Louisiana Considered

Donald Trump has been elected as the 47th president of the United States, and many Republicans in down-ballot races also saw some surprising success, including in East Baton Rouge Parish, where Republican Sid Edwards is headed for a runoff in the Mayor-President race against Democratic incumbent Sharon Weston-Broome. Reporters Aidan McCahill and Drew Hawkins join us with more on the results of rac...

Today is Election Day! And while we wait for  the results, we’re catching up with three of our reporters who have the latest information on local elections, ballot amendments and voter information Drew Hawkins and Kat Stromquist in New Orleans and Aidan McCahill in Baton Rouge share the latest on state and local races and initiatives.  Whenever there's an election, there's one Louisiana political...

Tomorrow is Election Day! And if you haven’t voted yet, Tuesday is the last day to cast your ballot. WRKF’s Capitol Access reporter Brooke Thorington spoke with Joel Watson, director of communications at the Louisiana Secretary of State Office, about what voters should and shouldn’t bring to the polls.  Every election cycle, we hear the same old saying, “every vote counts.” While it may not always...

Early voting wrapped up Tuesday in Louisiana and voters in the Bayou State broke all kinds of records. WRKF’s Capital Access reporter Brooke Thorington speaks with Joel Watson, director of communications at the Louisiana Secretary of State Office, about  what early voting statistics can and can’t tell us.  The November elections are just days away, and in East Baton Rouge Parish, residents are dec...

While most Louisianans are waiting in anticipation for the elections on Nov. 5, Gov. Landry is focused on the following day, when lawmakers will convene for a special session on taxes. The Times Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace tells us about Landry’s goals for the session as well as his other proposals. Halloween may bring thoughts of ghouls and goblins, bu...

On the ballot in Baton Rouge, a single measure asks voters to make hundreds of changes to the city’s Plan of Government. But some voters have said the actual language on the ballot is nebulous, requiring  them to go to a website to find out exactly what they’re voting for. WRKF’s Aidan McCahill joins us to help demystify the measure. Election Day is less than a week away, and in Baton Rouge all ey...

Early voting is underway across the country, but millions of people with felony convictions are not eligible to vote.  The Gulf States Newsroom's Kat Stromquist tells us about efforts to ease these restrictions in the South, where the movement is less popular than in the rest of the country.  Loyola University’s College of Music and Media has  a new exhibit celebrating   Harold Baquet, a legendary...

The Lafayette Parish school system could soon see nine schools closed or consolidated. But community members are pushing back, despite declines in enrollment. Christiaan Mader, founder and editor of The Current, tells us about the potential overhaul of the city’s school system.  Early voting is already underway, and in East Baton Rouge Parish, voters will be choosing their next mayor-president. An...

Your expert guide to sustainable seafood is here! Get ready to feel the salt spray, and tuck into a wide-ranging conversation about what's on your plate and the future of our ocean. Seafood has been called our "last wild food." Humans have been enjoying seafood for a long time—over 2 million years. But in recent decades, how we catch and eat fish and shellfish has changed dramatically. Even though...

It’s Thursday and that means it’s time to catch up on politics with Stephanie Grace, editorial director and columnist for The Times Picayune/The Advocate. She tells us about Gov. Landry’s upcoming special tax session and why he will be looking for Democratic support to pass some of his proposals.  This weekend will see the launch of the first NOLA Mural Fest. The project is a collaboration between...

It’s not just top-of-the-ticket races demanding attention this election season. At the bottom of your ballot, you’ll find measures that could have a big impact, including one proposal to amend the state constitution. Barry Erwin, President & CEO of Council for a Better Louisiana, breaks down these ballot measures, including  offshore energy revenue and coastal restoration funding questions.  T...

Destructive hurricanes have affected millions of Americans this season  and forced many to evacuate. But the costs of evacuating are getting more expensive. The Gulf States Newsroom’s Stephan Bisaha speaks with one New Orleans family who chose to leave and tracked the cost. Perhaps you’ve seen the movie, “Selma” which tells the story of how civil rights activists came together to fight for voting...

