Behind The Lens

This week on Behind The Lens, a cluster of small villages in the Israeli-occupied West Bank have strong ties to the West Bank of New Orleans. Many Palestinian-Americans have their roots in the occupied area and often spend summers there to get out of the oppressive heat and humidity of southern Louisiana, and to expose their [...]

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Chronic absenteeism and educational opportunities for students with cognitive disabilities are at the center of this episode of Behind The Lens, as New Orleans public schools take new approaches to addressing two significant challenges facing students and families. NOLA Public Schools has established a new office dedicated to combating chronic absenteeism, a persistent problem across the [...]

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A proposed $100 billion SpaceX spaceport in Louisiana’s Vermilion Parish is raising questions about the potential impact of large-scale space operations on nearby communities and the environment. [...]

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... the owner of the paper of record in the state, John Georges, rolls out the red carpet for Meta and explains how he thinks these deals will save journalism in the state.  [...]

Read More... from Behind The Lens: “As Meta rolls into Louisiana with a massive data center … (This is Part 2 of 2 audio discussions)

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... the owner of the paper of record in the state, John Georges, rolls out the red carpet for Meta and explains how he thinks these deals will save journalism in the state.  [...]

Read More... from Behind The Lens: “As Meta rolls into Louisiana with a massive data center … (This is Part 1 of 2 audio discussions)

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In this episode of “Behind The Lens,” questions of public safety, regulatory oversight and neighborhood concern come into focus in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward. Sunrise Foods International has received approval for a sprinkler system at a large grain-loading facility at the Alabo Wharf, despite the use of a system expressly forbidden by the state [...]

Read More... from Behind The Lens: Sunrise Foods sprinkler system raises fire code concerns in Lower 9th Ward (audio)

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Changes to federal food assistance and a new recognition of Black education history raise important questions about students, schools, and the history taught in New Orleans classrooms. [...]

Read More... from Behind The Lens: SNAP cuts could threaten free school meals; New Orleans marks Black Education History Week (audio)

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Journalist Emmanuel Felton talks about traveling through Louisiana’s disputed congressional district, examining the communities at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on racial gerrymandering, representation and political power. [...]

Read More... from Behind The Lens: Color or community? Supreme Court ruling reshapes Louisiana’s congressional map (audio)

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This week on Behind The Lens, a federal judge takes an extraordinary step in response to the illegal detention of an Ethiopian man living in the United States, holding an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official in contempt of court after the official twice ignored the judge’s orders. Reporter Delaney Nolan and The Lens editor Katy Reckdahl examine the [...]

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Criminal justice reporter Bernard Smith looks at a law passed by the Louisiana Legislature three years ago to automatically clear eligible criminal records. Despite its promise of a cleaner slate, the effort has yet to get past the starting gate because of technological hurdles. Smith explains what is preventing the automatic record-clearing system from moving [...]

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