Louisiana Considered

Every year, COVID case numbers spike at the end of the summer, and this year is no exception. 

 Dr. Jennifer Avegno, an emergency medical physician and New Orleans Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services, joins us to discuss the latest spike.

Orleans Parish students are seeing some of the biggest academic gains in the country, according to a new report from Stanford and Harvard researchers, ranking them in the 99th percentile for reading growth and 98th percentile for math growth.

Jamie Carroll, executive director of the Education Research Alliance at Tulane, joins us...

Since the start of this academic year, LSU has closed or repurposed multiple cultural centers on campus. The LGBTQ+ Center closed entirely, and the African American Cultural Center and Women’s Center are grappling with a major overhaul. 

LSU Reveille Senior News Reporter Vivian Sarhan has been following this closely and joins us with the latest. 

Rural hospitals and medical services across the country are suffering due to nationwide cuts. Yet, the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana’s healthcare is thriving. 

Cameron Chase, health director and lead health administrator for the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisia...

It’s the 40th anniversary of the Baton Rouge Interfaith Federation, a nonprofit that brings people of different faiths together to educate and support the community. They work together to coordinate charitable projects between faith communities to better distribute resources. 

Alex Cox, our Report for America Corps member and Baton Rouge reporter, took this opportunity to have a roundtable discussion with leaders of the federation and community members. 

Cox was joined by Ma’at Latham, current executive director of the federation and member of the Church of God in Christ; Rev. Robin McCullough-Bade, an ordained Evange...

It’s Thursday and that means it’s time to catch up on politics with The Times-Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist, Stephanie Grace. Today, we discuss the New Orleans city budget and why residents are speaking out against the latest proposals. 

We are still in the midst of hurricane season in Louisiana, and in New Orleans community groups are constantly brainstorming ways to keep us better prepared for storms. 

In the 7th Ward, an urban oasis has formed at the site of one formerly abandoned lot that flooded with six feet of water du...

Tribal colleges and universities are higher education institutions chartered by Native American tribes. There are more than 30 of them across the country – but none in the Gulf South.

Elise Gregg of the Gulf States Newsroom spoke to indigenous students around the region who don’t have a tribal college of their own.

Artificial intelligence is becoming unavoidable. It’s not just data centers, the environment and economic development feeling the impacts.  Everyday people are seeing the growth of AI in the workplace. There's a growing fear that AI can do jobs better than people can.

Th...

Most Americans don’t want data centers built near their homes. But jobs can be a selling point, even if they’re temporary.

The Gulf States Newsroom’s Aubri Juhasz visited a community college near the Richland Parish Meta data center that’s helping locals get hired.

A grocery store dating back to the 1930s sat vacant in the Holy Cross neighborhood of New Orleans Lower Ninth Ward for more than 20 years. But last month, the site officially reopened as Shiloh Gardens Academy, a new preschool for children in the area who often have limited access t...

Air conditioning is a critical tool in the fight against extreme heat, but new research finds many New Orleans residents fear using it due to high energy costs. 

The study published in June in the Journal of Urban Health found that even when New Orleans residents had air conditioning units, they struggled to keep the temperature in their homes under 80 degrees overnight.  

Public health reporter for Verite News, Halle Parker, has been covering this story. She joins us with the latest. 

Louisiana is facing a massive shortage of wound care facilities and providers. Wit...

Throughout the Western history of conservation, protecting nature has often meant removing people. It's what happened during the creation of many of America's national parks. But what if protecting nature didn't have to mean displacing the people who call it home? That's the question that brings us to Culatra, a small fishing island off Portugal's southern coast, and one of the country's seven natural wonders.

For decades, the Portuguese government saw only one way to save the fragile lagoon surrounding Culatra: kick out the residents. This episode follows one woman's decades-long fight for her island — and the un...

Mardi Gras parades will come with a new cost, as the New Orleans City Council unanimously approved a tiered fee system that requires krewes to pay different amounts based on parade size.

