Louisiana Considered

A new petition to make Bourbon Street pedestrian-only now has more than 5,000 signatures. The petition comes after the deadly attack on New Year's Day when a driver rammed an SUV down Bourbon Street, killing 14 and injuring more than 30 others. 

Chris Olsen, French Quarter resident and owner of the vintage stores Vice and Graft and Swamp Rags, started this petition on Change.org. He joins us for more on the efforts to make the area safer.

Last week, Bogalusa mayor Tyrin Truong was arrested as part of a multi-agency drug trafficking investigation. The Democrat was elected at just 23 years old, becoming the youngest mayor in the city’s history, ushering in a wave of hope and modernity to a community in decline. Now he’s facing charges for drug offenses and soliciting sex workers. 

Reporter for the Picayune Item Alex Moraski joins us with the latest on this investigation and what’s next for Bogalusa.

The new city of St. George is taking shape. After seceding from Baton Rouge in April of last year, the city now has an approved tax to fund its budget and upcoming leadership elections. But there’s some tension surrounding big proposed salaries for the city’s leaders

Patrick Sloan-Turner has been covering the development of St. George for the Baton Rouge Advocate. He joins us with the latest updates.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Karen Henderson. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. 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!

We kicked off this season of Sea Change with a globetrotting journey. A quest to understand a booming new industry on the Gulf Coast: liquified natural gas, or LNG.

In a historic move, the Biden Administration froze any decisions on new gas export projects…until it could study how shipping so much American gas overseas could affect the economy, health, and the climate.

Well, that long-awaited study was just released. The findings? Increasing LNG exports is bad news for American consumers, communities, and our climate. But that might not mean much to the new administration determined to drill baby, drill.

One of the hottest flashpoints in this fight over the future of LNG centers around whether it's a climate solution, as industry claims, or actually a carbon bomb. Today, we talk to leading scientist Dr. Robert Howarth about his recent study revealing that LNG is worse for the climate than coal.

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This episode was hosted by Halle Parker and Carlyle Calhoun. Our sound designer is Emily Jankowski. And our theme music is by Jon Batiste.

For more about LNG, check out our 3-part series, All Gassed Up, or our 1-hour special. You can find Sea Change wherever you get your podcasts.

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. WWNO’s Coastal Desk is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Meraux Foundation, and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.

For over 50 years, Clancy DuBos has been reporting and commenting on New Orleans and state politics for The Times-Picayune and other news sources. He also owned the alt-weekly newspaper, the Gambit, along with his wife Margo where he contributed as a political columnist. 

He covered everything from the 1973 UpStairs Lounge Fire to the upheaval of Hurricane Katrina. Now, at the age of 70, he has decided to retire. 

He joins us today for more on his lengthy career, most memorable moments and why he has decided now is the time to put down the pencil.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Bob Pavlovich. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber; our contributing producers are Matt Bloom and Adam Vos; we receive production and technical 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 new year means some new state laws are now in effect. A controversial one requires all public schools, colleges and universities to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom.

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against the law, and a judge issued an injunction in November preventing it from taking effect in several parishes named as co-defendants, along with the state. WWNO and WRKF’s education reporter Aubri Juhasz tells us more. 

Former President Jimmy Carter passed away last week at the age of 100. While he’s most often remembered as the nation’s 39th commander in chief, he is often more celebrated for his post-presidential philanthropic efforts, particularly with the Carter Center, which works to resolve conflicts, advance democracy, and eradicate diseases.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, President Carter worked to help restore and rebuild homes along the Gulf Coast as part of a project that’s been ongoing ever since.

Executive director of the New Orleans area Habitat for Humanity, Marguerite Oestreicher, tells us about Carter’s legacy and impact in Louisiana.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Adam Vos. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. 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!

Yesterday, President Joe Biden visited New Orleans to mourn with grieving families and remember the victims of last week’s attack on Bourbon Street. He also met with Gov. Jeff Landry to discuss formally recognizing the disaster.

WWNO and WRKF’s Aubri Juhasz and Brooke Thorington tell us more about the events and memorials to honor the victims. 

It’s been roughly a week since the Bourbon Street attack, and the city is looking for ways to move forward and heal while still remembering the tragedy. And for many New Orleanians, recovering from this attack has reminders of what it was like to move forward after Hurricane Katrina, almost 20 years ago.

Dr. Robin Gurwitch is a clinical psychologist at Duke University and expert in supporting children in the aftermath of disasters. She also previously worked with survivors of Hurricane Katrina. She spoke with the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins about  healing strategies. 

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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, 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 been less than a week since the attack on Bourbon Street, and new information is coming to light about the suspect in question, Shamsud-Din Jabbar. Louisiana Considered’s managing producer Alana Schreiber spoke with the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins for more on the FBI’s investigation. 

