Shows
Louisiana ConsideredReproductive health post-Dobbs; remembering journalist Stanley Nelson; Alabama prison lawsuitsIt's been three years since the Supreme Court reversed the nearly 50-year-old Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. Since then, Louisiana and other conservative states have enacted strict bans against the procedure. And as a result, other aspects of reproductive health have been caught in the post-Roe wake.Lorena O’Neil covers reproductive health for the Louisiana Illuminator. She spoke with the news outlet’s editor-in-chief, Greg LaRose, host of The Light Switch podcast, to share more details.Earlier this month, Louisiana lost a great journalist. Stanley Nelson ran the Concordia Sentinel in Ferriday. But...2025-06-2724 minLouisiana ConsideredA visit to top manufacturer of torpedo bats; Big Towns conference comes to Lafayette; Bright Lights Awards winnersIf 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 conference on Big Towns, a gathering of representatives from places too big to be towns and too small to be cities. The meeting is a ch...2025-04-2324 minLouisiana ConsideredRed states hit hard in DOGE job cuts; many Louisiana restaurants mislabeling foreign shrimp; Bywater coffee company turns 100The Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) remain in the headlines for threatening to cut funding and personnel for a myriad of federal programs. Even in situations in which funding and employees have been reinstated, the pauses continue to have real-world consequences across America.Robert Collins, a political analyst and professor of urban studies and public policy at Dillard University, tells us how these cuts and freezes are impacting some parts of the U.S. more than others – in particular, red states and rural areas. A series of genetic testing on seafood ser...2025-04-1124 minLouisiana ConsideredDoctor indicted for abortion pill prescription; why Cassidy voted to confirm RFK Jr.; Xavier Univ. celebrates 100 yearsIt’s Thursday, and time for our Week in Politics with the Editorial Director and Columnist for the Times Picayune/The Advocate, Stephanie Grace. Today we discuss why Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La. ) decided to support Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to run the Department of Health and Human Services and why his vote was so significant. A Louisiana mother and a New York doctor have been indicted for allegedly providing abortion pills to a minor in Port Allen. This is the first case of a doctor being charged for mailing abortion medication into a state where abortions are ban...2025-02-0624 minLouisiana ConsideredSuper Bowl events kick off; Angela King Gallery’s latest exhibits; convo with Carolyn Hill, candidate in special election for La. State SenateThe Super Bowl is just days away, and this week New Orleans is abuzz with excitement. And even if you don’t have a ticket to the game, there are plenty of ways to join in on the fun. Our managing producer Alana Schreiber joined us for more on this week’s Super Bowl activities and events.The Angela King Gallery in the French Quarter is launching two new exhibits to attract visitors in town for the Super Bowl. One features eco-friendly abstract paintings, and the other puts life-like African clay sculptures on display. Artist Michel...2025-02-0424 minLouisiana ConsideredFormer music exec on losing voice to ALS – and finding hope in community; rise in Islamophobia after Bourbon Street attackA diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is difficult for anyone to hear. But that was especially the case for Joe Redmond, a music executive from Denham Springs who spent his career in radio. While he is losing his voice, Joe has been determined to take advantage of all the opportunities he has, including working with the Team Gleason organization, and a new caregiving program called Pathfinders. Redmond joins us today more on his career, his diagnosis and the vital role that caregivers play in the lives of ALS patients. The New Year's Day at...2025-01-1724 minLouisiana ConsideredLatest on Bourbon Street attack: pedicab driver’s firsthand account; security failures; blood donation ramps upJust after 3 a.m. on New Years Day, pedicab driver Tyler Burt was finishing his shift, when a white SUV turned the corner of Bourbon and Canal Street, running over the man he had been high-fiving as the truck rammed down the street. In his first trip back to the French Quarter since the attack, Burt spoke with the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins about what he saw and how he’s coping. Concerns over security failures have been a major part of the conversation ever since the Bourbon street attack. Bollards, the steel beams...2025-01-1624 minLouisiana ConsideredLatest on Bourbon Street attack: pedicab driver’s firsthand account; security failures; blood donation ramps upJust after 3 a.m. on New Years Day, pedicab driver Tyler Burt was finishing his shift, when a white SUV turned the corner of Bourbon and Canal Street, running over the man he had been high-fiving as the truck rammed down the street. In his first trip back to the French Quarter since the attack, Burt spoke with the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins about what he saw and how he’s coping. Concerns over security failures have been a major part of the conversation ever since the Bourbon street attack. Bollards, the steel beams...2025-01-0324 minLouisiana ConsideredGNO, Inc.’s accomplishments over 20 years; new docuseries showcases NOLA's vibrant cultureEarlier this year, the 10-parish regional economic development nonprofit, GNO, Inc. celebrated its 20th anniversary. The organization has been working to make the area more attractive to businesses. President and CEO Michael Hecht tells us more about what the group has accomplished over the last two decades.Throughout the summer and fall, Elias Camacho, founder of the media company, The Rambler, traveled throughout the New Orleans area, interviewing some of the city’s favorite artists, chefs, culture bearers and all-around icons. His documentary series, “NOLA in Focus,”highlights the individuals and communities that make this city so unique...2024-12-1924 minLouisiana ConsideredNOLA schools superintendent steps down; photographer captures state’s natural beauty; Black beekeeping traditions in the SouthNOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Avis Williams will step down at the beginning of December after leading the almost all-charter school system for two years. WWNO and WRKF’s education reporter Aubri Juhasz tells us more about her abrupt departure.Photographer Eric McVicker is out with a new book that captures the wildlife, landscapes and waterways of the Bayou State. Dubbed, "Louisiana: Our Home,” the book takes viewers on an intimate journey through all corners of the state, capturing its natural and unique beauty. Erik joins us now for more on his new book, upcoming galle...2024-11-1924 minLouisiana ConsideredFormer La. Democratic Party comms director Bob Mann on what the Democrats got wrong this electionWhen Donald Trump won the election, many Democrats across the country were left asking themselves, what went wrong? Was it the candidate and the lack of a proper primary? Did their message about the fate of democracy not resonate with Americans? Or was it the fact that many see a drastic change as the only way to solve inflation? Robert Mann is a former professor at LSU’s Manship School of mass communication who also served as a press secretary for multiple democratic campaigns and the communications director for the Louisiana Democratic Party. He joins us to discus...2024-11-0824 minLouisiana ConsideredHurricane birding after Francine; Musaica Chamber Ensemble enters 19th season; New ULL program helps athletes with NIL opportunitiesWhen a storm blows in, it doesn’t just impact people — it can also throw birds off course or drive them farther inland. Hurricane Francine presented an opportunity to see rare species in unexpected places. WWNO’s Aubri Juhasz takes us birding in the days after the storm. In June 2021, the NCAA implemented an interim policy to allow college athletes to make money off their name, image and likeness. But not every student athlete has the resources, connections and social media fluency to take advantage of those opportunities.Recently, Dr. Bryan Maggard, vice president for interco...2024-09-1724 minLouisiana ConsideredHistory of New Orleans’ segregated beaches; 8 La. Olympians return home from Paris with medalsNew Orleans is surrounded by water, but it’s hard to access. And for a city with increasingly sweltering summers, the lack of public beaches feels painfully ironic. In the first part of the latest episode