WWNO Intern Jocelyn Burgess spoke with those involved in Mardi Gras krewes. She joins us with more on the potential impacts 

The 16 leaders of the SEC are meeting today to discuss the ongoing controversy surrounding LSU football, after head coach Lane Kiffin attempted to add former NFL players to the team’s roster. While expulsion from the conference is now off the table, the...

Louisiana is offering SpaceX one of the biggest tax incentive packages ever put together for a single development project.

The state and local governments are giving the company an estimated $27.5 billion in tax breaks and other incentives to build a massive rocket launch facility in coastal Vermilion Parish. Most of that money — nearly $24 billion — comes from a 25-year property tax exemption.

So why was Louisiana willing to give up that much potential tax revenue to land SpaceX?

The Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins spoke with Louisiana Illuminator reporter Wes Muller, who dug into t...

Ursula Newell-Davis, a social worker, has spent two decades helping vulnerable Louisiana families. But when she tried to open a business to provide respite care for families in need, Louisiana’s Facility Need Review prohibited her. 

Now, she’s fighting the state to provide in-home respite under Louisiana’s Right to Earn a Living Act. 

Newell-Davis and her attorney, Samantha Romero-Drew, join us to discuss their fight and what it could mean for families across Louisiana.

The Musaica Chamber Ensemble is entering its 21st season with a change in leadership and a new lineup o...

It’s college football season and LSU returns to the field this weekend to face the other Tigers, Clemson. This will be the first season opener for Lane Kiffin as LSU’s head coach, after he came to the purple and gold last year mid-season, abruptly leaving his post at Ole Miss. 

Reporter for the Baton Rouge Advocate, Reed Darcey, joins us to preview the season. 

Throughout the Western history of conservation, protecting nature has often meant removing people. It's what happened during the creation of many of America's national parks. But what if protecting nature...

On Wednesday, we discussed Governor Jeff Landry’s NDAs with SpaceX prior to announcing the company planned to build a new, massive facility in Vermilion Parish. Today, we’ll check in with The Times-Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist, Stephanie Grace, to discuss the political implications of this partnership. 

St. Landry Parish is officially designated as the Horse Capital of Louisiana. But in recent years, the trails have become more violent, seeing an increase in reported shootings. This threatens a deeply rooted Southern tradition, one that, in particular, celebrates the legacy of Black cowboys.

For the past few weeks we’ve been discussing non-disclosure agreements signed by state lawmakers in regards to state development projects, namely Meta’s data center in Richland Parish. Recently, news broke that more officials signed NDAs about a new SpaceX site in Vermillion Parish. 

Gulf States Newsroom Reporter Drew Hawkins joins us with the latest. 

The team behind NPR’s student podcast challenge is heading in a new direction. The senior podcast challenge won’t focus on high school or college seniors, but zoom in on listeners who are 65 and older. The initiative asks  seniors to...

WWNO’s Culture Collision brings New Orleans’ arts and cultural organizations together for an evening designed to connect audiences with the city’s vibrant creative community. This year’s event takes place Wednesday Sept. 2, and gives people a chance to discover local organizations, learn about upcoming performances and programs and find new ways to engage with the arts. 

WWNO’s business manager and the coordinator of Culture Collision, Jameeta Youngblood, tells us more. 

Many of us have a relative who exists more as legend than history — the guy at the kitchen ta...

WWNO’s Culture Collision brings New Orleans’ arts and cultural organizations together for an evening designed to connect audiences with the city’s vibrant creative community. This year’s event takes place Wednesday Sept. 2, and gives people a chance to discover local organizations, learn about upcoming performances and programs and find new ways to engage with the arts. 

WWNO’s business manager and the coordinator of Culture Collision, Jameeta Youngblood, tells us more. 

Many of us  have a relative who exists more as legend than history — the guy at the kitchen table stories get told about, who gets...

Legislation to increase the number of years a wrongfully incarcerated person could receive compensation passed unanimously in the legislature this past session. But it was among the handful of bills Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed. 

