Louisiana Considered

Earlier this month, Louisiana Public Broadcasting, in partnership with Télé-Louisiane, released the first of eight episodes of La Veillée, a new weekly news program that takes a look at the happenings of Louisiana’s French-speaking communities, all told in French. Executive Producer of Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Linda Midgett, and CEO/Cofounder of Télé-Louisiane, Will McGrew, tell us more.  Fo...

A recent drug bust at a small Baton Rouge church is the latest in a series of arrests by authorities in a fight against an opioid epidemic that continues to take lives. Criminal Justice reporter for the Advocate, James Finn, tells us more about the rise in crime and growing opioid crisis in Baton Rouge.  Tulane University recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Kharkiv Polytechnic Insti...

Last Sunday, Saints fans from around the world gathered to watch their team play against the Vikings in London as part of the NFL’s International Series — a set of regular season games played overseas. London-based reporter Jonah Goldman Kay attended the game and brought back this story on the fan experience for Who Dats abroad.  The overturning of Roe v. Wade was not only fueled by activists and...

October brings the traditional German celebration of Oktoberfest, and if you’re looking to celebrate in New Orleans, Faubourg Brewing Co. and Deutches Haus have been chock full of events.  But German heritage is far from the only ethnicity celebrated this month. October also celebrates heritage for Italian, Polish, and Filipino communities. And of course, the second Monday of October is National I...

Today on Louisiana Considered, we learn about a new play center coming to Children’s Hospital New Orleans. We also hear about updated bus routes in New Orleans and learn why activists in the Gulf South are calling for housing that’s adapted for climate change. This episode of Louisiana Considered originally aired on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022. To hear the full episode, click the “play” button above....

Some of the most sought-after musicians in the world are heading to New Orleans as The Crescent City Chamber Musical Festival kicks off its 7th Anniversary with 7 free public concerts. Founding artistic director, violist and New Orleans native, Luke Fleming, tells us how this concert series plans to take the perceived “stuffiness” out of classical music for performances that anyone can enjoy.  In...

Nearly 40 years ago, devastating floods caused extreme damage in Tangipahoa Parish, upending the lives of many residents. Now, nearly two thousand Louisiana residents are closer than ever to financial restitution from the state. Jean Paul Layrisson, one of the attorneys representing the flood victims, joins us for more on this long journey towards compensation. In September, LSU’s Hill Memorial Li...

The Houma language was spoken on the land that would become Louisiana before it was colonized. In 2013, the Houma Language Project   was established to help revitalize the indigenous tongue and encourage speaking among younger tribal members by offering internships. WWNO’s Kezia Setyawan spoke with Jace Naquin, one of those interns.  Like many tribes across Louisiana, the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tr...

With 1.1 million square feet of space in an entirely contiguous hall, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center provides the largest single exhibition space in the country. Now that center is set for improvements to make the space more environmentally and pedestrian friendly. Michael J. Sawaya, Convention Center President was recently named one of the city’s most notable industry newsmake...

Back in August, the University of New Orleans announced the launch of the Louisiana Wind Energy Hub at UNO. Dubbed, “The Beach at UNO,” the new hub will not only help grow the wind energy industry in Louisiana, but also increase demand for talent, research, and business development in the area. Rebecca Conwell, President and CEO of The Beach at UNO, and Shafin Khan, vice president of external affa...

A for-sale sign recently went up in front of  one of the last clinics to provide abortions in Louisiana. As WWNO’s Rosemary Westwood reports, the Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport has been forced to close following Louisiana's near-total ban on abortions. WYES-TV honors the monumental life of a living legend with tonight’s premiere of Dr. Norman C. Francis: A Legacy of Leadership. The one...

Today on Louisiana Considered: Find out when and where you can adopt a pet during the upcoming “Empty the Shelters” event. We also hear about the race to take over State Sen. Karen Carter Peterson’s former seat, and look back on a conversation about Southern Jewish history. This episode of Louisiana Considered originally aired on Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. To hear the full episode, click the “play” b...