of Sea Change, the Coastal Desk’s Eva Tesfaye explores the uncomfortable history of Lincoln Beach, and how the segregation of beaches led to the lack of accessible beaches today.The 2024 Paris Olympics wrapped up earlier this week, and Louisiana athletes have plenty to show for it. Nearly 30 competitors representing nearly 20 countries came from LSU. By the end of the g...2024-08-1624 minLouisiana ConsideredFormer Saints player and ALS patient and advocate Steve Gleason on new memoir; political roundup; assigning names to heat wavesOn Thursday July 11, Steve Gleason was honored at the ESPY awards with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. The former Saints player first rose to fame when he blocked a punt against the Atlanta Falcons in the team’s first game back in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. But in the years since, Gleason’s been living with ALS, a disease that attacks nerve cells and renders patients unable to move, speak and breathe on their own. Still, Gleason has had some extraordinary accomplishments since his diagnosis, like fathering two children, founding Team Gleason, and most recently, writi...2024-07-1224 minLouisiana ConsideredHow death of Willie Mays impacts Birmingham baseball game; Shreveport responds to spike in gun violence; Sea Change part 2For the last few weeks, we’ve been airing our original podcast, Road to Rickwood. Hosted by Roy Wood Jr., the four part series documents the history of Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama – America’s oldest ballpark – and the role it played in the civil rights movement.The podcast was released in anticipation of a Major League Baseball game at Rickwood Field, meant to honor the Negro Leagues and legendary ballplayer – and Birmingham native – Willie Mays. But just two days before the game, Mays passed away.WWNO’s Alana Schreiber is the executive producer of Ro...2024-06-2824 minLouisiana ConsideredHow La.’s coastal communities build homes in a turbulent ecosystem; A recap of last night’s MLB at Rickwood Field gameThe Vietnamese word for water is nước. But nước also means “homeland.” In the first part of the latest episode of Sea Change, we learn how South Louisiana’s Vietnamese community is reimagining its complicated relationship with water in a place where everything about water is changing.The world of baseball saw two historic events this week: The passing of legendary player Willie Mays, and the first Major League game to be played at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama — the very field where Mays started his career, playing for the Birmingham Black Barons. 2024-06-2124 minLouisiana ConsideredRoad to Rickwood: Don't Fight BackIn 1964, the Birmingham Barons become Alabama’s first integrated sports team. This is 17 years after Jackie Robinson integrated the Major Leagues. What took so long?Today, we hear how baseball helps desegregate America’s most segregated city. Roy Wood Jr. takes us back to 1960s Birmingham, when nonviolent protests for racial equality are met with bombings by the Ku Klux Klan. We learn about the business owner who decides to bring baseball back to Birmingham after a two-year hiatus, this time in an integrated environment. And we hear from some of the players on the city’s first...2024-06-1253 minLouisiana ConsideredIn honor of Pride, a look back at key moments in Louisiana LGBTQ+ historyIt’s pride month, and this weekend, New Orleans has no shortage of events, including “gay ghost tours,” Black queer fests and a parade. In Baton Rouge, Pride Fest is coming on June 29, featuring a slew of performances at the Raising Cane’s River Center. But this month also a time of remembrance for darker chapters in Louisiana’s queer history. In June of 1973, a fire at the UpStairs Lounge – a gay bar in New Orleans’ French quarter – took the lives of 32 people. It was the largest mass killing of LGBTQ people at the time. Last year, Louisi...2024-06-1024 minLouisiana ConsideredThe decline of the redfish; look back at New Orleanian who almost became MLB’s first Black pitcherThe red drum, more commonly known as the classic redfish, is a popular fish in the region. But now, the population is starting to decline. What does it say about a bigger collapse of similar species? Boyce Upholt, a reporter for the Food & Environment Reporting Network based in New Orleans, tells us about the rise and fall of this famous fish on the first part of the latest episode of Sea Change. Black baseball history runs deep in the South, and New Orleans fielded plenty of talented teams, including New Orleans Black Pelicans, Crescent City St...2024-05-2424 minLouisiana ConsideredU.S. Supreme Court upholds La.'s congressional map; ‘Road to Rickwood’ explores Black baseball historyIt’s Thursday, which means it’s time for our look at the week in politics. Stephanie Grace, the Times Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist, breaks down the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Louisiana’s new congressional map. The decision means the state’s second majority-Black congressional district will stand for this year’s election.This June, Major League Baseball will host a regular season game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama as a tribute to Negro League Baseball History. Rickwood Field also happens to more than 100 years old. It’s served not...2024-05-1724 min
Louisiana ConsideredLa.’s special session on crime wraps; NOLA will no longer have all charter schoolsLouisiana’s historic special session on crime has concluded after a brisk two weeks. Many of Gov. Jeff Landry’s high-priority bills passed, including a proposal to expand death penalty execution methods. Molly Ryan, WWNO and WRKF’s state politics reporter joins us to talk more about the session’s conclusion.
And we have a major education story out of New Orleans. The Orleans Parish School Board says it will directly run a school next year. It’s a big deal for the country’s only all-charter public school system. The board hasn’t operated a school since 2019 and t...2024-03-0124 min
Louisiana ConsideredBranford Marsalis to head music center; creative aging writers workshop, nursing home Mardi GrasRenowned saxophonist Branford Marsalis will soon head the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music. This is a homecoming for the musician, composer and educator, who is a member of the famed musical Marsalis family.
Marsalis joins us for more on how New Orleans influenced his early life and highlights the successes of the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music over its 12-year history and shares his visions for the future of the institution as its new artistic director.
Everybody has a story to tell, but not everyone has the confidence, training or even the right words to t...2024-02-0724 min
Louisiana ConsideredGrowing concerns over La.’s non-traditional schools; efforts to combat opioid crisis in AcadianaDuring the first two years of the pandemic, public school enrollment in the U.S. fell by more than 1.2 million students. While some enrolled in private schools or formal homeschooling programs, others switched to unapproved schools that have little oversight and don’t need state permission to grant degrees.
Sharon Luyre recently published an investigation into these schools for AP News and joins us to discuss the accusations against these institutions, including inappropriate behavior by teachers and accusations of “diploma buying.”
Ochsner Lafayette General Hospital recently received a $1 million dollar grant to combat opioid addiction and ab...2023-12-0424 min
Louisiana ConsideredElection results; new documentary on NOLA literary history; free Thanksgiving meals and giveawaysThe results from Louisiana’s general election are in and Republicans swept statewide offices. Politics reporter Molly Ryan breaks down the wins, losses and a somewhat surprising result in the Lafayette mayor-president race.
New Orleans not only serves as the setting for many literary classics like “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “A Confederacy of Dunces,” but it has also long been home to many writers and thinkers who draw inspiration from the Crescent City.
A new WYES documentary explores the history of News Orleans as a literary mecca for more than 300 years and includes interviews with past g...2023-11-2024 min
Louisiana ConsideredHockey is back in Louisiana – and a Louisianan is in the NHL; solar energy projects in Iberia ParishThis summer, the energy company First Solar began construction on a new facility in Iberia Parish in south Louisiana. The $1.1 billion facility marked the beginning of what some say could help turn Louisiana into a robust energy powerhouse rather than just a fossil-fuels economy.
