Back in June, 22-year-old registered nurse Vilma Palacios had just accepted a position at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans when she was arrested by ICE agents. She then spent six months in a detention center, all while family members and immigration advocates called for her release, pointing to her community involvement, lack of a criminal record and commitment to nursing during a time of a nursing shortage. 

But in late December, she returned to Honduras, a country she had not visited since she left as a child. 

Palacios joins us to share her story, her experience in detention and why she still has hope.

Since May of 2020, WWNO’s Rosemary Westwood has been a leading reproductive health care reporter in the U.S. She’s broken stories on restricted access to abortion care, rising rates of whooping cough and growing numbers of medications listed as controlled substances. She also created, hosted and reported the award-winning podcast, Banned, telling the story of Mississippi’s last abortion clinic — which lost the case that overturned Roe v. Wade. 

After nearly five years with the station, Rosemary is moving on to a new opportunity

She joins us to reflect on her career and journey with WWNO and WRKF.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Alana Schreiber. 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 noon 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!

Thanks to a renewal, the Leah Chase School will operate in New Orleans for at least two more years. The school opened back in 2024 and is named after the legendary New Orleans chef, author and television personality. 

WWNO’s education reporter Aubri Juhasz tells us about the growth of the city’s only non-charter school within the larger education landscape. 

With New Orleans money woes of the past few months, eyes have turned to how to raise funds without raising taxes — the perennial dilemma when trying to fund city government.

The Bureau of Governmental Research has called for a 5-year financial plan with an eye toward identifying funding strategies for the city’s looming needs. At the same time, Professor of Urban Studies and Public Policy at Dillard University, Robert Collins, says the city needs to diversify its economy beyond the traditional reliance on tourism, hospitality and river port operations.

Collins joins us for more on what he believes are the best strategies to uplift the city’s economy. 

2026 marks a Mardi Gras milestone for a major carnival krewe. The Krewe of Endymion is celebrating 60 years since its founding with a parade and extravaganza scheduled for Valentine’s Day. The 60th anniversary celebration will include special celebrity musical guests performing at the Caesars Superdome.

Endymion Captain Dan Kelly joins us for more on the krewe’s origins and how members are marking the occasion.

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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.

You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, the NPR App 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!

Since the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro nearly two weeks ago, the Trump administration has threatened Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, Chile and Iran. The administration is also renewing its push to obtain Greenland against the wishes of fellow NATO nations. Trump appointed Gov. Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland to assist with that effort.

To break it down for us, Capitol Access Reporter Brooke Thorington spoke with U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields about current U.S. foreign relations and how Louisiana fits into the broader picture.

Louisiana could benefit from substantial economic growth driven by the carbon capture and sequestration industry, according to the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, which recently released an economic forecast for the capital region. According to the report, carbon capture-related projects could represent more than 90 percent of capital investment and 80 percent of direct jobs in the region. Susan Bourgeois, secretary of Louisiana Economic Development, joins us with the details.

The 20th Baton Rouge Jewish Film Festival returns to the capital tonight with four films that tell stories about Jewish communities from around the world. It’s also the final time the festival will be held.

WRKF Report for America Corps member Alex Cox sat down with Ara Rubyan, one of the event’s organizers, to discuss the festival, its history and why the lights will be going down one last time.

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

You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, the NPR App 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!

Yesterday, Helena Moreno was inaugurated as the 63rd mayor of New Orleans, and former Vice President Kamala Harris swore her in. The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace joins us to break down the event. 

Le Petit Theatre is gearing up for a performance of Noel Coward’s supernatural black comedy, ‘Blithe Spirit.’  

Le Petit Theatre’s artistic director, A.J. Allegra, and actor/director Ricky Graham join us with more on this production.

In 2026, New Orleans will host its first marathon since 2019. The 26.2-mile race will take runners on a double loop course that finishes in City Park, but it won't be the only event of the weekend. The marathon will be part of the larger Fit Fete, a weekend full of community games and wellness events. 

Walt Leger III, president and CEO of New Orleans and Company, tells us more about the marathon and the entire Fit Fete weekend. 

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Diane Mack. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber, and our assistant producer is Aubry Procell. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman.

You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, the NPR App, 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!

If you have the flu or know someone who does, you are not alone. According to the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Louisiana is among the states with the highest number of flu cases. Last week, state health officials confirmed the first pediatric death this year in the state from the flu. 

Dr. Julio Figueroa, chief of infectious diseases at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, breaks down the latest data. 

In 2013, many Americans learned the story of Solomon Northup, a free Black man from New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Louisiana. His story was told in the Academy Award-winning film, “12 Years a Slave,” based on his memoir of the same name.

Avoyelles Parish, where Northup spent most of his captivity, recently unveiled a statue of him on the 173rd anniversary of when he was set free.