Tonight, the Joan of Arc parade will roll, officially kicking off the Mardi Gras season. The annual parade doesn’t just mark the start of Carnival, but also celebrates the birthday of the French Saint and honors New Orleans’ French heritage. But this year, it comes less than a week after the New Year’s Day attack on Bourbon Street.

Parade founder Amy Kirk-Duvoisin, and this year’s captain, Scott Tilton, tell us more about the origin of the parade and the new tone it’s taking on this year.

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra is gearing up for a historic collaboration with Grammy Award-winning composer and trumpeter, Terence Blanchard. The New Orleans native will perform his award-winning work “A Tale of God’s Will: A Requiem for Katrina” for the first time ever in its entirety.

Blanchard joins us along with LPO Music Director Matthew Kraemer to discuss the healing powers of music, both in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the recent attack.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Diane Mack. 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, 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!

Just after 3 a.m. on New Years Day, pedicab driver Tyler Burt was finishing his shift, when a white SUV turned the corner of Bourbon and Canal Street, running over the man he had been high-fiving as the truck rammed down the street. 

In his first trip back to the French Quarter since the attack, Burt spoke with the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins about what he saw and how he’s coping. 

Concerns over security failures have been a major part of the conversation ever since the Bourbon street attack. Bollards, the steel beams embedded in the ground meant to protect pedestrians from vehicle attacks, were not in place on New Year's Eve. City crews were in the process of installing new ones ahead of the Super Bowl.

Louisiana Considered’s Alana Schreiber spoke with Juliette Kayyem, a national security expert and senior lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School. They discussed why security on Bourbon Street was so ineffective and what needs to be done about it.

While Louisianans still have questions about what happened, many are focused on recovery efforts. In the days since the attack, blood drives have popped up across the city and thousands are coming out to donate.

Alana Schreiber visited one of those blood drives on the corner of Iberville and Canal Street to speak with residents who want to play a part in recovery efforts.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Alana Schreiber and Drew Hawkins. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. We get 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 day and a half since a driver rammed down Bourbon Street just after 3 a.m., killing at least 14 people and injuring more than 30 others, including two police officers. The suspect has been identified as Texas man Shamsud-Din Jabbar. He was killed by police. An ISIS flag was found on the vehicle and the FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.

Reporters Drew Hawkins and Kat Stromquist have been covering this story. They give us the latest on the investigation, the victims and the community response. 

Yesterday’s attack on Bourbon Street has generated a nationwide response and local leaders are working to heal a community in mourning. Former mayor and president of the National Urban League Marc Morial tells us more about how the community can come together and work towards recovery.

But while the city works to process the event, security remains a top concern, especially with the Super Bowl coming to New Orleans in February. WWNO and WRFK’s news director Ryan Vasquez spoke with the U.S. Representative, Troy Carter (D-LA) for more on the investigation and security concerns. 

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Bob Pavlovich. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. We get production help 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 the second to last Monday of the month, and we’re checking in with our neighbors in Lafayette and get an update on the latest news in Acadiana. Christiaan Mader, founder of the Current, tells us about an upcoming special election in Lafayette, and a new Buccee’s coming to the area.

The Louisiana Department of Health’s new policy stops staff from advertising or otherwise promoting the COVID, influenza or monkeypox vaccines. Promoting vaccines is a long established practice at the health department, as well as other state health entities, and Louisiana isn’t the only state where vaccine science is under threat. 

WWNO and WRKF’s Rosemary Westwood broke the story. She tells us why this new policy is concerning health officials and could spread vaccine skepticism. 

After the Civil War, many former slaves  left the South in search of better opportunities – otherwise known as the Great Migration. But there were those who stayed behind. And in West Feliciana Parish, formerly enslaved people achieved great successes in the post-war era, rising to a new level of prosperity not seen in many of Louisiana’s Black communities.

Louisiana Public Broadcasting senior producer Dorothy Kendrick’s new documentary film, “How We Got Over.” tells the story of this parish and how its Black residents rose to acclaim. She joins us with the details.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Karen Henderson. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. 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 Lemon Tree Mound is a sacred place for the Atakapa/Ishak-Chawasha tribe. And it's disappearing under the rising waters of the Gulf of Mexico. In this episode, we travel out into the bayous of South Louisiana to understand what this one small sacred place means for the Land Back Movement and climate justice, and why efforts to save our coast matter, even if they really mean only buying time.

Click here to read more about the return of the sacred land to the tribe, and here to learn more about the efforts to save it.

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This episode was hosted and reported by Eva Tesfaye, Drew Hawkins, and Danny McArthur. Carlyle Calhoun is the managing producer. Our sound designer is Emily Jankowski and our theme music is by Jon Batiste.

Sea Change is a WWNO and WRKF production. We're a 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. WWNO's Coastal Desk is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Meraux Foundation and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.