Terrence Chambers, director of the Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, joins us to talk about the future of solar energy in Louisiana.
It’s an exciting time for hockey in Louisiana! Not only did we recently saw the sport’s return at the minor...2023-11-1524 min
Louisiana ConsideredThe NOLA native who almost became first Black pitcher in the Major Leagues: climate impacts on riceRice is one of the most valuable crops grown in Louisiana. It regularly makes the list of our top five crops grown and exported each year, but some are concerned a warming climate may have an adverse effect on yields.
Prasanta Subudhi, professor at LSU’s School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences, tells us about research into the potential impacts of climate change on rice, and ways to make the crop more sustainable.
Last night, the Arizona Diamondbacks punched their ticket to the 2023 World Series where they will face off against the Texas Rangers. An...2023-10-2524 min
Louisiana ConsideredRemembering David Berger – New Orleans Jewish weightlifter killed at 1972 Olympics – 51 years laterToday – Sept. 5, 2023 – marks 51 years since the massacre at the 1972 Munich Olympics, when members of a Palestinian terrorist organization murdered 11 athletes competing for Israel. One of the victims was David Berger, a Jewish-American Tulane graduate who lived in New Orleans before moving to Israel, the country he would represent as a weightlifter on the world stage.
Lafayette attorney and Cajun historian Warren Perrin’s recent book, “The Weight of History, the Power of Apology,” chronicles his own weightlifting journey alongside that of Berger and Walter Imahara, a Japanese-American weightlifter who spent his youth in an internment camp before becoming a...2023-09-0524 min
Louisiana ConsideredNew book looks at the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the context of the dawn of social mediaThis month marks 18 years since Hurricane Katrina made landfall in the southeastern United States, uprooting the lives of many who lived in New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf states. It took the storm only a matter of days to wreak havoc on the region. But it took – and continues to take – years to repair all of the damage, which is just as much emotional and psychological as it is physical.
In his new book, “Connecting After Chaos,” Tulane professor Stephen Ostertag writes about the ways many New Orleanians turned to social media to cope with the aftermath of the st...2023-08-2224 min
Louisiana ConsideredA look at the New Orleans ordinance meant to protect tenants from landlord retaliationA new New Orleans law that seeks to protect tenants from landlord retaliation went into effect earlier this month. The Healthy Homes Ordinance makes it harder for landlords to retaliate against renters who ask for repairs or report problems covered by the City’s housing health and safety rules.
Josie Abugov reported this story for the nonprofit news site Verite, and she joins us now for a look at the law’s effectiveness over the last month.
For years, Louisiana’s medical marijuana market has been stagnant. The state has some of the most restrictive policies...2023-07-1724 min
Louisiana ConsideredA conversation with Jeff Landry on his campaign to be Louisiana’s next governorLast week, we brought you the first part of our latest episode of Sea Change, in which WWNO’s Kezia Setyawan traveled around south Louisiana to meet with community members trying to keep history alive in a place where the land is rapidly disappearing. Today, we are continuing that conversation with Brian Davis, executive director for the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation, and archeologist Marcy Rockman, who previously served as a US National Park Service climate change adaptation coordinator for cultural resources.
The 2023 Louisiana election for governor is just five months away, and here at WWNO and WRK...2023-06-3024 min
Louisiana ConsideredBaton Rouge’s downtown has plenty of vacant storefronts. This new effort seeks to change that.The city of New Orleans isn’t known for being easy to get around if you have a disability. It can even be hard to find a place to work out. But now, there’s Split Second Fitness, a gym specifically designed for people with disabilities. Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer Alana Schreiber takes us inside.
These days, many storefronts across downtown Baton Rouge are vacant. But now, the Downtown Development District and Baton Rouge Area Chamber are partnering in an effort to identify empty storefronts and recruit businesses to fill the spots. Whitney Hoffman Sayal, executive directo...2023-06-2824 min
Louisiana ConsideredAfter devastating Sunday night loss, the LSU Tigers bounce back to win College World SeriesThe LSU Tigers are champions once again. That’s right, earlier this year, the women’s basketball team clinched the March Madness tournament, and just last night the men’s baseball team won the College World Series. For more on the team’s path to victory and what the future may hold for some of the Tigers biggest stars, WWNO’s Alana Schreiber spoke with LSU baseball and football beat writer for the The Times-Picayune | The Advocate, Leah Vann.
The Helis Foundation John Scott Center is kicking off their summer events with ‘Scott Fest.’ The event will cele...2023-06-2724 min
Louisiana ConsideredFamily life of Tennessee Williams takes center stage at production of ‘Miss Rose, A Cabaret Play’Playwright Tennessee Williams’ family is the subject of a stage drama as Salvage Art Productions and the Marigny Opera House present the premiere of ‘Miss Rose, a Cabaret Play.’ The work follows the relationship between Rose Williams and her younger brother Tennessee. Rebecca Gibel, who stars as Rose, and Leicester Landon, who stars as Tennessee, join us for more.
Project Drawdown is a climate change organization that highlights the voices of often overlooked communities fighting for a better future. One of the ways the organization does this is through the Drawdown’s Neighborhood documentary series, which highlights communit...2023-06-2024 min
Louisiana ConsideredIt’s the unofficial “alligator season.” Here’s how to respond if you see the animals out and about.It’s not unusual in Louisiana to see an alligator in a marsh, swamp or bayou, but recent reports have noted gators walking across the road in Lake Charles, stuck in a backyard fence in Slidell, and even out taking a swim in the Gulf of Mexico.
For more on why we might be seeing gators in usual places and how to stay safe, we speak with Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Biologist Program Manager, Jeb Linscombe, and Nuisance Alligator Control Operator, Kim Crochet.
Late last month, the 2023 Regional Edward R. Murrow award...2023-06-0524 min
Louisiana ConsideredFollowing an ALS diagnosis, two best friends began annual cook-off to raise money for patient careToday on Louisiana Considered, we hear about an upcoming cook-off event in Lafayette to benefit Team Gleason, an organization dedicated to improving life and providing technologies for ALS patients. Plus, we hear about an upcoming art exhibit that celebrates the life of a Baton Rouge native.
This Thursday, the Blackham Coliseum in Lafayette will host the second annual Fin Feather Fur Food Festival – or F5 – a cooking competition. The cook-off also serves to benefit Team Gleason, an organization committed to finding solutions for people living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS. The organization was founded by St...2023-04-2624 min
Louisiana ConsideredDescendants of famed New Orleans chef Leah Chase keep the family flavors alive in new cooking show‘The Dooky Chase Kitchen: Leah’s Legacy,’ is a new TV show celebrating the New Orleans cooking icon. The PBS series on WYES-TV will feature dishes prepared by younger generations of the Chase family who have led the restaurant since Leah’s passing in 2019.
Leah’s grandson Dook Chase and granddaughter Eve Marie Haydel, join us with the details.
The 2023 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presented by Shell kicks off this week! The event will host a diverse lineup of music, food, cultural events, and crafts, spanning two weekends at the New Orleans Fairgrounds Racetrack.2023-04-2524 min
Louisiana ConsideredKarl Lengel, host of All Things Considered at WWNO, reflects on his 23 years with the stationAfrican American midwives, also known as granny midwives, were some of the first to universalize the practice of midwifery in the South. Now, a new permanent installation in Jackson is sharing their story. The Gulf States Newsroom’s Maya Miller tells us more.
