Louisiana Considered

This morning, a coalition of civil rights groups met at the state capitol to protest redistricting proposals submitted by Republican legislative leaders. Many argued against the proposed congressional maps from State Senator Sharon Hewitt and House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, which do not include an additional majority-Black district. WRKF’s Capitol Reporter, Paul Braun tells us what he heard live a...

In conjunction with the premiere of the stage play about the Tuskegee Airmen, “FLY,” the Jefferson Performing Arts Center is opening a new photographic exhibit that honors Black heroes of World War II. Director Tommye Myrick tells us more about the exhibit, Souls of Valor, and how it came to be. The Marigny Opera House will be the backdrop for the world premiere of award-winning composer Tucker Fu...

The Louisiana Department of Health recently announced a new partnership with Pacify Health to expand breastfeeding services throughout the state. Pacify’s Chief Clinical Officer, Melanie Silverman , and lactation consultant, Katie Wiygul , tell us about a new app that can connect parents and lactation consultants 24/7.  Last week, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton announced his retirement...

Crime is on the rise in New Orleans, specifically carjackings, and some residents are at a loss for how to feel safe in their city. Patrick Madden and The Advocate’s Stephanie Grace chat with New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams on how he plans to address this ongoing problem. They discuss his recent public disagreement with the New Orleans Police Department and his proposals to increase p...

Car insurance is an important safeguard, but at what cost? Nicole Beck of The Zebra , a leading insurance comparison website, tells us what the company has found in its recent report on the state of auto insurance in Louisiana.  Earlier this month, Governor John Bel Edwards announced the creation of a new task force on Statewide Litter Abatement and Beautification, but some residents aren’t going...

Two major offshore wind companies are looking at Louisiana's coast for developing new wind turbines to generate electricity in the Gulf of Mexico. Environmental Reporter for Nola.com, Tristan Baurick, tells us what this could mean for the state’s wind economy. On February 1, Louisiana state lawmakers will go into session to redraw a host of district boundaries, including the state’s Congressional...

Written by Trey Ellis and Ricardo Khan , the play “FLY” tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American pilots in the US military. Today on Louisiana Considered, director Tommye Myrick of Voices in the Dark Repertory Theatre Company, tells us about the show hitting the stage this February.  After a one year hiatus, exotic animal races are returning to the Fairgrounds Racecourse....

Today on Louisiana Considered, the Gulf States Newsroom’s Shalina Chatlani tells us how Southern hospitals are grappling with a shortage of nurses amid the latest stage of the pandemic. Then, we look back at a formative football game from 1970 in which a young quarterback named Archie Manning took the field at Tulane Stadium for the Sugar Bowl. Then, we turn to American Routes, for Nick Spitzer’s...

Earlier this week, Louisiana State Treasurer and former state representative, Republican John Shroder , reportedly announced his plans to seek the office of Governor. He announced his candidacy just as other political hopefuls have begun campaigning for the Senate seat currently held by Republican John Kennedy. Patrick Madden and Advocate columnist Stephanie Grace break down these candidates and t...

On Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered, Casey Tingle , Director of the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, tells us how the Biden administration is aiming to reinstate an Obama era program to place disaster survivors in apartments rather than trailers. Then, meteorologist Dan Holiday outlines the top 20 most expensive disasters of 2021, many of which impacted Lou...

Back in December, The East Baton Rouge Metro Council approved a report that detailed the racist origins of some of the city’s street and neighborhood names, and advocated for replacing them with ones that better reflect the city’s values. LSU professors and members of the city’s advisory committee on street renaming, Stephen Andes and Sydney Epps , tell us where this process is at now. But Baton R...

The historic Holy Name of Jesus Church is coming to life with song as Loyola University New Orleans presents the Grammy award-winning a cappella ensemble, Chanticleer. The world renowned all-male chorus delivers a promise of hope this New Year as they perform “Awakenings,” a new concert created in response to the pandemic. Chanticleer bass-baritone Zachary Burgess joined Diane Mack to discuss the...

Louisiana’s lack of reliable, high speed internet was underscored during the pandemic as residents worked from home and students attended virtual school. A new program out Louisiana’s Office of Broadband Development & Connectivity is trying to change that. Today on Louisiana Considered, WWNO’s Alana Schreiber spoke with  Veneeth Iyengar , CEO of ConnectLA, about plans to alleviate the state’s...

