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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, she tells us what went down at D.C. Mardi Gras and how the election year changed the tone of the event.  As we cocoon and try to keep warm in the winter months, our normal patterns of helping others typically drop off. And blood donations, like other critical needs, become short in supply. Dr. Tim Peterson, Medical Director of The Blood Center in New Orleans, joins us for more on why it's important to donate during the colder season.  Recently, the New Orleans Museum of Art unveiled its latest exhibit: “Hayward Oubre: Structural Integrity.” The exhibit features the sculptures created by Oubre, which he often created out of found objects like wire coat hangers or TV antennas.  For more on this exhibition and what it tells us about American southern art in the 20th century, we’re joined by NOMA’s chief curator, Anne Collins Smith.  --- 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 Louisiana organization that examines how public policy decisions impact the care, education and development of our youngest children has developed a new interactive online tool. The tool shows how funding decisions at the parish level affect early childhood resources for infants and toddlers. Mattilyn Karst Batson, policy & research director of the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, joins us for more on this new technology.   Researchers at the LSU LCMC Health - Cancer Center and LSU Health New Orleans have published new insights into one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer. They analyzed triple-negative breast cancer in 250 Louisiana patients and identified genetic markers and immune differences that may play a role in treatment and therapies. Researchers say their discoveries could lead to more personalized, more effective breast cancer treatment. Dr. Lucio Miele, director at LSU LCMC Health Cancer Center, joins us now for more. If you consider yourself a baker and you celebrate Mardi Gras, making a king cake is a rite of passage. And in New Orleans, where the dessert is practically sacred, the pressure is on to get it right and make it your own.  Aubri Juhasz joined local culinary students for their first attempts. —- 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!

A documentary by a New Orleans-based filmmaker was recently selected for screening at the Olympic Winter Games Cultural Olympiad and will be screened multiple times during the upcoming competitions in Milan. The film, “Unseen Olympiad,” focuses on young athletes with big dreams and unites competitors across nations.  Filmmaker Casey Shaw tells us more about the film and its upcoming screenings. The New Orleans premiere of “Fat Ham,” a reimagined take on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is in its final days. The Pulitzer Prize-winning work by playwright James Ijames is being presented by The NOLA Project: Theatre for the Bold in conjunction with Dillard University.   The NOLA Project’s artistic director, Tenaj Wallace, joins us for more. The NFL announced there will be a game played in Paris, France, this year. This is the first time a regular-season game will be played there, and the New Orleans Saints will play in it.  The Gulf States Newsroom’s Joseph King has more. __ 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!

Louisiana’s parole rates have sunk to their lowest number in 20 years under Gov. Jeff Landry. This is perhaps the clearest example of the “tough on crime” agenda he campaigned on. Richard Webster has been reporting on the plummeting parole numbers for Verite News and ProPublica. He joins us for more.  A new exhibit at the West Baton Rouge Museum examines the lost burial grounds of enslaved people across West Baton Rouge Parish. It also tells the story of cemeteries in danger of becoming lost — due to nature or land development.  For more on the exhibit “Gone But Not Forgotten: Black Cemeteries of West Baton Rouge,” we’re joined by genealogist and cemetery mapper, Debbie Martin, and museum curator Lauren Davis. Tulane University biomedical engineering professor J. Quincy Brown has been named a 2025 fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) for his pioneering work in cancer imaging technologies. His invention, MAGIC-SCAN, allows surgeons to confirm within minutes that all cancerous tissue has been removed during surgery. J. Quincy Brown joins us for more on this advancement and his recognition.  — 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!

State legislative sessions are well underway in both Mississippi and Alabama. In Mississippi, education has been a major subject of multiple bills that have passed the House, while in Alabama, immigration and social media are dominating much of the conversation.  The Mississippi Free Press’ Heather Harrison and AL.com’s Mike Cason join us to break down the sessions. Good fiction is often not too far removed from reality. Or at least that’s the case for New Orleans author Delaney Nolan. She’s also an investigative journalist, covering topics like heat death, pharmaceutical exploitation and coastal land loss, so she spent years reporting on the very systems of neglect and bureaucratic cruelty that drive her fiction.Nolan’s first novel, “Happy Bad,” just came out. The Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins sat down with Nolan to discuss the book and how her journalism informs her fiction. ___ 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 for our week in Politics with The Times Picayune/New Orleans Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace. Today, she joins us from Washington, D.C. to discuss Mardi Gras at the nation’s capital, and how Louisiana congresspeople missing their home state led to this new tradition. Gov. Jeff Landry is unveiling what he's billed as a framework to better connect state agencies, utilities and the energy industry to Louisiana's economic development. It’s called the Whole of Louisiana Energy Strategy. The effort will be led by the development arm of Landry's administration (LED), and Landry says he wants to establish Louisiana as the 'industrial power leader' of the U.S.  The Coastal Desk’s Michael McEwen has been going through the report. He joins us today for more. Each February, we observe and celebrate the achievements of African Americans, recognizing their role in U.S. History. This year, Black History Month occurs a full century after the founding of Negro History Week by historian Carter G Woodson and other African Americans in 1926. The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History sponsored the observance, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.  Joining us to talk about that anniversary is the president of Xavier University of Louisiana, Reynold Verret.  — 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!