Last week at WWNO we said goodbye to the host of All Things Considered, and the Thursday host of Louisiana Considered, Karl Lengel. For 23 years Karl has been bringing you the news in New Orleans and southeast Louisiana, reporting through notable events like Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ida, and the pandemic. On Karl’s last day...2023-03-3024 min
Louisiana ConsideredTwo Native American chiefs on the struggle to get state and federal recognition for Louisiana tribesThe New Orleans City Council is getting closer to passing new laws governing short-term rentals like Airbnbs. WWNO’s Carly Berlin has been tracking the potential changes. She sat down with Louisiana Considered producer Alana Schreiber to debrief us on recent news and to tell us what’s coming next.
Earlier this month, The Task Force on State Recognition of Indian Tribes met for the last time without being able to agree on any set criteria for recognizing tribes in Louisiana. Fifteen tribes are now recognized, but there are still not clear criteria for determining if others shou...2023-03-1324 min
Louisiana ConsideredThe Road to Damascus weaves a biblical story with a fairy tale in a modern lensArtSpot Productions' The Road to Damascus is a solo performance that uses the story of Saul, or St. Paul’s conversion experience, as a metaphor for awakening to the persecutorial nature of white supremacy. It also weaves in a modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood to explore how sexual trauma leads some women to cause harm to themselves and others. We hear more from writer and performer Kathy Randels.
Mardi Gras may be over, but festival season has only just begun, with St. Patrick’s Day, French Quarter Fest, and Jazz Fest just around the corner. One...2023-03-0224 min
Louisiana ConsideredHow NPR’s ‘White Lies’ unearths largely untold story of the Talladega prison riotMardi Gras is back! After a stay-at-home year in 2021 and shortened parades in 2022, krewes are finally rolling on their full, traditional routes. But local businesses are still dealing with the weird, volatile post-pandemic economy. Reporter Carly Berlin has the story.
The NPR podcast “White Lies” recently debuted its second season about Mariel Cubans, who took over a prison in Talladega, Alabama. One of the hosts of the show, Chip Brantley, discovered this historic event when he found a picture of men standing on the roof of a prison asking for help. From our partners at WBHM in Alab...2023-02-1724 min
Louisiana ConsideredThe Little Book of King Cake brings the story of the iconic carnival dessert to kidsIn the last few years New Orleans has seen an explosion in the variety of King Cakes one can buy. From Dong Phuong’s Vietnamese style of the desert, to Norma’s Sweets Bakery’s Cuban approach with a guava filling, King Cakes are increasingly taking on new cultural identities. Last weekend, Louisiana Considered’s Alana Schreiber visited The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience and spoke with New Orleanian and baker Serena Deutch, to learn about a new kind of King Cake with a Jewish spin.
And while we’re on the subject of King Cakes, just recent...2023-01-3024 min
Louisiana ConsideredHow the Bogalusa Heart Study has contributed to cardiovascular research over the last 50 yearsThis year marks the 50th anniversary of the Bogalusa Heart Study. Started in 1973, this study looks at the impact of vascular and metabolic changes on health throughout the lifespan. And, it's one of the longest on-going health studies of a biracial, semi-rural southern community.
Director of the Tulane Center for Lifespan Epidemiology Research, Dr. Lydia Bazzano tells us about the profound impact this study has had on various fields of research over the last half century.
This weekend, the American Red Cross of Louisiana will head to Baton Rouge for a day of installing free s...2023-01-2024 min
Louisiana ConsideredMiss Rodeo Louisiana 2022 reflects on her reign as queen and recent national competitionNew Orleans is once again gearing up to overhaul its laws governing short-term rentals, like those listed on platforms like Airbnb. And City Hall is under a fast-approaching deadline to pass new rules, set by a federal court. WWNO’s New Orleans reporter Carly Berlin tells us what changes might be in store for the city’s short-term-rental industry.
This Saturday, New Orleans will host the 2023 Miss Universe pageant where representatives from 165 countries will take to the runway to compete for the crown. But last month in Las Vegas, a different kind of pageant just wrapped up. One...2023-01-1324 min
Louisiana ConsideredTulane won its first major bowl in 83 years. What might this mean for the school’s football future?On Monday, Tulane University amazed the nation when the school’s football team won the 2023 Cotton Bowl, beating football powerhouse USC 46-45. The historic game is the Green Wave’s first major bowl win since the Sugar Bowl in 1935.
For more on the game, Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer Alana Schreiber spoke with Tulane wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson about the historic win and what this means for the future of Tulane football.
Louisiana’s Early Steps program is a statewide effort to provide early intervention services to infants and toddlers who have developmental delays and disabil...2023-01-0424 min
Louisiana ConsideredRemembering P.B.S. Pinchback, Louisiana’s – and the nation’s – first Black governorIn December of 1872, Pickney Benton Stewart Pinchback, otherwise known as PBS Pinchback, became governor of Louisiana. He was the first African American to become governor of any US state.
To learn more about Pinchback’s life and legacy 150 years after his reign, Louisiana Considered’s Alana Schreiber spoke with Joseph Dawson, Professor Emeritus of History Texas A & M University. He is the editor of the book The Louisiana Governors: From Iberville to Edwards.
November saw the debut of the new documentary Hollow Tree, which follows three Louisiana teenagers trying to navigate a changing climate affecting their...2022-12-2324 min
Louisiana ConsideredFrom Kwanzaa bike rides to Chanukah parades, here’s how to celebrate the holidays in LouisianaBetween a menorah parade and a Southern Fried Chanukah a cappella concert, there’s plenty of ways to celebrate the festival of lights in New Orleans. Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer Alana Schreiber speaks with Caitrin Gladow, Senior director of marketing and communications for the Jewish Federation of New Orleans, to learn more about this week’s events.
And Kwanzaa is just around the corner, and there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate in Louisiana. Shukrani Gray, the African American Resource Collection, Equity and Inclusion Librarian at New Orleans Public Library, tells us about the upcoming Kwanzaa...2022-12-1924 min
Louisiana ConsideredU.S. Rep. Troy Carter discusses new position of leadership in Congressional Black CaucusAt the end of November, Louisiana representative Troy Carter was elected to serve as the Congressional Black Caucus’ Second Vice-Chair – the body’s third-most senior position. He joins Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer Alana Schreiber to discuss taking on this significant role in his sophomore term.
The holidays are just around the corner – and so is the potential for another COVID-19 surge. Dr. Catherine O'Neal, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and Infectious Disease at LSU Health Sciences Center in Baton Rouge, joins us for more on the latest tools for COVID safety.
But first, on Saturday, B...2022-12-1224 min
Louisiana ConsideredThe District 3 PSC runoff election is Saturday; here's what you need to know before you voteThe runoff election for the District Three Public Service Commissioner will take place tomorrow, where voters will choose between 18-year incumbent Lambert Boissiere III and environmental activist Davante Lewis. The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace and WRKF’s Paul Braun tell voters what they need to know before they hit the polls.