Capitol Access reporter Brooke Thorington talks to an exoneree who would have benefited from the change, and lawmakers who question why it was vetoed.

Back in August, a task force assembled to review the formula that’s been used for more than 30 years to fund and distribute state dollars to local school districts. 

The 15 members of this group have the...

There was a time back in the 1980s when overfishing had decimated popular fish like red snapper and grouper in the Gulf. But then, there was a dramatic turning point, when both fish and fishermen in the Gulf were kind of saved. Today, we hear the remarkable success story of how unlikely partners joined forces to save an industry and an ecosystem.

In this episode, Environmental Defense Fund's Executive Director, Amanda Leland, water resilience author, James Workman, and fisherman, Buddy Guidon, talk about how catch shares created a quiet revolution.

To learn more, check out...

Kemp's Ridleys are the most endangered sea turtle on the planet... can they lose their nickname of the "heartbreak turtle"? Today, we go on a journey to the remote Chandeleur islands to try to find the mysterious Kemp’s Ridley turtles, who, after 75 years, have been discovered on the shores of Louisiana. It’s a story of loss and restoration, of hope and heartbreak.

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This episode was originally published October 2, 2023. Hosted by Sea Change managing producer Carlyle Calhoun. Editing help by Nora Saks, Garrett Hazelwood, and Halle Parker. Our sound designer is Maddie Zampanti. Sea...

The Lemon Tree Mound is a sacred place for the Atakapa/Ishak-Chawasha tribe. And it's disappearing under the rising waters of the Gulf of Mexico. In this episode, we travel out into the bayous of South Louisiana to understand what this one small sacred place means for the Land Back Movement and climate justice, and why efforts to save our coast matter, even if they really mean only buying time.

Click here to read more about the return of the sacred land to the tribe, and here to learn more about the efforts to save it.

Louisiana’s coast is rapidly disappearing into the Gulf, threatening not only the land, but also the people and the culture that make it special. Instead of mourning the coast, a new series from PBS member station WYES is celebrating it. 

Eco Trip is the Gulf South's first eco-adventure television series that combines outdoor adventure, authentic travel, rich cultural traditions and environmental discovery. 

Host Tom Gregory jumps into each adventure firsthand, creating an authentic look at the culture, history and perseverance that has shaped coastal Louisiana for generations. He spoke with the coastal desk’s Eva Te...

Last Friday on Louisiana Considered, we brought you the first part of the latest episode of Sea Change, all about the fight against pollution in the Texas Gulf. Today, we bring you part 2. 

Neil McQueen learned to surf as a Texas teenager, and it changed his life – eventually pulling him away from a career as a plastics engineer and into the fight to save the very waters that shaped him. Thanks to the way ocean currents loop through the Gulf, the Texas coast collects roughly 10 times more plastic debris than any other Gulf state, much of it spi...

It’s Thursday, and that means it’s time to talk politics with The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate’s Stephanie Grace. Today, we learn how Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) is wrapping up his time in Congress by challenging the MAHA agenda with vaccine advocacy. 

August marks the birthday of New Orleans jazz legend Louis Armstrong.

In 2021, Hurricane Ida destroyed a building in the Central Business District where Armstrong spent much of his childhood. Years later, our managing producer Alana Schreiber visited the space to learn about efforts to reconstruct the building and honor Armstrong’s legacy...

Louisiana's Public Service Commission (PSC) is overseeing one of the biggest industrial buildouts in state history. They’re considering 10 new gas plants and other infrastructure, like transmission lines, in order to power Meta's data centers in Richland Parish.

Last week, the PSC voted to overturn a judge’s ruling that Meta had to turn over information about how it calculated jobs and power usage. And the meeting got heated, as Michael McEwen reported for our Coastal Desk.

But just ahead of that meeting, an investigation from the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins found that an Ent...

Last November, lawyer and formerly wrongfully incarcerated man Calvin Duncan won the election to serve as Orleans Parish Clerk of Criminal District Court before legislators passed a law that got rid of this position. He has since filed a lawsuit arguing that the law was specifically intended to keep him out of office. 

