Louisiana Considered

Louisiana’s Northshore is home to roughly 264,570 people, but it’s never had a Pride parade — until now. This year, organizers are hosting the area’s first-ever parade to celebrate LGBTQ pride along Lakeshore Drive in Mandeville. Event organizers Mel Manuel and Jeremy JF Thompson tell us about the more than 200 floats and krewes set to walk, and what it means to celebrate pride during a time when LGBTQ rights are under threat. Taxis and rideshares are a vital part of New Orleans’ economy, but they’re not always accessible for people with disabilities. In fact, there’s only one wheelchair-accessible taxi driver in all of New Orleans. Chelsea Brasted recently reported on this for Axios New Orleans. She joins us for more on the impacts of limited accessible transportation in the city. Artist Matt Scobey is turning heads towards the sky with his latest installation of a towing figure at the Poydras Corridor Sculpture Exhibition, presented by The Helis Foundation. Jessie Haynes, managing director of the foundation, joins us for more on the latest works of art. ___ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Diane Mack. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12 and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

Gov. Jeff Landry signed a first-of-its-kind law Friday that designates common pregnancy medications as “controlled dangerous substances” in Louisiana. The law easily passed the legislature last week and takes effect October 1. Reproductive health reporter Rosemary Westwood tells us why hundreds of local physicians have argued that the law could endanger women’s health. The Louisiana Supreme Court recently struck down a 3-year “look-back window” for sexual abuse survivors to file legal claims. Sophie Hayssen is a reporter and fellow at Mother Jones covering the ruling. She tells us why some abuse survivors are devastated by the ruling. For the first time in more than two centuries, two broods of periodic cicadas are expected to emerge from the ground at the same time. Brood XIX is on a 13-year cycle, while Brood XIII is on a 17-year cycle. The last time they lined up was 1803. But scientists have noted the last time Brood XIX emerged in 2011, there were no recorded sightings in Louisiana, meaning it could be extinct in the region. Aaron Ashbrook, an assistant professor at LSU's Entomology Department, joins us to explain what this all means. ___ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Karen Henderson. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12 and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

The 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 Stars and Armstrong Secret 9. But the stories of some of the most talented Black athletes to come out of the city have been lost to time. This includes Johnny Wright, a player in the Negro Leagues Brooklyn Dodgers just months after Jackie Robinson, who almost became the first Black pitcher in the Major Leagues. Back in October, we spoke with Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro League Baseball Museum, about Wright and his legacy. Today, we give that story a second listen. And before we go, next Wednesday we are airing the first episode of our new podcast, Road to Rickwood. Hosted by comedian Roy Wood Jr., and executive produced by Alana Schreiber, the podcast looks at the history of Rickwood Field in Birmingham Alabama —the oldest baseball stadium in the country — and how that one venue touched multiple historic events throughout the 20th century. Today, we get a sneak peek of the podcast. Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Alana Schreiber. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber; our contributing producers are Matt Bloom and Adam Vos; we receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:00 pm. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

Don Marshall, executive director of Jazz Fest, is officially retiring after 20 years. Throughout his time, he’s weathered Hurricane Katrina and COVID while also bringing the festival to financial solvency. He joins us today to reflect on 20 years of Jazz Fest memories, and how the festival created opportunities to promote New Orleans’ unique musical culture and traditions. Gov. Jeff Landry is facing resistance as he pushes his agenda — and some of it’s coming from inside the state’s Republican party. The Times-Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist, Stephanie Grace, tells us why some Republicans are creating roadblocks for the governor. Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered is hosted by Bob Pavlovich. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber; our contributing producers are Matt Bloom and Adam Vos; we receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:00 pm. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

This year’s legislative session has been an active one when it comes to criminal justice and public safety. Gov. Jeff Landry called a special session on crime earlier this year, where legislators undid many of the state’s 2017 criminal justice reforms. Alaina Bloodworth, executive director of the Black Public Defender Association, says public defenders are often excluded from the debate about how to lower crime rates. The Bayou Culture Gathering is hosting a conversation about building resilience in coastal communities in Louisiana this Friday. It’s in conjunction with the Center for Planning Excellence (CPEX), an organization that addresses community planning efforts for Louisiana communities. Jeannette Dubinin, director of resilience & adaptation for CPEX, discusses ways to help the people living along the coast adapt to higher flood risks, population shifts, a changing economy and more. What does it mean to be “home?” Growing up, Leona Tate was made to feel like she didn’t belong. In 1960, she was one of three Black children who desegregated New Orleans schools. Her legacy continues today. As part of WWNO/WRKF’s collaboration with NPR’s Next Gen Radio, Tate shares her thoughts on the meaning of home. Her story was produced by Samantha Jackson, a rising senior at Xavier University of Louisiana. ___________________ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Adam Vos. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber; our contributing producers are Matt Bloom and Adam Vos; we receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:00 pm. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