The quarterfinals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup starts today, and New Orleanians are packing sports bars to watch. But there’s one bar whose soccer culture is outmatched, attracting fans from around the world. Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer Alana Sc...2022-12-0924 min
Louisiana ConsideredIn its 49th year, the Bayou Classic celebrated HBCU pride in New OrleansThe 49th annual Bayou Classic, which wrapped last weekend at the SuperDome is more than a football game - it’s a celebration of the history and culture of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. To learn more, WWNO’s Alana Schreiber spoke with Dennis Shields, President Chancellor of Southern University, and Rick Gallot, President of Grambling University, and Dr. Danielle Robinson Head of Community Engagement and Partnerships at DIAGEO, the event’s corporate sponsor.
And, French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in New Orleans today where he will check out all the Crescent City’s greatest offerings while promotin...2022-12-0224 min
Louisiana ConsideredIn honor of being thankful, here’s a collection of stories on America’s small town heroesAs families around the country gather together for the Thanksgiving holiday, we are bringing you a diverse collection of stories from all across the country.
Today on Louisiana Considered, we travel up to the streets of Alaska’s capital city, down to urban Florida, and out to the Eastern plains of Colorado to bring you a collection of stories on small town heroes. Listen and take a tour of America through the eyes of our most dedicated community leaders.
Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Alana Schreiber and done in partnership with Amer...2022-11-2524 min
Louisiana ConsideredHow the Creole Rebellion of 1841 led to the emancipation of more than 100 former slavesEarlier this month marked 181 years since one of the most successful uprisings in American history. The Creole Rebellion of 1841 saw a mutiny on a slaving brig headed from Virginia to New Orleans, and eventually led to the emancipation of more than 100 formerly enslaved individuals.History Department Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, Clifton Sorrell III tells us more about the significance of this important moment in history.
“A League of Their Own” meets “Miracle” in the true story of the first US Women’s Olympic Basketball team and their unlikely rise. Made of a ragta...2022-11-2124 min
Louisiana ConsideredRe-imagining 'drug court': A new Baton Rouge program prioritizes recovery over jail timeThe 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge is launching a new drug recovery program as part of an effort to provide supervised treatment for offenders grappling with substance abuse issues. Chief judge of the 19th Judicial District Court Donald R. Johnson and program coordinator Cheryl Wyatt tells us more about this new recovery-focused initiative is re-imagining traditional “drug court.”
Every year, the advocacy group RIDE puts out a report on the state public transportation system in New Orleans. And this year, between new routes, to a new app, to new fares, there’s a lot to discus...2022-11-1624 min
Louisiana ConsideredConditions at a Louisiana prison violate inmates’ constitutional rights, judge rulesIt’s been eight months since Mississippi’s largest hospital and the state’s biggest insurer parted ways, leaving many patients without access to affordable health care for specialized and critical needs. As the Gulf States Newsroom’s Shalina Chatlani reports, contract disputes between hospitals and insurers are common, but for this one, there’s still no solution in sight.
Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled that the conditions at David Wade Correctional Facility in Homer, Louisiana, violate the constitutional rights of prisoners. In her ruling, the judge found that prisoners were housed in inhumane conditions and that t...2022-11-1124 min
Louisiana ConsideredCrime is top concern for Orleans and Jefferson Parish residents, new survey saysShort-term rentals — like those listed on Airbnb — have been a hot button issue in New Orleans for years. Now, the city is yet again gearing up to write new laws governing the controversial industry. To give us an update on where things stand, Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer Alana Schreiber spoke with WWNO’s New Orleans Reporter Carly Berlin.
In October, the University of New Orleans released its 2022 Quality of Life Survey for Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. Among the findings were concerns over the area’s crime with residents saying it’s become a worse place to live over th...2022-11-0724 min
Louisiana ConsideredThe World Series starts tonight: Here are the former LSU Tigers taking the fieldEarly voting is officially underway, and in New Orleans, voters are considering constitutional amendments! Today we breakdown the ballot with The Times Picayune | New Orleans Advocate’s editorial page director and columnist, Stephanie Grace,
And while abortion rights are set to be a driving issue in the midterm elections, in Louisiana, there’s nothing on the ballot that would change the near-total abortion ban now in effect. WWNO’s Public Health reporter, Rosemary Westwood, tells us how abortion rights supporters in the state are looking for new ways to fight back.
Baseball’s 2022 World Series starts to...2022-10-2824 min
Louisiana ConsideredHow the Spanish Colonial period preserved Louisiana’s French language and cultureMidterm elections are fast approaching and early voting is just around the corner. The Times Picayune | New Orleans Advocate’s editorial page director and columnist, Stephanie Grace, joins us to break down the ballot and tell us what elections to pay attention to.
After two pandemic- and hurricane- related cancellations, Houma’s spookiest event returns in late October with the goal to raise awareness for Louisiana’s disappearing coast. WWNO’s coastal reporter Kezia Setyawan tells us how the upcoming Rougarou will celebrate Cajun folklore while advocating for coastal restoration.
While Louisiana is often closely associated...2022-10-2122 min
Louisiana Considered18th Annual Louisiana Book Festival is headed to Baton Rouge. Here’s what you need to knowThe 18th Annual Louisiana Book Festival is coming to Baton Rouge on Saturday, October 29th. Louisiana Center for the Book Assistant Director Robert Wilson tells us about the more than 200 authors headed to the fest – which ranges from Pulitzer Prize winners to the newest members of the state’s literary community.
Title IX was signed into law just over 50 years ago, and now multiple institutions are asking just how far they’ve come in advancing opportunities for women in education and athletics.
Louisiana Considered’s Alana Schreiber speaks with Lisa Stockton, head coach of Tulane Women’s B...2022-10-1724 min
Louisiana ConsideredA Ukrainian university's research lab was destroyed in the war. Then Tulane stepped in to helpA 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 Institute in Ukraine to collaborate on solar energy research. And even when the research labs in Ukraine were reduced to rubble, that hasn’t stopped the collaboration between universities.
Deny...2022-10-1024 min
Louisiana ConsideredCrescent City Chamber Music Festival kicks off 7th anniversary with 7 free concertsSome 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 partnership with America Amplified, we are excited to bring you the fourth episode of Liner Notes, where local musicians walk us through their songwriting process. Louisiana Considered’s Alana Schreiber sat down with Eva LoVullo...2022-10-0424 min
Louisiana ConsideredUniversity of New Orleans launches wind energy hub, aiming to grow industryBack 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 affairs and innovation at The Beach at UNO, tell us more.
Two Louisiana parishes put the brakes on projects related to carbon sequestration in order to take time...2022-09-2824 min
Louisiana Considered'Empty the Shelters' event will reduce pet adoption fees at 6 shelters in LouisianaToday 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” button above.
Pet adoption fees will be reduced at six animal shelters in Louisiana during the first week of October as part of the BISSELL Pet Foundation’s nationwide "Empty the She...2022-09-2624 min
Louisiana ConsideredIn Diary of a Misfit, Casey Parks explores southern queerness in a surprising journey of acceptanceHurricane 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 it in the small town of Delhi, Louisiana. This sent Casey on a decades long journey to discover the truth about Roy’s life while reckoning with her...2022-09-2224 min
Louisiana ConsideredFrom Ruby Bridges' new children's book to library culture passes, here's the latest in book newsIt’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 after 9 cyclists were hit by a motorist and two died during Mardi Gras. But three years later New Orleans City Council is now ordering the removal of some prot...2022-09-1624 min
Louisiana ConsideredRemembering Moon Landrieu and his efforts to integrate New Orleans city governmentMoon 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 the two teams play in the same city just 15 minutes apart, this game marks the first time that the two football teams will compete. Louisiana Considered’s Alana Schr...2022-09-0924 min
Louisiana ConsideredAs the 2022 midterms near, here are the Louisiana elections to followNew Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has recently been faced with recall attempts. Now, she’s fighting back. The Advocate’s Editorial Director and columnist Stephanie Grace tells us what might happen next, and clues us in to what elections to watch as campaigns heat up after Labor Day.
