Louisiana Considered

Louisiana public schools must display the Ten Commandments after a federal appeals court allowed the law to take effect late last week, overturning a lower court’s decision. But critics have vowed to keep fighting it. And schools are weighing what it all means for them.

WWNO and WRKF’s education reporter Aubri Juhasz tells us more. 

Artificial intelligence data centers are growing across the country. In Louisiana, construction for a massive Meta data center is underway in Richland Parish.

But what are the energy costsof these centers? And who will pay for skyrocketing electric bills? In Louisiana, that may fall to residents.

Paul Arbaje, energy analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists, has been reporting on the costs of AI data centers for The Equation. He joins us with more. 

A new exhibit at the Louisiana Children’s Museum explores how children think, create and interact with the world around them. 

Curators say it’s not just for kids. It also presents it in a way grownups can understand and it encourages parents and educators to experience how young children process the world.

Shannon Blady, the museum’s chief learning officer, joins us for more.

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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!

Norman C. Francis, the New Orleans civil rights leader, businessman, educator and president of Xavier University for nearly half a century, died last week. He was 94. 

Francis is remembered for his commitment to making the city a better place to live, whether through integration efforts or recovery after Hurricane Katrina. In 2006, then-president George W. Bush  honored him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 

Patrick Francis, one of Francis’ six children, joins us to discuss his father’s life and legacy and constant commitment to civil rights. We’ll also hear a recording of Norman C. Francis himself from last July, reflecting on his own role in the Freedom Riders movement.

The earliest-known full-length opera written by a Black American composer is now available as a new CD. The album of Edmond Dede’s “Morgiane” was produced by Opera Creole and features singers from across the country. 

Opera Creole founders Givonna Joseph and her daughter Aria Mason join  us to discuss the details and explain the longevity of the 1887 work. 

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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!

Louisiana has passed a number of laws since the pandemic meant to improve students’ reading scores — and they appear to be working. In 2019, Louisiana’s fourth graders ranked 50th in the country for reading. As of last year, they’d risen to 16th. 

WWNO and WRKF’s education reporter Aubri Juhasz joins us with more. 

Earlier this month, Louisiana Rep. Troy Carter and Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse paid a visit to the Bayou State. They addressed problems like climate change, failing infrastructure, and the weather-driven insurance crisis. 

Louisiana Considered’s Managing Producer Alana Schreiber caught up with them at a construction site where they discussed finding both short and long-term solutions to these issues.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Alana Schreiber. 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, 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, and that means it’s time to catch up on politics with The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate’s editorial director and columnist, Stephanie Grace. 

Today, she breaks down some of the satirical floats during Mardi Gras season, which krewes criticized the presidential administration, and which krewes defended it.

Last year, some Louisiana residents experienced a scheduled blackout, and many of them blamed — perhaps unfairly — the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO).  

Later this year, MISO will conduct what’s called a load pocket risk assessment. It’s a look at Louisiana’s electrical grid, its capabilities and inadequacies. 

Madelyn Smith, Louisiana program manager for the Southeastern Wind Coalition, a major promoter of MISO membership, explains what this means. 

Major Louisiana industries are placing multibillion-dollar bets on blue ammonia — a product made from fossil fuels and extra technology in order to capture planet-warming gases and store them underground. But despite promising major emissions cuts, a recent investigation by Floodlight found that similar carbon capture projects can still cause pollution and environmental damage. 

Ames Alexander, investigative reporter for Floodlight News, tells us 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!

For four years, the podcast “Voices of the Culture” has been sharing stories about Black Masking Indian traditions. Today, we’ll listen to the second part of their latest episode. 

Hosts Spyboy Horace Anderson of the Creole Wild West and Big Chief Dowee Robair of the 9th Ward Black Hatchet sit down with Big Chief Dow Edwards of the Timbuktu Warriors. They discuss the pressures and responsibilities of becoming a Big Chief, how the COVID pandemic impacted their community and where you can find them on Mardi Gras Day.

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

For four years, the podcast “Voices of the Culture” has been sharing stories about Black Masking Indian traditions. Today, we’ll listen to the first part of their latest episode. 

Hosts Spyboy Horace Anderson of the Creole Wild West and Big Chief Dowee Robair of the 9th Ward Black Hatchet sit down with Big Chief Dow Edwards of the Timbuktu Warriors. They discuss putting the finishing touches on their suits, how tariffs impacted the expenses of their materials, and how they hope spectators will engage with the music and the marching on Mardi Gras Day. 

