Louisiana Insider

Last December, Louisiana Life writer Kevin Rabalais set out in the early morning hours outside of Natchitoches with Richard Armstrong, his daughter Camille, hunting dog Gage and the rest of their crew to go duck hunting.

A hunter his entire life, Richard talks with us about the ins and outs of hunting in Louisiana: the sport of it all, the artistry of the motions and the way hunters are helping with wildlife conservation.

About 30 minutes outside of Covington, sits Isabel, Louisiana in Washington Parish - the now host of a crystal-clear private lake that has officially opened to the public for day passes and cabana bookings. With kayaks, fishing spots, a 3-mile nature walking trail and more, Lake Isabel Farm is shaping up to be the perfect beach day getaway. Owner Anthony Sedlak joins us to chat about the inception of Lake Isabel Farm and the future offerings that are already in the works.  

"The Dirty South" recently became available to stream on Amazon Prime and Roku. The 2023 film – staring Shane West, Willa Holland and Dermot Mulroney – was meant to bring a viewers into the small towns that create the South... while adding in a little crime, drama and intrigue that garnered an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film was written and directed by Natchitoches native Matthew Yerby, produced (and staring) New Orleans native Andrew Vogel, with music composition by Abita Springs native Tyler Forrest.

This week's episode talks to the Louisiana men about creating a movie in Louisiana, with Louisianians and for our great state and those small towns that are the backbone of the region.

On July 17, the state officially canceled the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project - the biggest coastal restoration project in the country, made possibly by funds from a settlement of the 2010 BP Oil Spill. This week, Pontchartrain Conservancy Executive Director Kristi Trail answers the question as to why the project was cancelled and what many believe this means for the preservation of our state at a whole.

Trail urges those interested in attending meetings, submitting their own plans and more visit the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority website.

Canal Street in New Orleans has a long history of fashion, culture, nightlife and great food. For decades it was a main stop for New Orleans visitors and families alike. In recent years, Canal Street has lost a bit of its glimmer. Sandra Herman is the founder of the Celebrate Canal! Coalition, a citizen-led coalition aimed at revitalizing Canal Street. This week, Herman talks about why it's important to bring people back to Canal Street and how her team is determined to make that happen.

Abi Caswell opened her BATTER, A Bakery in Downtown Hammond in 2022. The self-taught baker went from popping up at local farmer's markets to going viral on TikTok and expanding to open a new shop in New Orleans. Caswell shares her journey with listeners and highlights the value small businesses hold in the city of Hammond.

Follow Caswell's journey, along with her over 285,000 followers, on TikTok here.

The Tunica-Biloxi tribe recently held their 27th annual Pow Wow, which highlighted the tribe's culture and community. Additionally, the Pow Wow marked the opening of the tribe's new Justice Center. In this week's episode, Chairman Marshall Pierite shares insight into the tribe, it's history and more about the Justice Center.

This week, we get a little dose of the Cajun culture with content creators and podcasters Koa Melancon and Sarah O’Pry - better known as the Cajun Mamas.

Melancon and O'Pry rose to fame on TikTok documenting their lives in South Louisiana. From raising kids to preparing for hurricanes and all that's in between, the duo's videos have captured the attention of those all over the country.

This episode talks about what it means to be Cajun and a little insight into how the women got started on social media.

This week, we're headed to the Louisiana state capital. Laura Cating, senior vice president of marketing & communications for Visit Baton Rouge, gives listeners an insight to the history of the city, a little of the lore, plus what to do, where to stay and - most importantly -  where to eat when you're here.

On May 8, 2025, Robert Francis Prevost was introduced as Pope Leo XIV, the new head of the Catholic Church. Prevost is the first American to be elected as Pope and while that would be enough for American Catholics to celebrate, New Orleanians took the celebration a step farther when local Certified Genealogist and historian with the Historic New Orleans Collection Jari Honora discovered a familial connection between Pope Leo and New Orleans. In this week’s podcast we talk to Honora about the popes connection to the city, what exactly it means to be Creole and Kelly even shares a little of her Creole family background.