Last week, Duncan’s legal team filed an amended complaint to the U.S. District Court. One of Duncan’s lawyers, Margo Rusconi, spoke with WWNO’s Morning Edition producer Mel Bridges for more.

The New Orleans Police Department recently announced additional hundred...

As we’ve been reporting, non-disclosure agreements are becoming common practice around large industrial developments in Louisiana, largely driven by Gov. Jeff Landry.

On today’s episode, we're back again with more NDAs — this time involving a sitting member of Congress. 

Julia Letlow (R-LA) — who is also the Trump-endorsed Republican candidate for U.S. Senate — signed an NDA with Meta. Then, she bought stock in the company building a $50 billion data center in her district in north Louisiana. She then failed to disclose her trades for more than a year. 

The Gulf States Newsroom’s D...

Louisiana's coastline is constantly changing, and one of the newest examples is Neptune Pass, a naturally forming channel in the lower Mississippi River that's rapidly building new land in Plaquemines Parish. 

Recently, a dozen teachers from across the state got the chance to see that transformation firsthand during a two-day professional development workshop organized by the Mississippi River Delta Transition Initiative, known as MissDelta, and Louisiana Sea Grant.

Domonique Garello, Assistant Professor at LSU’s Department of Geoscience, and Mariam Afuwape, Chemistry PhD student at LSU, spoke with WWNO’s Sara Henegan for more.

The...

It’s Thursday, and that means it’s time to talk politics with The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate’s Stephanie Grace. Today we discuss the end of qualifying for the November elections and what races are already drawing attention.

In recent years, there’s been a massive uptick in misinformation spread over the internet. In Acadiana, misinformation spread by both internet bots and neighbors derailed a solar farm project in Iberia Parish. While the project promised millions in local tax revenue, rumors circulated that the panels could cause fires, property values to fall, pollution and even disease...

A graffiti-covered shell of a building in Mid-City, New Orleans, is finally under demolition. The Lindy Boggs Medical Center was abandoned after damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Lindy Boggs Medical Center, formerly known as Mercy Hospital, stood for more than 65 years before becoming the blighted eyesore it is today. 

WWNO and WRKF’s Morning Edition Producer, Mel Bridges, tells us more about the history of the building, why it was abandoned and how residents are responding. 

For seven years, Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge has been researching health disparities across four Southern states. They...

Rumors are continuing to swirl about a potential large aerospace project in coastal Vermillion Parish. State officials have been silent, but a host of state incentives passed this year – and some federal policy changes – could be a sign of what’s to come. An official announcement of the project could happen as soon as this month. 

WWNO and WRKF’s Coastal Desk Reporter Michael McEwen has been following the developments. He joins us now for more. 

“He Has the People: Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860” is a new book that offers a retelling of one of the mos...

Tuesday, August 11, marks 10 years since a series of storms dumped torrential rainfall over 21 Louisiana parishes. Over the course of a few days, the floodwaters rose, inundating homes and displacing thousands of residents. The Baton Rouge area was particularly hit hard by what the National Weather Service called a 1,000-year flood.

Last week, Louisiana Public Broadcasting released a documentary special, “The Great Flood of 2016: 10 years later.” 

Christina Jensen, co-host of LPB’s “Louisiana: The State We’re In,” worked on this documentary project. She spoke with WRKF’s Adam Vos for more. 

As we continue to mark...

There’s a storm coming, but this time, it’s headed to Sesame Street. With extreme weather becoming more common, Sesame Workshop recently launched a new initiative to help children and families prepare for and cope with natural disasters. And this initiative kicked off with a storm-themed Sesame Street special, which premiered on PBS Kids and Netflix earlier this month.

Rocio Galarza, Vice President of U.S. Educational Programs for Sesame Workshop, tells us more about this initiative and the special, “Storm on Sesame Street.”

Throughout August, the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency is highlighting the importan...

