Louisiana Considered

The dock worker strike that shut down ports along the South and east coast last month only lasted a few days, but it set off panic buying across the U.S., with shoppers worried store shelves would go empty.

Stephan Bisaha of the Gulf States Newsroom reports there’s one panic-buying staple that people can keep off their shopping list.

New Orleans funk icon and co-founder of The Meters, Leo Nocentelli, is headlining a concert celebrating the re-release of his critically acclaimed acoustic guitar album “Another Side”.  This live performance features the Grammy award-winning artist presenting music that had been lost for 50 years. He joins us for more on the upcoming show. 

More natural gas is being transported to the coast of Louisiana and shipped overseas. To sell it globally, it has to be supercooled to a liquefied natural gas, called LNG for short. And Louisiana is at the center of this booming industry, set to double – or even quadruple – in the coming years. 

While the industry says LNG is better for the environment, a new study out of Cornell University debunks this sales pitch. Professor of Ecology and Environmental Biology at Cornell University, Robert Howarth, found that LNG is actually worse than coal. He spoke with The Coastal Desk’s Halle Parker for more. 

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

Abortion was a major issue during the election, and in many states, the future of reproductive rights was directly on the ballot. WWNO and WRKF’s reproductive health reporter, Rosemary Westwood, tells us how Trump’s election will impact abortion access going forward. 

Today is Veteran’s Day, and we’re marking the occasion with a lesson on Black military history in the South. 

The book, “Segregated Soldiers: Military Training at Historically Black Colleges in the Jim Crow South” tells the stories of Black soldiers who trained in the South and how they fit into the larger struggle for civil rights. The author, Professor Marcus S. Cox, is an expert in Black military history, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Fayetteville State University, and founder of the Gillis Jones Institute for Ethics and Leadership. He joins us today to talk about his book. 

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is selling a few bridges that are no longer being used for transportation. Department spokesperson Daniel Gitlin tells us how community members can buy one, and some creative ways to  use the new property. 

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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, 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!

When Donald Trump won the election, many Democrats across the country were left asking themselves, what went wrong? Was it the candidate and the lack of a proper primary? Did their message about  the fate of democracy not  resonate with Americans? Or was it the fact that many see a drastic change as the only way to solve  inflation? 

Robert Mann is a former professor at LSU’s Manship School of mass communication who also served as a press secretary for multiple democratic campaigns and the communications director for the Louisiana Democratic Party. He joins us to discuss where Democrats went wrong, and where they go from here.

New Orleanians have strong feelings when it comes to public education. After Hurricane Katrina, the state took over most of the city’s schools and turned them into charter schools. Today, the city has just one direct-run school, and there’s no other system like it in the country. 

For 15 years, the Cowen Institute at Tulane University has been asking parents what they think about public education in New Orleans. WWNO and WRKF’s education reporter Aubri Juasz speaks with the institute's policy director, Vincent Rossmeier, about this year’s results.

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

The election is over, and Gov. Landry’s special tax session has just begun. The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stepahnie Grace gives us the latest on this special session and what Landry is proposing. 

The New Orleans Opera is presenting Raehann Bryce-Davis in concert, singing her debut the new biblically-themed Opera, Samson and Delilah. 

The leading lady, a mezzo-soprano of Jamaican heritage who grew up all over North America, is garnering attention nationally and abroad. 

Byrce-Davis speaks with WWNO’s Diane Mack about her upcoming performance in the Crescent City.

Building codes are the minimum requirements for the construction of a structure. It includes rules on plumbing, heating, natural gas, and more, meant to safeguard occupants from dangerous conditions.

Now, Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says he wants the legislature to increase the building codes to better protect coastal properties from hurricanes. 

Professor Carol Friedland, Director of LaHouse Research and Education Center at LSU’s Agricultural Center, tells us more about what Temple is advocating for and how to better protect homes from dangerous conditions. 

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Bob Pavlovich. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. 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 7p.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!

Donald Trump has been elected as the 47th president of the United States, and many Republicans in down-ballot races also saw some surprising success, including in East Baton Rouge Parish, where Republican Sid Edwards is headed for a runoff in the Mayor-President race against Democratic incumbent Sharon Weston-Broome.

Reporters Aidan McCahill and Drew Hawkins join us with more on the results of races and ballot initiatives throughout Louisiana. 

The last few presidential elections raised concerns about potential violence at the voting booths and on the campaign trail. Over the summer, President-elect Donald Trump experienced two assassination attempts, and on Election Day, multiple polling sites  in swing states received bomb threats. 

For many, the modern political violence brings to mind the Colfax Massacre in Louisiana. On April 13, 1878, a mob of armed white men attacked the courthouse in Colfax, a town in Grant Parish, killing at least 80 Black men who were exercising their right to vote. 

