Louisiana Considered

It’s been nearly 20 years since Hurricane Katrina made landfall, destroying countless communities in its wake. One neighborhood that suffered the wrath of the storm and never fully recovered is the Desire Area in the Upper Ninth Ward. 

Back in 2018, NPR’s Laine Kaplan Levinson reported on the history of this neighborhood and misconceptions about an area known for its public housing. Today, we give that story a second listen.

WWNO and WRKF have partnered with the producers of the PBS documentary, Caregiving, to shine a spotlight on America’s caregiving crisis. We talked to people in south Louisiana about the unique challenges the region brings when caring for others.

Today, we hear from Barbara Youngblood, a dedicated caregiver for her community and family for over 20 years. Now that she is the recipient of caregiving, she has seen the process from both sides of the relationship and considers the lessons she has learned.

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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!

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 we hear about the latest polls, dropouts and endorsements in New Orleans’ mayor’s race.

At the end of July, Jefferson Parish lost its bond rating. It wasn’t downgraded or reduced – it was lost completely, pulled by Moody’s and S&S Global Ratings. 

The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate’s Lara Nicholson has been covering this story. She joins us to discuss the impact of this loss and more. 

As the Trump administration continues to diminish or halt renewable energy initiatives, one wind energy technology program in Louisiana is notching early success. The Nunez Community College’s Wind Energy Technology is getting students involved with the Gulf Wind Technology.

The program’s chair, Kat Bell, and student John Tsai join us to share more about the projects. 

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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!

Steep cuts are coming to SNAP benefits, better known as food stamps. And that’s bad news for grocery stores that see the bulk of their sales from SNAP dollars. 

The Gulf States Newsroom’s Stephan Bisaha reports from one independent grocery store in Alabama bracing for the cuts.

An unprecedented natural disaster is a dramatic way to learn hard lessons about how we plan and construct our cities. Yet Hurricane Katrina, 20 years ago, did just that for New Orleans. Since Katrina, New Orleans has been trying to make buildings and infrastructure more resilient, while preserving the city’s cultural identity. 

David Dixon, a nationally recognized urban planner, helped draft the city's post-Katrina Master Plan. He joins us to discuss  the lessons he learned. 

For more than three decades, reporter Robin Fambrough has kept her readers updated on prep high school sports. From basketball, to softball, wrestling, cross country and more, Fambrough has often brought a voice to underrepresented sports, athletes and coaches. She was the first female president of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association and first female sports writer inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, among other accolades.

Fambrough has recently announced her retirement. As she prepares to leave the prep school beat behind, she joins us for more on her life and career.

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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!

The Friends of the New Orleans Public Library organization is holding its first-ever all-children’s book sale. And it comes as a new school year begins. 

The organization’s director, Shannan Cvitanovic tells us more about the event and who is invited. 

The NOLA Project: Theatre for the BOLD, recently announced its 2025-26 season, and this year’s works revolve around iconic texts. 

Artistic Director Tenaj Wallace joins us with a sneak peek at what’s to come.

The StoryCorps Mobile Tour visited Baton Rouge last November and invited volunteers to record conversations about topics of their choosing. Susan Jeansonne and Tia Embaugh discussed the unlikely cross-generational friendship they’ve developed for over 20 years. 

Please be aware that there is language that some may find offensive at the end of this story.

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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!

August signals the end of summer break, and students across Louisiana are heading back into the classroom. Monday  is the first day of  school for public school students in Orleans, Jefferson and Lafayette parishes. Students in Baton Rouge returned to class last week – and were met with a host of changes.

Charles Lussier covers education for The Baton Rouge Advocate. He joins us to break down those changes.

The Louisiana Shakespeare Company is presenting an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” And many Louisianans will find the story of a storm that decimates a town rather familiar. In fact, the setting for this performance is modern-day New Orleans.  

Director Jennifer Bouquet and actor Timmie Callais tell us about this upcoming rendition of a classic Shakespeare tragedy. 

New Orleans is getting hotter. You can see that in numbers and charts — but what does it sound like?

The Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins talked to musicians in New Orleans about how the heat is affecting them — and to get some help turning the data into music.