Following the revelation that her first class trip to Paris was funded by taxpayer dollars, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is now faced with a City Council that wants to dock her pay. And if that wasn’t enough, the New Orleans Office of Inspector General recently launched an investigation into one of Cantrell’s nonprofit organizations, Forward Together New Orleans, calling for more transparency...

Hurricane season isn’t in the rearview mirror quite yet as a system in the Atlantic is expected to soon become a tropical depression. Meteorologist Dan Holiday joins us for updates on impending weather. When Casey Parks came out as gay in 2002, she believed her family would never accept her. That was until her grandma told her about Roy, a “woman who lived as a man,” and was largely accepted for i...

East Baton Rouge Parish mayor-president Sharon Weston Broome has declared September as Blight Month in Baton Rouge as her office begins cracking down on blighted properties in the city. This past May, she appointed Marlee Pittman to be the city’s first director of community revitalization. Marlee, who is also the former director of community development with the Mid City Redevelopment Alliance, jo...

After a two-year pandemic hiatus, Culture Collision 2022 is back. The 12th iteration of this New Orleans born cultural arts “happy hour” showcasing non-profit arts and cultural institutions kicks off tomorrow evening in Jefferson Parish! Amy Kirk Duvoisin, Jefferson Performing Arts Society Director of Marketing and Community Relations, tells us more. Award winning New Orleans performance artist, p...

Last week, Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Tourism officially relaunched the African American Heritage Trail. The trail was first launched in February of 2008 with 26 sites, but the new trail includes 38 sites and counting. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, joins us for more information on the trail and the stories featured along the way. It’s been a ye...

It’s been a busy week in Louisiana politics, so the Advocate’s Editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace joins us to break it all down. We hear updates on Attorney General Jeff Landry’s bid for governor and learn why the state’s bond commission recently approved a hefty new grant for the Sewage and Water Board.  In 2019, New Orleans officials pledged to make the city safer for cyclists afte...

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and many organizations are raising money for research and patient support. Last week, we learned the St. Baldrick's Foundation, which functions to support the attrition of patients with reduction of the disease.  Dr. Charles Hemenway from the LCMC Children’s Hospital joins us today for more on the field of pediatric oncology and the fight to end child...

In an editorial in The Advocate, Tulane professor Joshua Basseches says the recently-signed Inflation Reduction Act might be a start, but isn’t nearly enough to tackle climate change. Basseches joins us to explain the likelihood that this incentive-based approach will increase the use of renewable energy, and how feasible it will be for Louisiana to incentivize this energy transition.  Late last m...

The mighty Mississippi River has punched a hole in Plaquemine Parish’s east bank, and it is only continuing to grow. WWNO’s Halle Parker tells us why the state, coastal advocates and the U.S. Army Corps are debating how to manage its future.  Crescent City Stage, a new theater company that formed in New Orleans in the middle of a global pandemic, is finally able to bring performances to local audi...

Louisianans will soon have access to a new COVID-19 booster shot that targets today’s most common omicron strains. State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter tells us why it’s important to roll up our sleeves now as the flu season fast approaches.  Roots of Fire, a documentary that celebrates the history of Cajun Music and highlights the musicians working to preserve it, will premiere at the   New Orl...

Moon Landrieu came into the New Orleans’ mayor’s office during a time of heightened racial injustice, and left with a more integrated local government than the city had ever seen. Today, Bob Tucker, Landrieu’s former executive assistant, tells us more about his legacy and lasting influence. It’s a big weekend in Baton Rouge as the LSU Tigers are set to face off against the Southern Jaguars. While...

Louisiana is considering overhauling its electric market. This would divide up the monopolies that have controlled power generation and distribution for decades and open up the market to competition. The Advocate’s Sam Karlin tells us how this possibility has caused a stir at petrochemical plants and the utility companies Cleco and Entergy.  September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and the S...

Jackson, Mississippi has been facing an unprecedented water crisis after its main water facility failed following recent flooding. While the water pressure is now somewhat stable, officials say there is a small margin for error. Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s Kobee Vance tells us how officials are navigating the current crisis and what the city needs in order to have a more sustainable water su...