and for life under the sea? Want to learn eve...

It’s Thursday, and time to catch up on the week in politics with Stephanie Grace, editorial director and columnist for the Times-Picayune/The Advocate. Today we hear about the latest rift between Mayor Cantrell and the city council – this time over trash pickup in the French Quarter.  Downriver from NOLA, a small Mississippi River offshoot, dubbed Neptune Pass, formed in 2020. The Army Corps of En...

Louisiana is in the midst of a deadly and growing outbreak of whooping cough. So far, two babies have died, and pediatricians have been urging the public to check their vaccine status and get vaccinated.  Public health reporter Rosemary Westwood speaks with state epidemiologist Theresa Sokol to get an update on the situation. For 60 years, rodeo has been a tradition at the state’s most notorious p...

A new city ordinance would shield sex workers from prosecution when they report crimes to the New Orleans police. But it  would not protect them when state police handle their cases.  Verite News’ Safura Syed joins us to explain how the ordinance would work. The banks of Bayou St. John will fill up with boats, vendors and music  when the 18th annual Bayou Boogaloo kicks off next weekend. Jared Zel...

The 151st Kentucky Derby is Saturday, and  a jockey from Louisiana is going for a repeat win. Brian Hernandez Jr. , a native of Lafayette, won last year’s derby riding Mystik Dan, following a win at the Kentucky Oaks – a race for female horses. At this year’s Derby, he’ll be riding Burnham Square. Right now, the horse has a 16-1 odds of winning. Hernandez Jr. joins us to talk about his horse racin...

It’s Thursday and that means it’s time to catch up on politics with The Times-Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist, Stephanie Grace. Today she tells us how changes the federal Justice Department are filtering down at local U.S. attorneys offices.  The federal government is currently debating cutting more than $800 billion in Medicaid funding. This is causing major concerns for...

Court hearings wrapped up last week in a case brought by inmates working the farm line at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola —an agricultural work assignment, where incarcerated men are forced to work long hours, sometimes in the heat of the summer. The Gulf States Newsroom’s Kat Stromquist has been in court following this story and joins us to share more details.  As we await a ruling on...

Economists like to say nobody wins a trade war. The counter point is the American auto industry. Foreign carmakers have opened dozens of factories in the U.S. over the last 40 years, largely due to conflicts over trade. The Gulf States Newsroom’s Stephen Bisaha shares some of that history and why it might not repeat itself with the current trade war. For the eighth time, acclaimed painter and scul...

Xavier University of Louisiana is making history by becoming the first HBCU in the country to offer varsity rowing and form a coed crew team, . The sport is more popular in the northeast, and has long been predominantly white and male. Xavier’s team  is the latest example of rowing’s newfound popularity  and diversification.  To learn more about the Xavier University crew team we’re joined by thre...

A bill that would crack down on restaurant reservation apps is making its way through the Louisiana Legislature and could soon pass in the House. The bill would ban certain apps from arranging reservations without explicit contracts with restaurants.  Reporter Wesley Mueller discussed this with Greg LaRose, host of the new podcast, “Light Switch,” from the Louisiana Illuminator.  This past Monday,...

If you’re a baseball fan, you know it’s impossible to watch a game these days without hearing about torpedo bats, the new bat design giving Major League hitters unforeseen power. But what is it about these bats that allows players to hit the ball so deep? Louisiana Considered’s Alana Schreiber visited Marucci Sports, a bat company in Baton Rouge, to find out.  Coming to Lafayette this week is a co...

As the Trump administration cracks down on immigration, students across the country are losing their international visas.  The Times-Picayune/The Advocate’s Marie Fazio tells us about the students in Louisiana who’ve had their visas revoked. The Musaica Chamber Ensemble is gearing up for its season finale with four trios, including a world premiere and the Beethoven Septet. Violist and president B...

The 2026 midterm elections are a long way away, but millions of dollars are already flowing into the Senate race as incumbent GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy faces a challenge from fellow Republican State Treasurer John Fleming. Greg LaRose, editor-in-chief for the Louisiana Illuminator, tells us more about what this race says about Cassidy’s vulnerability. Under  a new Louisiana law, thousands of inmates ...