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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 Thursday, and that means it’s time to catch up on politics with Stephanie Grace, editorial director and columnist for The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate. We hear about the latest candidate to challenge Sen. Cassidy’s (R-La.) seat in Congress, and whether or not President Trump will weigh in on the election. 

Earlier this month, the Trump administration issued a two-year exemption to an EPA rule that aims to curb  pollution and cancer risks for those who live near industrial plants.

The move affects a dozen Louisiana petrochemical companies and the communities that surround them. Some say the proclamation will endanger the health of people who live in the Mississippi River Industrial Corridor and the Lake Charles area.  

Coastal Desk reporter Eva Tesfaye joins us to discuss  the potential impacts. 

The Glass Recycling Foundation’s 2024 report says only about a third of the glass in the U.S.  is recycled annually . About 9 million tons of glass ends up in landfills each year. And this is despite the fact that glass is endlessly recyclable.

A group in New Orleans is trying to change that. Glass Half Full began their efforts in the backyard of a fraternity house, and over  the last five years, they’ve become a force in glass recycling in the Gulf South.

Franziska Trautmann, co-founder of Glass Half Full, tells us more about how recycled glass can help restore the coast. 

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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!

A new police accountability law, passed by lawmakers this past legislative session, aims to keep law enforcement officers from using excessive force. This comes after a sheriff’s deputy was caught on video dragging a woman by her hair and slamming her into the ground. 

Richard Webster has been covering this for Verite News and Pro Publica. He joins us for more. 

The Louisiana Children’s Museum in New Orleans received a major grant that will be used to help the museum better connect to an older audience. The $2.5 million grant will be used to target teenagers – which most children’s museums do not normally cater to. 

CEO of the Louisiana Children’s Museum, Tifferney White, tells us more.

We might be halfway through the summer, but maybe you’re still looking for a creative outlet. Third Lantern Lit is an organization in New Orleans that brings together writers from across the state looking to hone their craft. And this summer, they’re encouraging writers –and potential writers– of all levels to pick up the pen.

Director of community outreach at Third Lantern Lit, Lit Daphne Armbruster, tells us more about the free programs. 

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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!

The 25th annual Satchmo Summerfest, an event celebrating the life and legacy of New Orleans jazz visionary Louis Armstrong, kicks off this weekend. Emily Madero, CEO of French Quarter Festivals, Inc., tells us what festivalgoers can expect during the two-day celebration.

Researchers from Pennington Biomedical and Tulane University are collaborating to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gherig’s disease. We speak with the two doctors leading the project, Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Jeffery Keller and Tulane’s Dr. Aron Culotta, about how they’re using artificial intelligence to discover new drugs.

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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!

As the qualifying period for the Oct. 11 election closed earlier this month, multiple seats were left without qualifiers. A majority of these vacant seats are in rural parts of northern Louisiana. Report for America Corps Member Alex Cox tells us more. 

A yearlong federal investigation resulted in the arrests of four local lawmen accused of participating in a paid scheme in order to bypass immigration laws. Now, residents in Western Louisiana parishes are left trying to make sense of it all. 

Joseph Cranney has been investigating this story for The Times Picayune/ New Orleans Advocate. He joins us with the details.

New Orleans is on the short list to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention, where the party will select its ticket for the next presidential election and adopt a policy platform. The news was recently revealed by executive director of the Louisiana Democratic Party, Dadrius Lanus.

Lanus joins us for more on New Orleans's bid to host the DNC, and why he thinks the Crescent City is the ideal spot.

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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!

El Bosque, Mexico, a tiny fishing village on Mexico’s Gulf Coast, is quickly vanishing into the sea. In this episode, we journey to El Bosque to meet the town’s most unlikely hero—one person determined to fight for a future as her neighbors flee the encroaching waves.

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This episode was reported by Alvaro Céspedes. It was hosted by Carlyle Calhoun and Alvaro. Editing by Johanna Zorn, Carlyle Calhoun, with additional help from Ricardo Lopez Cordero. Translation by Elsa Gil (as Lupe Cobos) and Sofia Garfias (as Cristina Pacheco). Fact-checking by Garrett Hazelwood. Our 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. 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.