Artificial intelligence has raised concerns in schools over students using it to cheat. But some teachers are excited about the technology too. And now more than a 100,000 kids in the Gulf South have access to an AI-powered tutor that’s helping them learn to read. For the Gulf States Newsroom, WWNO’s and WRKF’s education reporter Aubri Juhasz reports on a growing number of Louisiana schools using...

Tiger Stadium is turning 100, and to celebrate we’re continuing our series about the historic venue. Today, we’ll hear from members of the cheer squad and color guard to learn how they keep up the energy on the field. Then, we hear from two fans who found love in the stands. Roughly two weeks ago, we took listeners on a trip to the LSU archives, where we learned how former Louisiana Gov. Huey Long...

The presidential election is less than 20 days away, and in Louisiana, there are plenty of down-ballot races to keep an eye on. The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace gives us the latest on state and local races.  For more than 36 years, Jim Hawthorne was the radio play-by-play announcer for the LSU Tigers baseball, basketball and football teams....

The internationally acclaimed Houston Ballet is returning to the Crescent City for the first time in 15 years. This rare performance in the Big Easy is a one-night-only event showcasing classical and contemporary masterpieces by celebrated choreographers. Co-artistic director Julie Kent tells us more about what to expect at this weekend’s performance.  Over the weekend, LSU celebrated 100 years of...

Singer-songwriter Joy Clark recently released her first solo album, “Tell it the Wind.” The songs reflect her journey to self-discovery as a Black, queer artist living in the South. She joins us today for more on the musical influences that inspired her career.  New Orleans-based music journalist and editor Alison Fensterstock is out with a new book celebrating women in music. Titled, “How Women M...

What if we get it right? That's the question marine biologist, climate expert, and writer Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson explores in her new book. Ayana joins us to talk about climate solutions we have right now and what's possible for the future of our planet. Looking for a link to the book? "What If We Get It Right? Visions of a Climate Future" This episode was hosted by Eva Tesfaye and cohosted by...

It’s Thursday and that means it’s time to talk politics with The Times Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist, Stephanie Grace. She joins us to discuss the constitution amendments and proposed charter changes on the ballot in New Orleans for November’s elections. It’s October, the perfect time for scary stories and  supernatural thrillers. A New Orleans author is leaning into spo...

Monday, Oct. 7 marked a year since Hamas attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel’s ensuing war in Gaza has killed roughly 42,000 Palestinians and wounded more than twice as many. On the war’s  1-year anniversary, students at New Orleans universities gathered to honor the Palestinians who’ve died and demand their schools break financial ties with Israe...

Last week, Governor Jeff Landry announced he's calling a special session to overhaul the state's tax code in November. But Jan Moller, executive director of the economic advocacy group, Invest in Louisiana, is raising concerns. WRKF’s Brooke Thorington spoke with Moller moments after Landry’s announcement.  Last weekend, jazz legend Delfeayo Marsalis and his Uptown Jazz Orchestra debuted new theme...

Next month, Tiger Stadium turns 100. And to mark the occasion, over the next few weeks, we’ll be bringing you a series of stories all about the historic venue. And some of these stories have little or nothing to do with football. Up first, I took a trip up to Baton Rouge to meet up with University Archivist Zach Thompkins. He led me, WRKF reporter Aidan McCahill, and our intern and LSU student Mar...

Today on Louisiana Considered, we bring you a special episode of NPR's It's Been A Minute. Who will win today's cage match? Welcome to The Smackdown! For the next several weeks Brittany is hosting debates in cities and regions across the United States to find out who and what are the most influential things from those places. This episode Brittany lands in New Orleans, Louisiana, and debates with...

Gov. Jeff Landry wants to enact the most sweeping overhaul of the state’s tax system in 50 years. The Times Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace breaks down his tax proposal and tells us why he’s pushing legislators to approve it during next month’s special session.  If you tuned into last month’s presidential debate you likely saw former President Trump promoti...

Port workers in New Orleans and Baton Rouge are officially on strike this week, asking for better working conditions, wages and protection against automation. They’re part of the International Longshoremen’s Association, which represents workers along the Gulf of Mexico and the East Coast.  WWNO/WRKF’s Matt Bloom and Aidan McCahill tell us how this strike is playing out the state’s two biggest cit...