It can be easy to miss your neighborhood bus stop in New Orleans. That’s because a lot of stops don’t have a sign. More than a year and a half after the city overhauled its bus routes to be more rider-friendly, virtually none of the 2,000 or so stops in the city have new, permanent signage. That’s causing headaches for some riders. Bobbi-Jeanne Misick, reporter for Verite News, recently looked into the issue. In the rural South it can be difficult for families to get updates on loved ones who are in prison or jail. That's true when someone is hurt — or even dies — while in custody. As the Gulf States Newsroom's Kat Stromquist reports, an effort is underway to help give families more information about what happens behind bars. Musical theater is alive and well in uptown New Orleans as the Summer Lyric Theatre at Tulane University gears up for its 57th season. Leonard Raybon, artistic director, joins Louisiana Considered with all the details. More information on Summer Lyric Theatre’s 57th season is available here. _____ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Diane Mack. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12 and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

More than half of American children spend time in at least one weekly non-parental care arrangement, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. More than 60% of those kids attend a daycare center, preschool or prekindergarten program. New research shows that in Louisiana, nearly one-third of early care and education workers are, at any given time, considering quitting their jobs. The finding comes from a survey by the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children (LPIC). Dr. Candace Weber, LPIC partnership director, joins the show to discuss the implications of low-pay and burnout. You might have heard of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” compounds that are in our water, soil and even our food. They’re linked to many health issues including cancer. The federal government is finally “cracking down” on PFAS The Coastal Desk’s Eva Tesfaye explains what that means for Louisiana’s water and what residents should know. Today is Veterans Day at the Louisiana State Capitol. It’s a chance for service members to interact with state officials and legislators. An honor medal ceremony is also planned. It’s all ahead of a women veterans symposium which will take place at the end of this month. To talk more about veterans’ accomplishments, specifically female vets, we’re joined by retired Air Force Colonel Charlton Meginley, the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs. ___ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Karen Henderson. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12 and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

College graduations across the country have been disrupted this month as students continue to protest Israel’s war in Gaza. Xavier University of Louisiana canceled its commencement speaker, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, after nearly 1,800 people signed a petition asking she be removed. Tulane University, the site of a recent pro-Palestinian encampment, has upped security measures for its graduation this Saturday. To get a sense of how students are feeling, Aubri Juhasz, WWNO and WRKF’s education reporter, spoke with a senior at Tulane about her experience as a student and reporter for the school’s newspaper, The Hullabaloo. Your local public library is likely getting a new card system for younger readers this summer. A new law requires public libraries across Louisiana to get parents’ consent for minors to access “sexually explicit materials.” That means many libraries are rolling out more limits on what kids can and can’t access. To help us understand the coming changes, we’re joined by Lynette Mejia, director of Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship. It’s a grassroots group that has worked to keep information open and accessible in Louisiana’s public libraries. Southern coastal communities are seeing some of the world’s fastest rates of sea level rise. That’s affecting all aspects of life for those who live there. The Washington Post has spent months investigating the impacts. Eva Tesfaye, reporter on WWNO/WRKF’s Coastal Desk, recently spoke with Chris Mooney and Brady Dennis, two reporters behind the paper’s new series, The Drowning South, about their findings. You can hear more from Eva’s conversation on Sea Change. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts. ___ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Matt Bloom. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12 and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

It’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 only as a venue for America’s pastime, but also for the civil rights movement. For the past few months, Alana Schreiber, Louisiana Considered’s managing producer, has been in and out of Birmingham, working on an exciting upcoming podcast about the history and legacy of this ballfield. She joins the show to share more about the Road to Rickwood. The Mississippi River is a defining part of the landscape of Louisiana, and the entire country. Its watershed drains more than a million square miles of the continental United States each year. But how much do you know about its history? Our next guest has spent years researching the river and the U.S. government’s continued quest to control its flow. Boyce Upholt is a journalist and author of the new book, “The Great River, The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi.” He joins us to share more about the river’s history. _____ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Bob Pavlovich. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber; our contributing producers are Matt Bloom and Adam Vos; we receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:00 pm. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