It’s Thursday and that means it’s time to catch up on the week in politics with Stephanie Grace, editorial director and columnist for The Times-Picayune/The Advocate. Today, we hear how New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno is taking on the city’s budget crisis. 

In late July, the American Red Cross declared its second-ever blood supply crisis after donations fell to a four-year summer low. The Red Cross is limiting distribution of Type O blood to hospitals, saying they only have a one-day supply of the blood type. In Southeast Louisiana, hospitals are feeling the impact...

The Louisiana v. Callais Supreme Court decision ruled that states cannot draw congressional maps based on race. This caused ripple effects throughout the Gulf South, and voting rights organizations across Mississippi rallied to hold People's Hearings on redistricting.

The Gulf States Newsroom’s Maya Miller traveled to Southaven, Mississippi — a suburban community bordering Memphis, Tennessee — to hear what residents there are saying.

This Friday (Aug. 7), The Historic New Orleans Collection will open a multi-day experience focused on sacred objects, or things that are used for religious purposes or represent a faith tradition, or a spiritual or sac...

On Louisiana Considered, we’ve been discussing the non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, that have become commonplace in Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration. 

The Gulf States Newsroom reported earlier this year that at least 50 elected officials signed NDAs with Louisiana Economic Development related to large-scale industrial projects.

Yesterday on the show, we heard how some of these NDAs extend to the governor’s office, and include the governor himself. 

Today, Gulf States Newsroom reporter Drew Hawkins joins us to break down his reporting and what these NDAs reveal about the current administration.

A new st...

Nondisclosure agreements, or NDAs, have become a common tool in Louisiana under Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration.

Earlier this year, the Gulf States Newsroom reported that at least 50 elected officials signed NDAs with the state agency Louisiana Economic Development as well as individual development companies. These NDAs are related to industrial projects throughout the state, including data centers and the Hyundai steel mill in Ascension Parish. 

Today, we dive into a new investigation from the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins, who found the practice of signing NDAs also extends into the governor’s own office...

In the Netherlands, water has always been both a threat and a triumph. A quarter of the country lies below sea level, and for centuries the Dutch have engineered their way to safety. It’s a place not unlike New Orleans: a delta shaped by risk, resilience, and the belief that with enough ingenuity, water can be controlled. But as sea levels rise, that centuries-old confidence is beginning to crack.

In this episode of Sea Change, reporter Jonathan Groubert takes us to the Netherlands to explore a relationship in turmoil. From floating farms to visions of entire ci...

It’s Thursday and that means it’s time for our week in politics with Times -Picayune/The Advocate Editorial Director and Columnist Stephanie Grace. Today, we discuss the latest in the state’s congressional elections and the pending Supreme Court cases that could affect some congressional districts.

A nationwide outbreak of a microscopic parasite has reached Louisiana. Known as cyclospora, the parasite causes intestinal issues, bloating, stomach issues and nausea, among other side effects. 

Dr. Fred Lopez is an infectious disease specialist at LSU Health New Orleans. He tells us more about symptoms, prevention and tre...

Rep. Cleo Fields, D-La.,  has decided not to seek re-election to the 6th Congressional District. His decision comes after his seat was at the center of a blockbuster U.S. Supreme Court ruling on race and redistricting.

Capitol Access Reporter Brooke Thorington joins us with more on Fields’ political future. 

The utility company Magnolia Water is responsible for providing water and sewer service to over 130,000 Louisiana residents in mostly rural areas across the state. But according to customers, the company keeps raising its prices, and the lack of oversight or competition is making water bills unaf...

July is Disability Rights Month, so we are taking the time to recognize passionate Louisiana activist April Dunn. Born with both fetal alcohol syndrome and cerebral palsy, Dunn was passionate about increasing educational opportunities for people with disabilities, even advocating for the passage of the April Dunn Act in 2014. She passed away in early March of 2020 after testing positive for COVID-19. 

Pamela White is the Regional Director of Special Education for GEO Academies. She joins us to discuss how Dunn increased educational pathways for people with disabilities.

Warren Easton Charter High School in New Orleans h...