For more on Northup’s legacy, the commemoration and the artistic inspiration behind this statue, we spoke with Emmy and Academy Award-winning sculptor Wesley Wofford, and Northup’s great-great-great-grandson, Justin Gilliam. 

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Karen Henderson. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. We receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman, Adam Vos and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. 

You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, the NPR App 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 amazing science behind understanding mysterious but critical ocean currents. And specifically, understanding the current in our backyard, the Gulf’s Loop Current.
We talk with scientists leading a huge multi-country research collaboration that is going to great lengths and depths to understand the especially unknown Loop Current. We talk about how currents connect us, how they are basically a thermostat for the globe, and why, more than ever before, we need to understand them.

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This episode was hosted and produced by Carlyle Calhoun. Sea Change's theme music is by Jon Batiste, and our sound designer is Emily Jankowski. Carlyle Calhoun is the executive producer.

Sea Change is a WWNO and WRKF production. We are part of the NPR Podcast Network and distributed by PRX. And to help others find our podcast, hit subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Sea Change is made possible with major support from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Sea Change is also supported by the Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans. WWNO’s Coastal Desk is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Meraux Foundation, and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.

It’s Thursday, and that means it’s time to catch up on politics with The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate’s Stephanie Grace. Today, we look ahead at some 2026 congressional races and hear about the slew of challengers Sen. Bill Cassidy is already facing. 

As 2025 came to a close, WRKF Report for America corps member and our East Baton Rouge metro reporter, Alex Cox, caught up with the parish’s new mayor-president, Sid Edwards.

Edwards – or as he’s sometimes called, Coach Edwards – reflected on his first year as an elected politician and his priorities for the coming year.

Why don’t parishes cooperate more? Aren’t there economies of scale that can serve everyone? Why does the city only get fixed up when a company is coming? 

New Orleans and Company, along with a group of regional stakeholders, created Vision 2035 for Greater New Orleans to answer some of those questions above and more.

Lead consultant and managing director at Trepwise, Lauren Siegel, and the executive vice president of New Orleans and Company, Alice Glenn, join us for more.

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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.

You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, the NPR App 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 Jan. 6, and that means it’s Twelfth Night, the official kickoff to the Mardi Gras season. While the Krewe of Joan of Arc will be lining up in the French Quarter this evening for their carnival kick-off parade, another celebration of the patron saint of France is coming to the Marigny Opera House. 

A reimagined opera-ballet production of Tchaikovsky’s ‘The Maid of Orleans’ brings the story of the 15th century French heroine to the stage. Verismo Opera producer, director, and tenor Bogdan Mynka joins us with more on this performance.

Late last year, a Louisiana softball legend made history as the first woman to sign with the new Women’s Professional Baseball League. Amanda Gianelloni is a 2024 Nicholls State Hall of Fame inductee and has been a member of the Team USA women’s baseball national team since 2016. The second baseman was drafted 8th overall, and selected for the San Francisco team. 

Gianelloni joined WWNO’s Alana Schreiber for more on her journey in baseball and softball, her hopes for the WPBL and what it will be like to represent Louisiana on a national stage.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Diane Mack. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber and our assistant producer is Aubry Procell. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman.

You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, the NPR App, 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 been nearly three years since landmark settlements were reached between states and major opioid producers. Since then, roughly $100 million has been dispersed to combat addiction, but it's unclear how much of that money has been spent so far.   

The Current’s Alena Mashke joins us for more on the lack of spending transparency. 

From Star Wars to Jurassic Park, Hollywood movies and TV shows have long relied on special effects to bring supernatural stories to life. This process often involves sculpting, puppetry, animatronics and technology – and has many times involved Louisiana native and Emmy-award winning special effects artist, Lee Romaire.

Romaire grew up in Morgan City, Louisiana, before attending LSU and later moving to Hollywood to pursue a career in the industry. He joins us now for more on his 25 years in special effects and how his background in taxidermy set the foundation for his career.

Tomorrow night marks the beginning of the 2026 Mardi Gras season. And in New Orleans, the Krewe of Joan of Arc will take to the streets on Twelfth Night.

Back in 2018, WWNO’s Jessica Rosgaard spoke with the Krewe’s founder, Amy Kirk Duvosin, about the parade’s history.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Karen Henderson. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. We receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman, Adam Vos and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell. 

You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, the NPR App 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 been a chaotic year in state politics. To recap 2025 and look ahead at 2026, we spoke with The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate’s editorial director and columnist, Stephanie Grace.

Walt Handelsman, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for The Advocate | The Times-Picayune, is set to retire after four decades in the business. He joins us on today’s show to discuss his career and what he’s doing next.

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.

You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, the NPR App 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!