Advertise on podcast: The Light Switch

Depending on your political leanings, you might see the intensity surrounding how ballots are cast in the midterm elections as good or bad. But we can all agree more people should pay attention and get involved with elections. We’ll talk with someone who’s on the ground here in Louisiana and across the South to ensure voters have clear and fair access to the polls. We’ll learn about their concerns  and discuss how policy shapes our democratic process.

Louisiana could see more than half of its immigrants with protected status lose that safeguard by 2028. These projections come from a group in the thick of policy battles with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement. It predicts more than 14,000 people will be removed from the Louisiana workforce. We'll talk with the group’s leader.

Louisiana utility regulators want to stop a $2 billion electric transmission project being built in the Midwest. It won’t cost a dime for Louisiana customers or impact their property or access to power. So why did nearly all members of the Louisiana Public Service Commission join this fight? We talk with an advocate for utility customers about how this fight could potentially impact if and when power lines we need here are eventually built.

An advancing lawsuit could upend the way evictions are handled in Louisiana. The case focuses on a justice of the peace who handles hundreds of evictions a month, and the fees his court collects go toward his hefty salary. We’ll talk with one of the attorneys who explains what’s at stake here. Also, where do candidates in Louisiana’s competitive congressional races stand on nondisclosure agreements? We’ve asked. Most answered.

Louisiana will soon require health insurance to cover at-home visits for new moms and their babies. The outcomes show it’s worth the investment, but it’s going to take a while to meet the demand. We'll hear from one of the people behind this huge change in preventative health care. Also, Grambling’s president talks about the school’s march toward elevating its status as a research institution

New research, rooted right here in Louisiana, is providing us with a more accurate picture of the problems that violence creates in our communities. The findings show the connection between violence and the common struggle to make ends meet, as well as the lack of help for people who could benefit from mental health support.

University leaders are paying attention to a task force evaluating how state colleges and universities are funded. Perhaps no one is following closer than Jim Henderson, president at Louisiana Tech. His campus is a state leader in graduation rates and retention, but it's last in line for getting money from the state.

Conservationists are worried the massive SpaceX launch facility planned for Louisiana will threaten what many consider the state’s optimal setting for wildlife. We look at one endangered species that calls the area home. Plus, a new task force is looking into how Louisiana funds higher education.

President Donald Trump wants to change the recommended regimen for the MMR vaccine to separate shots for each disease. So instead of two trips to the doctor, it would take six to be fully vaccinated. There’s no legitimate science to back up his reasons for the change. We talk with a Louisiana pediatrician who shares how she and others in her field are reacting.

There are more than 4,000 children in foster care in Louisiana, and many of the parents who’ve taken them into their homes aren't happy at the moment. We’ll let them explain why. Plus, listen to our conversation with the state's higher education commissioner.

What do Louisiana ports and shipbuilders have to do with the war in Iran? They’re both part of a defense spending bill that awaits Congress next month — and it’s anybody’s guess how that turns out. We talk with a New Orleans lawyer who, with his business clients, is paying close attention to the outcome.

We'll preview a task force that begins work later this month to update the formula that determines how much state money goes to local public schools. There's also some news to share on the River Parishes refinery that’s let harmful waste escape from its property on several occasions going back more than two years — without any consequences from the state.

A Louisiana organization is part of an initiative to create a safe space for digital information to keep what they consider sensitive data out of the hands of Big Tech. Also, we explore changes the Trump administration has made to the Endangered Species Act, and how they might impact protected wildlife in Louisiana.

It’s estimated that one in every five people in the United States has dyslexia. Just a few years ago, Louisiana was diagnosing dyslexia in just 1.5% of its children — a major difference between the 20% national figure. State officials have taken steps to help schools identify these students and provide them the support they need. We talk with a school leader who’s created a pathway for these students to reach their full potential.

Forecasters expect fewer major storms this hurricane season, but you know what they always say next: it just takes one. So we always have to be prepared, including plans to evacuate at a moment’s notice. But should we count on contraflow being an option to get out of town when a major hurricane’s bearing down on us? We ask that question to the state’s leading expert on the topic.