The Biden administration pledged billions of dollars to address environmental injustice, and many living in the Mississippi River basin stand to benefit – particularly low-income and minority communities who face the brunt of air and water pollution. WWNO’s coastal reporter Halle Parker tells us why advocates are still skeptical that the...2022-09-0524 min
Louisiana ConsideredWhere are all the hurricanes? Meteorologist details Louisiana outlook during peak of storm seasonOn today’s episode of Louisiana Considered, the WWNO/WRKF Coastal Desk reports on this year’s Atlantic Hurricane Season, and commemorates Hurricane Ida’s landfall one year ago. This episode originally aired on Monday, August 29, 2022. To hear the full episode, click the “play” button above.
Despite what has felt like a quiet start to this year’s hurricane season, NOAA still forecasts above-normal storm activity in the Atlantic. Ben Schott, meteorologist-in-charge at the National Weather Service office in Slidell, explained why storms have been slow to form after two years of record-breaking seasons, and what we can e...2022-08-2924 min
Louisiana ConsideredA conversation with 2 athletes on their journeys, wins and being in Louisiana's sports communityOn today’s episode of Louisiana Considered, we hear two encore interviews with two of the athletes who are making Louisiana proud in the world of sports: Jahri Evans of the New Orleans Saints, and 2022 Paralympics gold medalist Brenna Huckaby. This episode of Louisiana Considered aired on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022. To listen to the full episode, click the play button above.
Back in March, athletes from around the world gathered in Beijing to participate in the 2022 Paralympic games. Team USA left with twenty medals overall, including one bronze and one gold in snowboarding competitions that went to...2022-08-2324 min
Louisiana ConsideredHow The Visiting Room Project helps tell the stories of people serving life sentencesOn today’s episode of Louisiana Considered: a program that helps those sentenced to life in prison tell their stories, the history of the Angola Prison Rodeo, and a comparison between bullfighting and hurricane season from essayist Ed Cullen. This segment of Louisiana Considered aired on Monday, Aug. 22, 2022. To listen to the full episode, click the play button above.
Nearly 5,000 Louisianans are sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A new multimedia storytelling project highlights the narratives of these inmates with a series of first-person narratives about their experiences.
Th...2022-08-2224 min
Louisiana ConsideredHow one bar in Acadiana is keeping Cajun French music, language and culture aliveAcross the country, there is fear and confusion inside some hospitals as doctors try to give the best medical care while staying within the bounds of new abortion restrictions. That is especially true right here in Louisiana. As our reproductive healthcare reporter Rosemary Westwood reports, doctors say a new abortion ban could put their patients and themselves at risk.
Back in April, Louisiana Considered’s Alana Schreiber spoke with Mark Layne, general manager at KVPI Radio Station in Ville Platte, about the station’s long history of promoting Cajun French language and culture on the airwaves. And one...2022-08-1224 min
Louisiana ConsideredLouisiana Sports Hall of Fame honors history-making little league baseball team in new exhibitIn 2019, the East Bank All-Stars became the first team from Louisiana to win the Little League Baseball World Series. Now, the history-making team from River Ridge is the subject of a new exhibit at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser tells Louisiana Considered’s Alana Schreiber how he spearheaded the idea for this exhibit, and why the team is so deserving of this honor.
But first, sitting on what’s been called the edge of the world, Port Fourchon serves as a critical hub for the nation’s oil and gas supply. But its...2022-08-0924 min
Louisiana ConsideredThe return of the Kingfish: could minor league hockey be on its way back to Baton Rouge?It’s no secret that ice hockey is not the most popular sport to play in the hot and humid Gulf South. But that doesn’t mean the game can’t rack up loyal fans. Back from 1996-2003, the minor league hockey team, the Baton Rouge Kingfish, ruled the ice in the Capital City. And now, the beloved team may be making a return.
Louisiana Considered’s Alana Schreiber spoke with Barry Soskin, owner and operator of multiple minor league hockey teams over the last 25 years. He shared his plans to bring hockey back to Baton Rouge, starting...2022-08-0424 min
Louisiana ConsideredAfter Jason Williams trial, a conversation with Stephanie Grace on what this means for New OrleansEarlier this week, New Orleans DA Jason Williams was acquitted on ten counts of federal tax fraud. While his business partner Nicole Burdette was also acquitted of these charges, she was found guilty on four separate counts of falsifying tax returns. The Advocate’s Editorial Director and Columnist Stephanie Grace joins us to share her takeaways from the verdicts.
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month, some groups began ramping up easy and free access to Plan B. Metro reporter Carly Berlin tells us why advocates fear future restrictions, and how they’re hoping to m...2022-07-2924 min
Louisiana Considered2 United Soccer League teams are coming to New Orleans; here's what you need to knowThe United Soccer League is coming to New Orleans, hoping to establish two teams, a mens and a women's franchise, by 2025. Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer Alana Schreiber speaks to Jamie Guin and Warren Smith of USL NOLA for more on the future of soccer in the Crescent City.
But first, it’s National Zookeeper Week, a time to appreciate the hard work, conservation efforts, and passion of the foremost animal professionals. Robyn Lott, Director of Marketing & PR for BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo and Bob Lessnau, VP and Curator at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, tell us...2022-07-2124 min
Louisiana ConsideredNew research from LSU shows environmental impact of potential nuclear warThe recent war between Russia and Ukraine has stoked fears that the situation could escalate into an all-out nuclear war. This has many wondering, what would a large-scale modern nuclear war look like? We know about radiation. But how would a conflict affect the weather, agriculture, and even the climate in the long-term?
Cheryl Harrison, Assistant Professor with the Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences at LSU, was asking herself the same question. She and other researchers ran multiple computer simulations on the environmental impacts of potential nuclear war. She joins us today with their conclusions.
A...2022-07-1324 min
Louisiana ConsideredDocumentary on blind cyclists racing across America premieres this weekend in NOLAThis week the National Federation of the Blind is hosting its annual convention in New Orleans. And among the workshops on accessibility in technology and talks on developments in Braille, is the release of an exciting new documentary. Dubbed Surpassing Sight, the film tells the story of a team of blind cyclists tackling the world’s toughest bike race, the Race Across America.
The two main subjects of the film, entrepreneur and non-profit founder Dan Berlin, and lawyer for Meta Jack Chen, joined Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer Alana Schreiber to discuss the message behind the documentary. They...2022-07-0824 min
Louisiana ConsideredBreaking down the legal fight over Louisiana's abortion trigger lawsFor the last few months, public health reporter Rosemary Westwood's new podcast BANNED has been following the increasing restrictions on abortion in the Gulf South by zeroing in on Mississippi’s last abortion clinic, the Pink House. On Friday, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Rosemary traveled back to the Pink House to hear how providers are responding. She joins us today for more.
