It’s the last Monday of the month, and that means it’s time for an update on the news in Acadiana. Christiaan Mader, founder and editor of the Current, gives us the latest on changes to the region's education system and results of the recent elections. 

While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported a decrease in sexually transmitted infections across the country, in Louisiana, STI rates are soaring. Some infections, like syphilis and chlamydia, are higher than they’ve been in decades, with some calling this problem an epidemic.

Patty Kissinger, infectious disease epidemiologist at Tulane, tells us more about this problem and how to combat it.

A team of researchers in Louisiana has received a federal grant to study the use of wastewater as a form of fertilizer. The team, which is composed of faculty from the LSU AgCenter, the Louisiana Sea Grant and Southern University, are aiming to see if the organic matter in bodies of water can be put to a beneficial use. 

M.P. Hayes, AgCenter and Sea Grant water quality specialist, tells us more about this grant and what researchers are hoping to discover. 

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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. 

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