Today, we revisit this story, and how two men with personal connections to the tragedy are working to preserve the truth behind what happened. WRKF’s Karen Henderson explores what 

A Reconstruction-era episode of political violence can teach us in today’s divisive climate. 

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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!

Today is Election Day! And while we wait for  the results, we’re catching up with three of our reporters who have the latest information on local elections, ballot amendments and voter information

Drew Hawkins and Kat Stromquist in New Orleans and Aidan McCahill in Baton Rouge share the latest on state and local races and initiatives. 

Whenever there's an election, there's one Louisiana political strategist we like to catch up with: James Carville. The “Ragin Cajun” has been keeping a close watch on the 2024 presidential election, and was one of the first well-known Democrats to call for Biden to drop out of the race. 

Carville spoke with Louisiana Considered's Alana Schreiber about his thoughts on the race. First, they discussed the recent documentary about his life. "Winning is Everything, Stupid“ digs into Carville's childhood, how he changed the nature of presidential campaigns, and why he has remained loyal to the Democratic party through all its changes. 

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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, 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!

Tomorrow is Election Day! And if you haven’t voted yet, Tuesday is the last day to cast your ballot. WRKF’s Capitol Access reporter Brooke Thorington spoke with Joel Watson, director of communications at the Louisiana Secretary of State Office, about what voters should and shouldn’t bring to the polls. 

Every election cycle, we hear the same old saying, “every vote counts.” While it may not always feel that way, in the case of last year’s sheriff election in Caddo Parish, that sentiment rang true. Democratic candidate Henry Whitehorn won by a single vote in a race where over 43,000 people cast ballots. 

Sheriff Whitehorn joins us for more on his historic election, the importance of voting and what he’s accomplished in the year since. 

Black voters have historically leaned Democratic. But recent polls suggest their support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has grown, especially among younger Black men. 

To understand what’s driving that growth, we’re joined by Garrison Hayes, video correspondent for Mother Jones who’s been talking to Black voters ahead of the November election. 

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Karen Henderson. 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!

Early voting wrapped up Tuesday in Louisiana and voters in the Bayou State broke all kinds of records. WRKF’s Capital Access reporter Brooke Thorington speaks with Joel Watson, director of communications at the Louisiana Secretary of State Office, about  what early voting statistics can and can’t tell us. 

The November elections are just days away, and in East Baton Rouge Parish, residents are deciding who they want as their mayor-president. Earlier this week, we heard from the incumbent, Sharon Weston Broome, and the top Republican candidate, Sid Edwards. Today, we’re speaking with the Democratic challenger Ted James. 

James is a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives and served as a regional administrator in the U.S. Small Business Administration. He joins us to discuss  why he joined the race, his top priorities if elected, and the recent scandal surrounding an ad put out by Weston-Broome’s campaign. 

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

While most Louisianans are waiting in anticipation for the elections on Nov. 5, Gov. Landry is focused on the following day, when lawmakers will convene for a special session on taxes. The Times Picayune/The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace tells us about Landry’s goals for the session as well as his other proposals.

Halloween may bring thoughts of ghouls and goblins, but the day after, All Saints Day, is about rituals to honor the departed. Those rituals are brought to light in the Gallier House’s latest exhibit on Creole death and mourning traditions in the 19th century. Curator Katie Burlison joins us for more. 

In the District 2 race for Public Service Commissioner, the lone Democrat in the race, Nick Laborde, has pledged not to accept campaign donations from any utility companies he might have to regulate – unlike the Republican candidates. 

For more on campaign finance laws in Louisiana, Capitol Access reporter Brooke Thorington speaks with LSU Political Science professor Dr. Robert Hogan.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Bob Pavlovich. 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!

On the ballot in Baton Rouge, a single measure asks voters to make hundreds of changes to the city’s Plan of Government. But some voters have said the actual language on the ballot is nebulous, requiring  them to go to a website to find out exactly what they’re voting for.

WRKF’s Aidan McCahill joins us to help demystify the measure.

Election Day is less than a week away, and in Baton Rouge all eyes are on the race for Mayor-President. According to the most recent polls, the top three candidates, Democratic incumbent Sharon-Weston Broome, Democratic challenger Ted James, and Republican Sid Edwards are all polling within 7 percentage points of one another, making the possibility of a runoff more and more likely.

This week on Louisiana Considered, we’re bringing you conversations with the top three candidates. On Monday, we talked to  Mayor-President West Broome, and on Friday we’ll hear from James. Today, we’re joined by Republican candidate, Sid Edwards. 

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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!