However, providers aren’t the only ones reacting to the news. Almost as soon as cellphones lit up with push notifications on the SCOTUS decision, social media pages erupted...2022-06-2724 min
Louisiana ConsideredOn Juneteenth, a look back on a conversation with Civil Rights icon Leona TateJune 19, or Juneteenth, commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. But of course, the end of slavery did not mark the end of segregation and discrimination. In 1960, when Leona Tate and two other young girls integrated McDonough 19 Elementary School in the Lower Ninth Ward, they were met by a violent mob of white oppositionists.
Back in February, Tate, along with Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, unveiled a historical marker to commemorate the McDonough Three on the site where the school once stood. Today we are looking back at our conversation with Leona Tate to...2022-06-2024 min
Louisiana ConsideredMuseum of the Southern Jewish Experience set to hold long-awaited grand opening event this weekendAs long as there has been an American South, there have been Jewish communities living there. At least, according to Kenneth Hoffman, executive director of the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans.
As MSJE gears up for its long-awaited grand opening event, Hoffman chats with Louisiana Considered’s Alana Schreiber for a brief history lesson on Jews in the Gulf South, and what makes that particular identity so unique.
But first, the most recent state legislative session has wrapped up, so it’s time to break it down. Melinda Deslatte of the Publ...2022-06-0924 min
Louisiana ConsideredOn eve of 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee, we catch up with Louisiana spellers past and presentLegislation to require public schools in Louisiana to provide free and easy-to-access menstrual products for students is a step closer to final passage. Bill author, New Orleans Representative Aimee Adatto Freeman tells us how she hopes to address, “period poverty,” the lack of access to sanitary products due to financial constraints.
Tomorrow is the kickoff of the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee. But before we dive into this year’s spellers, we take a look back at last year’s champion, Zaila Avant-garde. The native of Harvey, Louisiana became the first African American – and first Louisianan – to win the Bee in it...2022-05-3024 min
Louisiana ConsideredLa. Legislative session winds down with gun bills, transgender sports bans, and literacy standardsThe horrific mass shooting in Texas raises multiple concerns on gun safety and violence prevention. It also begs the question of whether this tragedy will impact any of the proposed gun bills in the Louisiana legislature. The Advocate’s Editorial page director and columnist Stephanie Grace tells us the latest on a proposed bill that would remove a lot of gun training and permitting requirements.
Gun legislation is hardly the only thing on the minds of lawmakers as the legislative session comes to a close. We hear the latest on a bill to ban transgender girls from com...2022-05-2724 min
Louisiana ConsideredNew Orleans Public Libraries launches new locally-sourced music streaming serviceAs the school year wraps up, so has a film competition for middle and high school students across Louisiana. The Film Prize Junior 2022 festival featured 79 student films from 48 schools across the state and over $12,000 in scholarships and media grants.
Gregory Kallenberg, executive director of the Prize Foundation and Film Prize Junior, and Otis Buras, winner of the Grand Prize for best short film in the high school division, tell us more.
It’s no secret that New Orleans is a musical city, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy for local artists to gain ex...2022-05-2324 min
Louisiana ConsideredUpcoming Peace Officers Memorial Day pays tribute to those lost in the line of dutyAs the state legislature is in the national spotlight for a controversial bill that would criminalize abortion, WWNO/WRKF Capitol Access reporter Paul Braun discusses what the bill entails and why the state’s biggest anti-abortion group opposes the bill’s passage.
May 11-17 is National Police Week, a tradition that goes back 60 years to honor public servants. Darrell Basco, President of the Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police, joins us to talk about the week, and specifically to detail Peace Officers’ Memorial Day, which takes place Sunday, May 15.
WWNO and WRKF have par...2022-05-1224 min
Louisiana ConsideredAs Pelicans return to New Orleans for Game 6 of the playoffs, here's what to expect on the courtTonight is Game 6 for the NBA playoff series between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Phoenix Suns. And while the underdog Pelicans have largely been holding their own this series, if they lose tonight, they will be eliminated from the tournament.
To learn more about what to expect on the court, Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer, Alana Schreiber, spoke with Christian Clark, who covers the Pelicans for the New Orleans Advocate.
After months of planning, city-led guaranteed income pilots have finally started handing out money to Gulf States residents. The cities hope the pilots will pro...2022-04-2824 min
Louisiana ConsideredNew Orleans mayor's 'smart cities' proposal hits roadblock as Council opens formal investigationLast year, New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell’s administration proposed a “city-directed internet service” to compete with existing providers like Cox and AT&T. But now, the New Orleans city council has initiated a full fledged investigation into the project after learning that the city official in charge of it maintains two side businesses within the same smart cities industry.
Cultural economy and local government reporter for The Lens, Michael Isaac Stein, tells us more about this controversial project and where it may or may not be headed.
Last month, KVPI, a commercial radio station in Ville...2022-04-2524 min
Louisiana ConsideredThe Migratory Bird Celebration returns with kayak tours, photography lessons and bird-watchingAccording to a recent report from the New York Times, Republic Representative Kevin McCarthy planned to tell then-President Donald Trump to resign in the days after the Jan. 6 attack. The Advocate’s Editorial Director Stephanie Grace tells us how this news might impact the rest of the Republican Party.
A rail line from Baton Rouge to New Orleans has long been a Louisiana pipe-dream, but now it may become a reality. The Gulf States Newsroom’s Stephen Bisaha tells us about Governor John bel Edwards recent train trip, and his plans for rail line development.
Today...2022-04-2224 min
Louisiana ConsideredAs WWNO celebrates its 50th anniversary, here's a look back at the station's history50-years ago today WWNO first signed on the air, becoming the NPR station for southeast Louisiana. Fast-forward a half century later and WWNO continues to proudly serve the New Orleans region with news and music programming.
To celebrate this milestone, WWNO veteran broadcaster and award-winning producer, Fred Kasten, tells us a bit more about the station’s history.
New Orleans’ French Quarter Fest is back after a two-year pandemic hiatus. Festival president and CEO Emily Madero tells us more about what to expect at the largest showcase of Louisiana music.
Today’s episode of Loui...2022-04-1924 min
Louisiana ConsideredCan Baton Rouge become a tourism city? Here's how officials are trying to attract visitorsLast Friday, State Senator Karen Carter Peterson, who has been an elected official in the state legislature since 1999, announced her resignation from her position due to depression and a gambling addiction. New Orleans Advocate/Times Picayune staff writer Tyler Bridges tells us more about the implications of this decision.
Baton Rouge’s convention and visitor’s bureau recently came out with a survey that says the capital city is a weak tourism destination. We speak with Paul Arrigo of Visit Baton Rouge to learn how Baton Rouge can attract more visitors.
Tonight, the New Orleans Pelic...2022-04-1324 min
Louisiana ConsideredLouisiana First Lady Donna Edwards teams up with other first spouses to combat human traffickingLouisiana’s First Lady Donna Edwards has established a national coalition for the prevention of human sex trafficking that includes five first spouses. Edwards, along with Dr. Dana Hunter, executive director of the newly created Office of Human Trafficking Prevention, tell us more about their work helping to identify trafficking, addressing causes of the problem, and supporting victims.