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

Last summer, the State Library of Louisiana introduced the Check Out Louisiana Museums program. It grants free admission to a selection of museums in the state for library cardholders. 

Six months later, the program has 24 participating library systems and 17 participating museums. And it’s passed a landmark — $100,000 worth in museum passes handed out to library cardholders for free.

Kevin Calbert, communications director for the State Library of Louisiana, joins us for more on the success of the program.

Last month, a video circulated on Instagram that purported to show crumbling pilings under the Atchafalaya Basin bridge– the bridge that carries Interstate 10 between Baton Rouge and Lafayette. But there was one problem — the bridge that was depicted was actually a bridge in Florida and had nothing to do with Louisiana.

As it made its social media rounds, it got plenty of interaction. Most people took the narrator at their word and bemoaned the state’s disintegrating infrastructure. Others — including Governor Jeff Landry — fact-checked it.

Faimon Roberts, columnist for The Times-Picayune/The Advocate, joins us for more on the importance of fact-checking news that spreads through social media. 

Over the weekend, dozens of lawnmowers in Abita Springs lined up for the Krewe of Push of Mow, the town’s annual lawnmower Mardi Gras parade. The parade generally includes about 55 participants pushing their decorated mowers, and has been parading for more than 20 years.

Tayler Migues, Abita Springs’ town events coordinator, tells us more.

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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!

Walk by any neighborhood park, and you’ll usually see some kids running around and playing. It’s supposed to be a place where they’re safe, but that’s not always true. At some parks, there’s a poison lurking in the soil:  lead. 

Verite News, a partner news outlet of WWNO and WRKF, tested sites across New Orleans. As health reporter Halle Parker explains, most playgrounds in the city had unsafe levels of lead.

The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane returns to The Crescent City March 12-15. The annual event will feature bestselling authors, filmmakers, politicians, musicians, TV personalities and more.

Cheryl Landrieu is a lawyer, author and founder of the book festival. She joins us for more on this year’s event. 

February — Black History Month — is the shortest month of the calendar year. But it is rich in African American cultural contributions and celebrations. Anthony Bean, Founder & Artistic Director of the Anthony Bean Community Theater & Acting School, is celebrating more than 50 years of Black Theatre rooted in New Orleans. 

Bean joins us to look back on the legacy he and his late Monroe began with the Ethiopian Theater in the 7th Ward to center Black artists and storytellers.

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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!

A new law that took effect Feb. 1st requires a camera to be in place in special education classrooms in all Louisiana public schools.  It expands on an existing law that required cameras in special education classrooms, but only if parents requested them. The new law followed an audit that found most special ed classes did not have cameras installed.

Safura Syed, a reporter for Verite News, has been covering this story. She joins us today with more.

Louisianans are no strangers to poor air quality, particularly for those who live in the state’s industrial corridor. Over the last few years, some residents began taking air quality into their own hands, tracking pollution with commercial air sensors. 

But now, these grassroots air monitoring efforts are under threat.

Illan Ireland is a reporter for the Mississippi Free Press who’s been covering this story. He joins us with the details. 

Since 1981, the Spanish Town Mardi Gras parade has rolled through the streets of Baton Rouge. As the largest parade in the city, it's known for its pink flamingo mascot and the saying “poor taste is better than no taste at all.” It rolls this year on Valentine's Day, Feb 14.

Robert King, president of the Mystic Krewe for the Preservation of Lagniappe (SPLL), joins us for more on the history of the parade and what to expect this year. 

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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!

Elyse Stevens earned a reputation as a New Orleans doctor who provided flexible care. She sought out patients who were experiencing homelessness, had histories of addiction, or other issues, and aimed to provide them with treatment plans.

But in 2024, the treatment she had once been praised for was suddenly scrutinized by her supervisors. And Stevens eventually left the city of New Orleans, and her patients, behind.

KFF Health News reporter Aneri Pattani tells us more about Stevens' story and what it says about addiction treatment.

Between oil spills, land loss and other consequences of climate change, times haven't been easy for the small, largely indigenous town of Dulac. Thankfully, one resource has long helped keep the Terrebonne Parish town afloat — the Dulac Community Center. It served as a hub for emergency response during disasters and was also an important cultural resource for the Indigenous residents of the town.

But now, after almost a hundred years, the center is closing its doors. 

Coastal reporter Eva Tesfaye went down to Dulac to talk to board member Bette Billiot, along with former board member Kirby Verret. They discussed the center and what closing it means for the Native community.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Alana Schreiber. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. Aubry Procell is our 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!