Earlier this month, an East Baton Rouge Parish judge denied the state of Louisiana’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit regarding gender affirming care. The plaintiffs — five minors and their parents — are challenging a 2023 law banning medical professionals from providing trans health care to minors.  Drew Costley, reporter for Verite News, tells what comes next. You’ve heard of spelling bees. But did you know that academic ‘bee’ competitions have expanded to include other areas of interest, like history bees, geography bees and science bees? Now, local chambers of commerce across the U.S. are working to bring civics bees to middle school students nationwide. The St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce is bringing it to Louisiana. Michelle Biggs, vice president of the St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce, tells us more about the civics bee headed to Louisiana. Back in 2021, Hurricane Ida caused more than $65 billion worth of damage throughout Louisiana, including the destruction of many century-old buildings in New Orleans. One of those buildings was the old Karnofsky tailor shop on Rampart Street, where Louis Armstrong spent much of his childhood with the Jewish family that lived there. WWNO’s Alana Schreiber paid a visit to the newly rebuilt structure, where architects from Studio West are working to restore the space and recognize its contributions to jazz history. --- 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!

In recent months, New Orleans has been in the spotlight for law-enforcement reasons  — a federal immigration surge, a National Guard deployment. But what could that do to tourism, especially during Mardi Gras? The Gulf States Newsroom's Kat Stromquist reports. The Acadian Museum of South Louisiana is expanding. The museum, which is located in Erath, will open a new annex on Jefferson Island. There are also plans for more museum annexes in the future.  Chairman of the museum and a CODOFIL board member, Warren Perrin, joins us for more. New Orleans virtuoso guitarist Jimmy Robinson and friends are gearing up for the annual Across the Pond International Guitar Festival, with stops in 4 Southern cities. The tour will feature artists from Italy, Canada and New Orleans, and coincide with the group’s new CD, The International Guitar Trio.  Jimmy Robinson joins us with all the details.  __ 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!

Sunday night, Louisianans prepared for a cold front, protecting their plants, pipes and pets from freezing temperatures.  Meteorologist Jennifer Narramore joins us for an update on the unusually cold and windy weather and when we should expect to see sunshine again. In 1996, the Krewe of Oshun was founded in New Orleans with the mission of including individuals of ordinary means in Mardi Gras.  Now, 30 years later, the krewe is being reborn under new leadership. It will now be a co-ed family-based model, even including child riders. For more on this next chapter for the Krewe of Oshun, we are joined by the Krewe captain, Gian Durand. You might not know this, but Louisiana actually played a role in the American Revolution. Before the area was a state, the Spanish colonial Louisiana’s governor recruited residents to join the fight for American independence. Now, Louisianans will have a chance to discover that history, thanks to new online resources developed by Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s education services team.  LPB education specialist Katy Stark tells us about the new teaching resources available.  — 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!

Earlier this month, federal immigration officers left Louisiana in droves and headed to Minneapolis. The abrupt pivot signals a wrapping up of the Louisiana deployment, dubbed “Catahoula Crunch,” that began in December.  Jack Brook has been covering immigration for the Associated Press. He joins us from Minneapolis for more. Mardi Gras wouldn’t be Mardi Gras without the Black Masking Indians, African American community members who dress in elaborately adorned feather and beaded suits that honor Native American cultural traditions. Four years ago, two Black Masking Indians launched a podcast of their own to share more about the history of this tradition. We’re joined by the hosts Spyboy Horace Anderson of the Creole Wild West Black Masking Indians and Big Chief Dewey Robair of the 9th Ward Black Hatchet for more. ___ 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 President Trump’s recent endorsement of Rep. Julie Letlow (R-LA), who is running for Sen. Bill Cassidy’s seat.  Last week, the Supreme Court began to hear oral arguments in Chevron U.S.A. v. Plaquemines Parish. The case could determine the outcome of dozens of lawsuits seeking billions in damages from oil companies that allegedly polluted Louisiana’s coastline. The parish argued that the pollution has contributed to Louisiana’s land loss crisis.  The Times-Picayune/The Advocate’s Alex Lubben has been covering this story. He joins us for more. A recent ruling by a 3-judge panel of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals could have a far-reaching effect on songwriters, their intellectual property, and music companies.  Louisiana songwriter Cyril Vetter reclaimed his total ownership of his 1963 hit “Double Shot of My Baby’s Love” when he terminated his contract with Resnik Music Group back in 2022. Copyright laws made it so that he only retained the U.S. rights to the song. But the appeals court ruling struck down that long-time practice.  The attorney who represented Vetter, Tim Kappel, joins us to explain what this ruling means for songwriters.  — 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!

