Louisiana Considered

WWNO/WRKF Newsroom
  • 5.0 (15)
  • DAILY NEWS
  • UPDATED DAILY

“Louisiana Considered” showcases South Louisiana's biggest stories and features interviews with journalists, newsmakers, and artists. The show is a collaboration between the WWNO and WRKF newsrooms.  Airs Monday through Friday at noon. 

  1. 6H AGO

    Wood pellet manufacturing leads to rural air pollution; filling gaps in Gulf Coast water quality monitoring with AI

    When a United Kingdom-based company promised to revive the pine lumber industry and produce green energy, three majority-Black towns in the deep South — including two in rural Louisiana — jumped at the opportunity. But residents are now thinking better of the deal after seeing massive spikes in air pollution. Verite News’ Tristan Baurick joins us to share what he’s learned about international wood pellet manufacturing. Water quality monitoring is crucial for understanding the health of human communities and the wider ecosystems they rely upon. But water quality measurement along the Gulf Coast is resource-limited. Mariam Valladares Castellanos, a civil and environmental engineering researcher at LSU, joins us to discuss an effort to use artificial intelligence to fill the gaps in how we monitor coastal waterways. A shortage of Transportation Security Administration agents at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans resulted in a considerable number of missed flights and anxious passengers this weekend. Some of those passengers shared their travel stories with WRKF Report for America corps member Alex Cox. __________ 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!

    24 min

  2. 1D AGO

    Why NOLA jail continually exceeded capacity in 2025; 2 upcoming theater performances with themes of social justice

    Throughout 2025, the population at the Orleans Justice Center continuously exceeded capacity. This came even as violent crime rates and the New Orleans population continued to decline.  Ashley Cusick reported this story for Verite News. She joins us with the latest This Women’s History Month, “Two Elizas,” a poignant solo theatre piece, returns to the Hermann Grima House. Playwright, actress, and Tulane associate theatre professor Jenny Marcein presents a true story of motherhood, loss and resilience, drawn from her family’s history. The play is also a tribute to her great-aunt’s landmark 1847 U.S. Supreme Court case, Barry v. Mercein, which secured a woman’s right to retain custody of her child.  Jenny Mercein joins us with the details.  Artivism Dance Theatre is a New Orleans nonprofit that combines movement and social justice. In classes, workshops and recitals, students explore how to communicate social issues, spark dialogue and foster understanding through movement. From March 14-15, Artivism will present a show called “Off-The-Cuff.” Sophia Rabinovitz, owner and creative director of Artivism Dance Theatre, tells us 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!

    24 min

  3. 2D AGO

    LSU women’s basketball March Madness preview; restoration of Bird Island; What will MS do with opioid funds

    The LSU women’s basketball team has wrapped up the regular season and is headed to March Madness. The team last won the tournament in 2023. In 2024 and 2025, they lost in the Elite 8 round. Reed Darcey covers LSU women’s basketball for The Baton Rouge Advocate. He joins us for more on the team’s regular season and how they’re shaping up for the big dance. Louisiana’s state bird, the Brown Pelican, is among a variety of colonial waterbird species benefiting from the recently completed restoration of a small island off Louisiana’s coast.   The Terrebonne Houma Navigation Canal Bird Island is a major nesting area that was shrinking due to erosion. Then, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority stepped in to restore the land.  Renee Bennett, project manager at the CPRA, joins us for more. This year, Mississippi’s legislature will decide how to spend millions of dollars meant to be used to fight the opioid epidemic. But as the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins reports, so far, the state has largely not invested in programs that support addiction recovery. — 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!

    24 min

  4. 5D AGO

    New Orleans may abandon recycling initiative; artificial reefs in Alabama help to restore sea habitats

    A New Orleans initiative to increase citywide recycling is under threat. This is despite the fact that the city has more than 5 million dollars worth of support from the EPA and a national nonprofit to support this program. Reporter for Verite News, Katie Jane Fernelius, tells us more.  Sea habitats are vanishing in the Gulf due to overfishing. Now, there’s a potential human-made solution for this human-made problem: artificial reefs.  In the first part of the latest episode of Sea Change, we learn how artificial reefs are helping to provide a new habitat for sea life in Alabama. And next week, we’ll learn about a similar initiative being deployed in Cambodia. ___ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Alana Schreiber. 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 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!