May is National Bike Month, and we’re dedicating Wednesday’s show to the topic of bike infrastructure in Southern Louisiana. Baton Rouge and New Orleans have been rated as some of the most dangerous places for cyclists in the country. An analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ranks East Baton Rouge Parish the fourth-most dangerous place to cycle in the United States. New Orleans is the sixth-most. We’ll talk with two people advocating for bicycle riding and bicyclists in Baton Rouge and in New Orleans. We’ll talk with a former city planner in Lafayette. And we’ll also hear about how the decisions surrounding how we build our cities affect how easy it is to walk and bike. We’re joined by Mark Martin, chair of the Complete Streets advisory committee of the City-Parish of East Baton Rouge; Allene La Spina, executive director of Bike Easy in New Orleans; and Carlee Alm-LaBar, chief of staff based in Lafayette for Strong Towns, a national organization that addresses urban development and city planning practices. _____ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Adam Vos. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber; our contributing producers are Matt Bloom and Adam Vos; we receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:00 pm. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds of doctors across Louisiana are asking lawmakers not to pass a bill that would make abortion medications controlled substances in Louisiana. They've signed an opposition letter to Republican state Senator Thomas Pressly, the bill's main sponsor. Reporter Rosemary Westwood joins the show to update us on the proposal and opposition to it. Nearly half the natural gas pulled out of the ground in the U.S. gets exported overseas, and that number could get even higher over the next decade. A new report out of the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice criticizes federal regulators for allowing the rapid growth of the industry without scrutinizing the impact to historically marginalized communities nearby nor its contribution to climate change. Halle Parker spoke with the report’s authors and she joins the show to discuss their findings. Music, food and art will bring crowds of revelers to Bayou St. John in New Orleans this weekend as the 2024 Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo kicks off. The festival, which takes place on the bayou and its banks, is presented by the Friends of Bayou St. John. Jared Zeller, founder, and president of Friends of Bayou St. John and executive producer of Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo joins the show to talk about what’s new at the festival this year. ___ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Diane Mack. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12 and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gov. Jeff Landry signed a package of bills last week that will deregulate Louisiana’s insurance market. They’re part of Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple’s plan to address the state’s ongoing insurance crisis, he says by making Louisiana a more attractive place for insurers to do business. Critics say the policies weaken consumer protections and will increase rates. Sam Karlin, reporter with the Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate, joins the show with a look at these new laws and the controversy. Carbon dioxide leaks are a growing concern across Louisiana. Energy companies here are quickly building out a new network of pipelines for carbon capture projects. Leaks from the pipelines are harmless when small. But in large doses, the colorless, odorless gas can cause drowsiness, suffocation and even death. Tristan Baurick, reporter for Vertie News, investigated a big leak that happened recently in the southwest Louisiana town of Sulfur in Calcasieu Parish. He joins the show to share more about what he found. The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge has a new leader. Jonathan Grimes has served as interim president and CEO since the January retirement of Renée Chatelain. Grimes will be formally introduced as the council's permanent head at their annual meeting this Thursday. He joins the show today to talk about what’s happening in Baton Rouge’s art scene and his vision for the community is moving forward. Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Karen Henderson. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12 and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out ourpitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out ourlistener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re dedicating today’s show to a special conversation about the expansion of liquefied natural gas. Sea Change hosts Halle Parker and Carlyle Calhoun sit down with grassroots leaders from across the world to discuss the industry’s local and worldwide impacts. Andy Gheorghiu, an independent campaigner from Germany; Hiroki Osada a development finance and environment campaigner for Friends of Earth Japan from Japan; and James Hiatt, founder of For A Better Bayou in Lake Charles, Louisiana, join the show to share more about their work and research on the LNG industry. __ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Ryan Vasquez. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber; our contributing producers are Matt Bloom and Adam Vos; we receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:00 pm. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for our look at the week in politics. Joining us is Stephanie Grace, the Times Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist. This week, we’re discussing the latest news in the legal saga around Louisiana’s new congressional district map. We’ll also get an update on Gov. Jeff Landry’s efforts to hold a constitutional convention this summer. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students’ rights are at the center of another clash between Landry’s administration and President Biden. Late last month, the state’s Republican attorney general, Liz Murrill, sued the federal government alongside several other Republican-led states over changes to Title IX. The 1972 law prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs. And protections now explicitly apply to LGBTQ students. Louisiana’s top education official Cade Brumley called the new rules “radical” and has told school districts to not follow them. To help us get up to speed, we’re joined by Aubri Juhasz, WWNO/WRKF’s education reporter. The French Quarter in 1920’s New Orleans was part slum, part tourist trap, and part incubator. It was a time of rebellion and freedom, of prohibition and free-flowing alcohol. One informal group of residents and friends at that time included William Faulkner, Sherwood Anderson, and Caroline Durieux. Among them was Genevieve Pitot, a young pianist, trained in Paris, and described by one group member as crazy as could be. Pitot was a piano prodigy whose travels also took her to New York where she worked with some of the formative choreographers of the early 20th Century, the Federal Dance Project of the Great Depression, and then Broadway. Denise Tullier-Smith, Pitot’s niece, joins the show to preview her upcoming lecture about the pianist at the Pitot House in New Orleans. _____ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Bob Pavlovich. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber; our contributing producers are Matt Bloom and Adam Vos; we receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:00 pm. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Louisiana’s death penalty law got a big rewrite earlier this year as part of the state’s special session. Gov. Jeff Landry signed a bill that adds electrocution and nitrogen hypoxia to the list of state-approved methods for carrying out capital punishment. Now, the latter method is getting some pushback late in the legislative session. Some Democratic and Republican lawmakers are hoping to remove the use of nitrogen gas as an execution method. Notable supporters include some prominent leaders in Louisiana’s Jewish community. Sara Lewis is chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, and she is on the steering committee for Jews Against Gassing. She joined the show to discuss her group’s efforts. Alternative funding plans, or AFPs, are a growing tool used by health insurance coverage providers nationwide. The plans have been causing some consternation for policyholders who thought they were covered by their health insurance, but discovered they weren’t for certain chronic health conditions. Ashley Castello is executive director of the Louisiana Hemophilia Foundation, and she joined the show to share more about AFPs and how they can impact you. A national nonprofit has filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services on behalf of 4,000 foster children in the state. It claims the state’s child welfare system is failing its most vulnerable children. Alleged failures include too few social workers and placements for children. To tell us more about the situation, including what the lawsuit claims and how DCFS is responding we heard from Andrea Gallo, a reporter with The Advocate/Times Picayune who has been covering the story. Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Adam Vos. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber; our contributing producers are Matt Bloom and Adam Vos; we receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:00 pm. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extremely active. Those are the words used by scientists to describe forecasts for the 2024 hurricane season. Researchers at Colorado State University estimate that this year’s Atlantic season could see 23 named storms, the highest on record. Other forecasts also predict high numbers of storms. To help us better understand why forecasts are so high, we’re joined by Jay Grymes, Louisiana’s interim state climatologist and meteorologist at WAFB in Baton Rouge. Climate change is affecting all of our lives, but it’s also affecting the dead. Louisiana has been dealing with flooded cemeteries and caskets washing away for decades. But the problem is only getting worse and more widespread. Many other states are now grappling with hurricanes, flooding, mudslides and other natural disasters that are destroying cemeteries. And some are looking to Louisiana for help. Eva Tesfaye, reporter with the Coastal Desk reports in collaboration with Science Friday. New Orleans Ballet Theatre presents a world premiere of Dracula as it closes its 2024 season. This new ballet, a reimagined presentation inspired by Bram Stoker’s classic vampire tale, is a dance created by resident choreographer Oliver Halkowich who joins the show to discuss the performance. ___ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Matt Bloom. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12 and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A federal court has thrown out Louisiana’s new congressional district map. Judges ruled last week in favor of a complaint that stated the 6th District was drawn with the racial makeup of voters as the main motivator. The district was set to become the state’s second majority-Black district. To help us understand the ruling and what happens next, we’re joined by Piper Hutchinson, a reporter with the Louisiana Illuminator. NPR’s Tiny Desk has a new series host and producer, Bobby Carter. A St. Louis native, Carter’s public radio journey started in the South at Jackson State University. The Gulf States Newsroom’s Maya Miller recently sat down with Carter to talk about bridging the gap between music and news and his advice for young people hoping to become journalists. Louisiana has been dubbed the "sportsman's paradise" for its regions that present world class hunting and fishing. A new state website hopes to also brand it as a paradise for bird watchers. The state is located along one of the primary migration routes in North America, the Mississippi Flyway, and offers opportunities to see over 470 unique species. For more insight, we’re joined by David Booth, president of the Louisiana Ornithological Society. __ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Matt Bloom. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12 and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time to catch up on the week in politics with Stephanie Grace, editorial director and columnist with the Times Picayune/The Advocate. This week, we’ll be discussing the status of a potential constitutional convention in Baton Rouge this summer. Protests against Israel’s war in Gaza continued this week on many college campuses, including some in South Louisiana. Tulane University closed parts of campus and suspended several students after demonstrators set up an encampment on Monday. Protests off campuses have been happening, too. New Orleans police arrested multiple people in Jackson Square when they refused to leave the park after hours. Drew Hawkins, reporter for the Gulf States Newsroom, and Matt Bloom, producer with Louisiana Considered, discuss their coverage. Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans and Ochsner Health announced earlier this week that they will create the first historically Black college and university medical school in the Gulf South. Reynold Verret, president of Xavier, joins the show to share more about the plan. ___ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Bob Pavlovich. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber; our contributing producers are Matt Bloom and Adam Vos; we receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:00 pm. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A multi-year fight to form a new city out of an unincorporated suburban portion of southeastern East Baton Rouge Parish culminated last week with a Louisiana Supreme Court decision. Justices ruled in favor of the organizers working to incorporate the city of St. George. The court ruled against objections by East Baton Rouge officials, which had claimed the incorporation was “unreasonable,” that St. George couldn’t provide city services with a balanced budget and that the loss of tax revenues would hurt the city-parish. St. George organizers want to keep the area’s tax money within their own portion of the parish. The effort to incorporate sprouted from a desire to create a new breakaway school district more than a decade ago. To talk us through what led to this and where the city of St. George will go from here, we speak with Lara Nicholson, Baton Rouge city hall reporter for The Advocate/Times Picayune. One of the most expensive parts of your water bill can be the sewage fees. That can be frustrating, especially when you don’t have a sewer. That’s the case for our latest Utility Bill of the Month. Stephan Bisaha, reporter with the Gulf States Newsroom, went to a New Orleans community garden that has been fighting for years to fix their bills. The Louisiana state legislature is considering multiple bills that would increase the number of political appointments the governor could make to various boards and commissions. The legislation would make an already-powerful governor even more powerful. One bill, if approved by voters, would let the governor appoint all state supreme court justices and would concurrently expand the state’s highest court by two seats, from seven to nine justices, making Louisiana’s supreme court among the largest state supreme courts in the nation. To explain what this legislation could do and what the chances are these proposals will survive the legislative process, we speak with Barry Erwin, president and CEO of Council for a Better Louisiana. ____ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Adam Vos. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber; our contributing producers are Matt Bloom and Adam Vos; we receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:00 pm. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abortion care is about to get even more difficult to access for people across the Gulf South when a new ban takes effect in Florida on May 1. The ban outlaws nearly all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which is often before many people know they’re pregnant. Rosemary Westwood, WWNO/WRKF reproductive health reporter, has more on how abortion access is about to get even more difficult. The busiest part of a highway is usually the cars driving on the road. But in one part of New Orleans, there’s a lot happening underneath the street. The new Backatown Plaza recently opened in the city’s Treme neighborhood, directly underneath the Claiborne Expressway. The space is now a community event center, designed to connect a neighborhood that was fractured by the expressway’s construction in the 1960’s. Josie Abugov, reporter with Verite News, recently covered theplaza’s opening and joins us for more. The second weekend of the 53rd annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival kicks off later this week and an iconic girl group, The Dixie Cups, are the focus of the festival’s official poster. The trios 1964 hit “Chapel of Love” knocked the Beatles out of the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Kellie Talbot, the poster’s artist, joins us to talk about her work. ___ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Diane Mack. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. Matt Bloom and Aubry Procell are assistant producers. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman. You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12 and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.