The first numbers are out for the new Amtrak route between New Orleans and Mobile — the Mardi Gras service. It opened in August, and the numbers show the route has seen nearly double the ridership than was originally forecast. The response has been so strong that Amtrak just announced it added one more train car per round-trip, increasing capacity, which on some days is still not enough to meet demand. Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari joins us to discuss what this says about demand in our region for passenger train service. LSU’s Center for Energy Studies published its latest outlook reviewing the future of the energy industry in the Gulf South. It highlights the policy uncertainty that stakeholders are dealing with, along with an uncertain situation for international trade agreements and tariffs. Executive director of LSU’s Center for Energy Studies Greg Upton joins us for more. Chagas disease is on the rise in Louisiana. The condition, which causes cardiac and digestive issues, is spread by parasite-carrying bugs in the Triatomine family — also known as kissing bugs.  While the disease is endemic to South America, researchers are now calling for the reclassification of the disease as endemic in the United States. Tulane researchers have been studying the transmission and prevention of Chagas disease for over a decade. Claudia Herrera, assistant professor at Tulane’s school of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, joins us for more. — 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 outcome of a trial over Missouri’s abortion laws could have ripple impacts far beyond the state, where the judge is weighing the constitutionality of abortion restrictions. If more abortion clinics are opened in Missouri, that could cut down travel times for those who need care in the Gulf South and go out of state.  Anna Spoerre has been covering this case for the Missouri Independent. She joins us for more. Louisiana’s petrochemical industry is growing. One of the newest proposed projects is a hydrogen plant in Ascension Parish. And it’s being pitched as a clean, low-pollution facility.  But, as the coastal desk’s Eva Tesfaye reports, some parents are concerned it could put their children at risk.  Mardi Gras season is officially underway, and parades would be nothing without flambeaux carriers — the people who carry giant fiery torches — adding light and spectacle to the marches. There was a time when this job was even more essential, back before floats had electricity of their own.  But when flambeaux carriers went on strike in the 1940s, demanding a pay raise for their hot, grueling work, Mardi Gras parades rolled in the dark.  — 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!

Back in June, 22-year-old registered nurse Vilma Palacios had just accepted a position at Touro Infirmary in New Orleans when she was arrested by ICE agents. She then spent six months in a detention center, all while family members and immigration advocates called for her release, pointing to her community involvement, lack of a criminal record and commitment to nursing during a time of a nursing shortage.  But in late December, she returned to Honduras, a country she had not visited since she left as a child. Palacios joins us to share her story, her experience in detention and why she still has hope. Since May of 2020, WWNO’s Rosemary Westwood has been a leading reproductive health care reporter in the U.S. She’s broken stories on restricted access to abortion care, rising rates of whooping cough and growing numbers of medications listed as controlled substances. She also created, hosted and reported the award-winning podcast, Banned, telling the story of Mississippi’s last abortion clinic — which lost the case that overturned Roe v. Wade. After nearly five years with the station, Rosemary is moving on to a new opportunity She joins us to reflect on her career and journey with WWNO and WRKF. ___ 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!

Thanks to a renewal, the Leah Chase School will operate in New Orleans for at least two more years. The school opened back in 2024 and is named after the legendary New Orleans chef, author and television personality.  WWNO’s education reporter Aubri Juhasz tells us about the growth of the city’s only non-charter school within the larger education landscape.  With New Orleans money woes of the past few months, eyes have turned to how to raise funds without raising taxes — the perennial dilemma when trying to fund city government. The Bureau of Governmental Research has called for a 5-year financial plan with an eye toward identifying funding strategies for the city’s looming needs. At the same time, Professor of Urban Studies and Public Policy at Dillard University, Robert Collins, says the city needs to diversify its economy beyond the traditional reliance on tourism, hospitality and river port operations. Collins joins us for more on what he believes are the best strategies to uplift the city’s economy.  2026 marks a Mardi Gras milestone for a major carnival krewe. The Krewe of Endymion is celebrating 60 years since its founding with a parade and extravaganza scheduled for Valentine’s Day. The 60th anniversary celebration will include special celebrity musical guests performing at the Caesars Superdome. Endymion Captain Dan Kelly joins us for more on the krewe’s origins and how members are marking the occasion. — 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!