    24 min

  5. 6D AGO

    La. Lege session preview; New Iberia book fest; Baton Rouge’s Brenna Huckaby aims to defend Paralympic gold

    The Louisiana legislative session is just around the corner, and conversations on the state budget are set to dominate. The Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace joins us for a preview.  The Tulane Book Fest is just around the corner. If you attend and decide you’d like more author discussions, writing contests and book sales, you might want to check out the Books Along the Teche Literary Festival in April. The 10th annual fest takes place in New Iberia, and will include a variety of discussion topics, like Creole trail riders, the history of swamp pop and the process of playwriting.  Deb Lindsey, co-chair of the festival, joins us to give the details. The 2026 Paralympics officially kick off tomorrow with the Opening Ceremonies. More than 600 athletes from over 50 countries will compete in sports like sled hockey, para skiing and wheelchair curling.  Among the competitors is Baton Rouge’s own Brenna Huckaby. The para snowboarder is a three-time Paralympic gold medalist and five-time world champion.Back in 2022, Huckaby joined us to discuss her latest win, her journey in the sport, and how she hopes to represent both the disability community and Louisiana winter athletes. Today, we’ll give that conversation another listen.  ___ 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!

    24 min

  6. MAR 5

    Staged car accidents trial begins; teaching compassion in medical school; photography exhibit on segregation history

    The trial has begun for three people, including two lawyers, accused of staging car accidents throughout the Crescent City. The trial is the first in a widespread insurance fraud scheme and is even connected to a possible murder plot.  John Simmerman has been covering this story for The Times Picayune/The Advocate, and joins us now for more. LSU Health New Orleans has been selected to take part in a grant to help teach an often-overlooked element of medical care — compassion. This four-year medical education project will use “precision education” to provide individualized learning for medical professionals. Dr. Peter DeBleiux, assistant dean of advanced learning and simulation at LSU Health New Orleans, and Dr. Rachel Fiore, assistant professor and director for the Standardized Patient Project, join us with more.  Louisiana’s Old State Capitol in downtown Baton Rouge has opened a new photography exhibit that documents Louisiana’s role in both the practices and the challenges to racial segregation. Members of the Louisiana Photographic Society used their cameras to capture present-day evidence of Louisiana’s complex history. It’s part of a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Anne Mahoney, curator of Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, tells us more about the exhibit and the 19 photographers featured. She’s joined by Stacey Pearson and Marilyn Goff, two participant photographers in this exhibit. — 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!

    24 min

  7. MAR 3

    New Orleans Entrepreneurs Week; Marigny Opera Ballet continues season; ongoing cleanup from January storms

    New Orleans Entrepreneur Week is back. More than 100 summit sessions, 12 city-wide events and numerous workshops, pitch competitions and founder stories geared towards promoting business ventures will take place March 9-14.  Sam McCabe, director for the Center of Entrepreneurship and Community Development at Loyola University of New Orleans, gives us the details. The Marigny Opera Ballet continues its season with two premieres celebrating Louisiana culture and traditions. The two newly commissioned works, “Homecoming” and “Un Autre Soir…Another Evening,” will be accompanied by music composed and performed live by indie group Sweet Crude.  Marigny Opera Ballet executive director Dave Hurlbert and choreographers Shane Urton and Amalia Najera tell us more.  A brutal winter storm dealt some heavy blows to the South in January, when ice, sleet and freezing rain swept across the region. Across the Gulf States, thousands were left without power, with hundreds of outages persisting in northern Mississippi. While government services are still moving to reach people, communities are working together to recover. Elise Gregg of the Gulf States Newsroom and Mississippi Public Broadcasting tells us 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!

    24 min

  8. MAR 2

    Lawsuit challenges abortion pills; new system to track synthetic opioids; exhibit on late Gov. Kathleen Blanco

    Reproductive health is back in federal court. Louisiana lawyers are trying to persuade a federal judge to issue a preliminary injunction against an FDA rule that allows abortion medication to be prescribed through telemedicine and sent through the mail. This is just the latest step in the anti-abortion campaign working to make abortion pills more difficult to access.  Mother Jones reporter Nina Martin joins us with the latest.  An LSU professor has developed a new method to track synthetic opioids through wastewater. He developed the system alongside an undergraduate and a graduate student.  Bikram Subedi, assistant professor of environmental sciences at LSU, tells us more about this process.  The Bayou Teche Museum in New Iberia has opened a new exhibit celebrating the life and career of Louisiana’s first and only female governor, Kathleen Blanco.  Blanco, a democrat, was Louisiana’s 54th governor and served from 2004 to 2008.  She led the state through the devastation caused by two hurricanes less than a month apart — Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Museum curator Misty Pride tells us more about Blanco’s career and what viewers can find inside.  — 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!

    24 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

“Louisiana Considered” showcases South Louisiana's biggest stories and features interviews with journalists, newsmakers, and artists. The show is a collaboration between the WWNO and WRKF newsrooms.  Airs Monday through Friday at noon. 

Information

  • Creator
    WWNO/WRKF Newsroom
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1.2K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Louisiana Considered

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