Today on Louisiana Considered, Patrick Madden and Stephanie Grace break down this week in politics, including a look at the state’s latest political hopefuls. Then, Stephan Bisaha of the Gulf States Newsroom tells us how Louisiana and Mississippi are aiming to mirror Alabama’s success in improving their tech economies. And, we hear a feature from American Routes on the life and legacy of Dr. Marti...

Today on Louisiana Considered, Adam Vos dives into coastal restoration and the litigation that might help – or plateau – the effort. He speaks with CEO of the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, Daniel Erspamer , to hear his doubts about a new proposed system of coastal credits. Then, we hear from assistant director of the Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy at Tulane University, Christop...

Today on Louisiana Considered, Karl Lengel speaks with former AP Louisiana correspondent Melinda DeSlatte about what she's learned in her 20-year career covering state politics and policy. Then, we hear from Galactic’s bassist Robert Mercurio about how the latest phase of the pandemic is impacting Louisiana’s music economy. And, we talk to LA Agriculture & Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain abo...

The P.5 Gala is just over a week away, and in the days leading up, visitors can check out a series of ​​performances, screenings, discussions, and artwork at venues across New Orleans. To learn more about the citywide exhibition, Louisiana Considered’s Diane Mack spoke with Prospect New Orleans executive director, Nick Stillman , and P.5 Gala headliner and Grammy-nominated jazz trumpeter, Christia...

It’s officially carnival season in Louisiana, and if there’s one delicacy synonymous with Mardi Gras, it’s King Cakes. But how exactly did this dessert become such a staple of Mardi Gras? And how has the traditional king cake taken on new styles and flavors over the years?  To learn more about the history of king cakes and where these desserts are headed, WWNO’s Patrick Madden was joined by three...

Patrick Madden and Stephanie Grace hosted this Friday’s episode of Louisiana Considered. Gulf States Newsroom reporters Aubri Juhasz and Stephen Bisaha report on guaranteed income programs coming to New Orleans, Shreveport and Birmingham to help those in poverty with their expenses. In an excerpt from American Routes, host Nick Spitzer talks about the life of Harry Smith , a record collector whose...

Adam Vos hosted this Thursday’s episode of Louisiana Considered. Cato Institute Adjunct Scholar Jason Sorens discusses how Louisiana compares to other states based on libertarian policies. WRKF/WWNO Morning Edition host Karen Henderson speaks with state Archaeology Outreach Coordinator Maegan Smith about the Mardi Gras Shipwreck exhibit, which is on display in Baton Rouge’s Capitol Park Museum unt...

Karl Lengel hosted this Wednesday’s episode of Louisiana Considered. RoadWork NOLA Mobility and Safety Outreach Manager David Lee Simmons and Healthy Community Services Founder and Executive Director Angela Chalk join us to talk about the City's collaboration with the NOLA Complete Streets Coalition on Moving New Orleans Bikes , which aims to expand transportation options in New Orleans and make t...

Diane Mack hosted this Tuesday’s episode of Louisiana Considered. WWNO/WRKF education reporter Aubri Juhasz reports on the latest guidance from the state health department for schools as students return from holiday breaks. OperaCréole founders Givonna Joseph and Aria Mason discuss their unique company’s upcoming 10th anniversary concert, which will be “A celebration of Black Women in classical mu...

Patrick Madden hosted this Monday’s episode of Louisiana Considered. WWNO/WRKF public health reporter Rosemary Westwood updates us on the availability of COVID-19 tests in Southeast Louisiana. In an interview first heard on NPR’s Morning Edition, NPR Congressional Reporter Claudia Grisales speaks with U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger about what the agency has done to recover from the riots at...

Karl Lengel hosted this Wednesday’s episode of Louisiana Considered. In a July 2021 interview, Tulane University Assistant Professor Jennifer Whitten tells us about her work on NASA’s VERITAS spacecraft , designed to create maps of Venus’s surface and analyze what substances constitute the planet’s surface and interior. In November, bicycle advocate Mark E. Martin joined us to talk about the dange...

Diane Mack hosted this Tuesday’s episode of Louisiana Considered. In an interview first aired on WBUR’s Here & Now, St. Louis Public Radio reporter Eric Schmid and host Celeste Headlee discuss how out-of-date building codes contributed to the destruction wreaked by tornadoes in multiple Midwestern states earlier this month. Gulf States Newsroom wealth and poverty reporter Stephen Bisaha report...