On Saturday, fans from across the country gathered at the Superdome for the NCAA March Madness Final Four basketball tournament. And while no team from this state so much as made it past the first round, Louisianans still found the...2022-04-0424 min
Louisiana ConsideredFrom Louisiana gymnast to gold medal snowboarder: Brenna Huckaby reflects on Paralympic journeyThe healthcare system has been put under enormous strain since the beginning of the pandemic, with medical workers resigning from their jobs in large numbers. Tonya Hansel (PhD, LMSW), director of the doctorate program at the Tulane University School of Social Work, tells us more about the great resignation – and potential solutions to combating burnout.
Earlier this month, athletes from around the world gathered in Beijing to participate in the 2022 Paralympic games. Team USA left with twenty medals overall, two of which, one bronze and one gold, went to Baton Rouge’s own Brenna Huckaby.Loui...2022-03-3024 min
Louisiana ConsideredIn Baton Rouge, the two reform Jewish synagogues merge after years of discussionWith oil prices volatile, many are reconsidering viable alternative fuel sources. We revisit a conversation with Devin DeWulf, founder of Krewe of Red Beans, about his idea for neighborhood solar hubs when the power goes down. And we hear an update on the momentum of his grass roots project, Get Lit, Stay Lit.
Back in January, Baton Rouge’s two reform Jewish synagogues, Congregation B’nai Israel and Congregation Beth Shalom, officially merged. WWNO’s Alana Schreiber spoke to the President of the new congregation, Dr. Steve Cavalier, about how this unification came together after years of discuss...2022-03-2424 min
Louisiana Considered'It's scary to live in fear': What Ukrainians in Louisiana are saying about the war back homeWith clashes over redistricting maps and threat of lawsuits from civil rights groups, the most recent state legislative session ended with a lot of questions still unanswered. Now, state senators and representatives are set to reconvene on Monday.
The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace joins WRKF’s Capital Access Reporter Paul Braun to discuss the agenda for the upcoming congressional session.
On Tuesday, Louisianans gathered to protest Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer Alana Schreiber attended the protest and spoke with local Ukrainian citizens to hear their...2022-03-1124 min
Louisiana ConsideredHow a 'Truth Booth' is involving Baton Rouge students in discussions around education policy changesThere has been plenty of discussion about how to educate children and what the experience should look like, but little to none of it has involved students – until now. Recently, students in Baton Rouge were given the opportunity to step into the “Truth Booth” and freely share from their personal experiences in education and offer suggestions for change. CEO of the Baton Rouge Alliance for Students, Adonica Duggan, tells us more about student voices in education policy.
Last month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered state agencies to investigate reports of gender-affirming treatment for transgender children. In a letter...2022-03-0724 min
Louisiana ConsideredNATAL podcast shares obstacles faced by pregnant Black women in rural AmericaIn the United States, Black women are three times as likely to die during childbirth than white women. Now, season 2 of the NATAL podcast is sharing the stories, obstacles, and triumphs of African American pregnant women living in rural America. Host Gabrielle Horton and OBGYN and Founder of The Well Woman Center, Tonya Hawkins Hunter, tell us more about racial discrepancies in maternal healthcare.
The University of New Orleans has roughly half the number of students now compared to the years before Hurricane Katrina. And one potential solution to get more students enrolled is starting a Division 1 f...2022-03-0224 min
Louisiana ConsideredMaking Mardi Gras: a new exhibit brings viewers behind the scenes of the greatest free show on earthA Black History Month book signing event returns a former New Orleans Saint turned motivational speaker to the metro area. Reggie Jones joins five African American women who captured their emotional healing journeys in the new book, The Ashes Have Voices. We hear from two of the authors, Cynthia Jones and Antoinette Walker.
Do you ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of Mardi Gras floats, krewes, and celebrations? A new exhibit at the Historic New Orleans Collection tells us just that. Exhibit curator of “Making Mardi Gras,” Lydia Blackmore gives us the details.
Loui...2022-02-2524 min
Louisiana ConsideredPublic schools and public libraries: two stories of integration in New OrleansIn 1960, three six-year-old girls integrated McDonogh 19 Elementary School in New Orleans, escorted by US Marshalls. Earlier this month, one of those girls, Leona Tate, along with Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser unveiled a historical marker to commemorate this moment in civil rights history. Activist and advocate Leona Tate joined Louisiana Considered to tell us more about her journey, and how her foundation is keeping this story alive.This year, the New Orleans Public Library celebrated 125 years of serving the community, but not all community members were always welcome in these spaces. Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer Alana Schreiber sp...2022-02-2124 min
Louisiana ConsideredPolitical infighting continues to stall response to New Orleans’ rise in crimeViolent crime is on the rise in New Orleans, and authorities are at odds with how to respond. Staff writer for the New Orleans Advocate, Ramon Vargas, tells us more about the political infighting over crime fighting strategies.
The redistricting battle at the State House is waging on, and questions loom over how Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards might respond to Republican-proposed maps. Advocate columnist Stephanie Grace tells us what might happen next.
February 6-12 is National Burn Awareness week, and last Saturday, Children's Hospital teamed up with the New Orleans Fire Department to host a...2022-02-1124 min
Louisiana ConsideredTwo years and three attempts later, here's a look at how Jazz Fest is returning to LouisianaAfter a two-year hiatus due to the COVID pandemic, Jazz Fest is finally set to return to New Orleans. Executive Director of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, Don Marshall, tells us how they’re gearing up for the big event.
24 years ago, Brandon Jackson was convicted of armed robbery by 10 out of 12 jurors, back when juries did not have to be unanimous for felony convictions. Today, juries must be unanimous, but Jackson remains behind bars. Senior Producer Jeremy Young, who shared Jackson’s story in the documentary series Fault Lines for Al Jazeera English, tells us more...2022-02-1024 min
Louisiana ConsideredAs HBCUs continue to face bomb threats, FBI begins investigationsThe FBI is investigating a series of bomb threats targetting Historically Black Colleges and Universities around the country. The Gulf States Newsroom Criminal Justice Reporter, Brittany Brown, tells us about this latest wave of racially-motivated hate crimes.
While the Saints won't be making a Superbowl appearance this year, former LSU Quarterback Joe Burrow is giving Louisianans something to root for. Former LSU head football coach Ed Orgeron spoke to producer Alana Schreiber about what we can expect from Burrow and the three other Tigers-turned-Bengals at this weekend’s game.
A new map from Louisiana House Rep...2022-02-0924 min
Louisiana ConsideredHow Louisiana is expanding breastfeeding services and consultation statewideThe 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 after a 16-year run with the team. Saints reporter and analyst for NewOrleans.Football, Nick Underhill, spoke with WWNO’s Alana Schreiber about the ways in which Payton has shaped and strengthened the team, and the legacy he’s leaving behind...2022-01-3124 min
Louisiana ConsideredAccess to high-speed internet is a problem in Louisiana. This program aims to fix it.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 digital divide.
And host Patrick Madden talked to Professor Dr. Robert Collins about his research into New Orleans' decades-long history of Black mayors, from Ernest "Dutch" Morial to LaToya Cantrell, and the power limits they have...2022-01-1724 min