It’s Thursday, and 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 about the latest rift between Mayor Cantrell and the city council – this time over trash pickup in the French Quarter. 

Downriver from NOLA, a small Mississippi River offshoot, dubbed Neptune Pass, formed in 2020. The Army Corps of Engineers are looking at closing the opening as it presents problems for navigation. But the Coastal Restoration and Protection Authority and other coastal advocates argue it’s an opportunity for coastal restoration. 

Alex Kolker is an oceanographer, geologist and climatologist at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium. He joins us to share his new research on how the pass is building land using sediment from the Mississippi River. 

Earlier today, Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the new pope. The Chicago native – who will now be known as Pope Leo XIV – is the first American pope in the Vatican’s history. 

Leading up to the selection, many had hopes for who the new pope might be, and what communities he might represent. 

Kathleen Dorsey Bellow, director of Xavier University’s Institute for Black Catholic Studies, spoke to us about Pope Francis’ legacy among Black Catholics and what she hopes to see for the future of the Catholic Church. And just a note, this conversation was recorded before the announcement of the new pope.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Bob Pavlovich. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. We get production support from Garrett Pittman and our assistant producer Aubry Procell.

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