It’s been nearly three years since landmark settlements were reached between states and major opioid producers. Since then, roughly $100 million has been dispersed to combat addiction, but it's unclear how much of that money has been spent so far.    The Current’s Alena Mashke joins us for more on the lack of spending transparency.  From Star Wars to Jurassic Park, Hollywood movies and TV shows have long relied on special effects to bring supernatural stories to life. This process often involves sculpting, puppetry, animatronics and technology – and has many times involved Louisiana native and Emmy-award winning special effects artist, Lee Romaire. Romaire grew up in Morgan City, Louisiana, before attending LSU and later moving to Hollywood to pursue a career in the industry. He joins us now for more on his 25 years in special effects and how his background in taxidermy set the foundation for his career. Tomorrow night marks the beginning of the 2026 Mardi Gras season. And in New Orleans, the Krewe of Joan of Arc will take to the streets on Twelfth Night. Back in 2018, WWNO’s Jessica Rosgaard spoke with the Krewe’s founder, Amy Kirk Duvosin, about the parade’s history. — 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!

It’s been a chaotic year in state politics. To recap 2025 and look ahead at 2026, we spoke with The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate’s editorial director and columnist, Stephanie Grace. Walt Handelsman, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for The Advocate | The Times-Picayune, is set to retire after four decades in the business. He joins us on today’s show to discuss his career and what he’s doing next. 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!

Student attendance dropped in New Orleans-area schools last week as immigration sweeps ramped up across the region. Many parents are keeping their students home in fear of raids from border patrol. Aubri Juhasz speaks with some of the families about how they’re handling the situation. Over the weekend, Australia’s Jewish community faced the country’s largest mass shooting in 30 years, when two gunmen attacked a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi Beach in Sydney. The gunmen — a father and son — opened fire as attendants lit candles, ate donuts, painted faces and marked the start of the festival of lights. So far, at least 15 have been reported dead and at least 27 injured. For more on this tragedy, we are joined by Rabbi Mendel Rivkin, of Chabad of Louisiana. He discusses how Jews can feel safe amid the global rise in antisemitism, and his personal ties to the Sydney Jewish community, where he served as a rabbinical intern.  The Center for Literacy & Learning is a Louisiana-based nonprofit that helps educators address students with learning differences. CEO Dr. John Wyble tells us more about the center and how their new expansion will help the organization reach more families. — 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 early December, federal agents arrived in New Orleans prepared to arrest thousands of undocumented individuals in an operation dubbed “Catahoula Crunch.” In some cases, agents are arresting parents and taking them from their children. Now, eldest children are often left looking after their younger siblings. Jack Brook, from the Associated Press, has been reporting this story. He joins us today with the latest. Louisiana is an energy state. And a lot has changed for the energy industry under President Donald Trump. While the Biden administration made some big investments in renewable energy, President Trump promised to “Drill, Baby, Drill” and “unleash American energy.”  Today, we look back at the past year to see how Louisiana’s energy industry has changed under this new administration. The Coastal Desk’s Eva Tesfaye and Michael McEwen join us for more. Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, “The Nutcracker,” has long been a staple of the Christmas season. Yesterday on Louisiana Considered, we discussed an upcoming production in Baton Rouge that adds some bayou flavor. Today, we discuss the ballet more broadly and hear about the multiple groups set to perform the work on New Orleans stages.  Lisa Keller MacCurdy, executive director of New Orleans Ballet Theatre, tells us more about what has made the show last. __ 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!

All this year, we’ve been checking in with Christiaan Mader, founder of the Current in Lafayette, Louisiana, for updates on the Acadiana region. He joins us now to reflect on some of the biggest stories from the past year and look to what’s ahead.  On December 20th, Tulane will face off against Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff. If Tulane wins, they’ll go to the Sugar Bowl for the first time since 1939. And while the Green Wave suffered a pretty brutal defeat from Ole Miss back in September, the university’s recent coaching drama may create more opportunities for the New Orleans team to succeed. At the helm of Tulane is quarterback Jake Retzlaff, who's been generating a following for his performance and demeanor both on and off the field. He formerly played at Brigham Young University, where he dove further into his Jewish faith at the predominantly Mormon school. Retzlaff faced a civil lawsuit that accused him of sexually assaulting a Salt Lake County woman in November 2023. The lawsuit was dismissed on June 30 after "the two sides agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice." Retzlaff transferred to Tulane instead of likely facing a seven-game suspension for violating BYU’s honor code, which requires students abstain from premarital sex.  Retzlaff joins us for more on his journey to Tulane, how he’s raising the profile of Jewish athletes and his approach to the playoffs.  The Louisiana holiday staple “The Nutcracker – A Tale from the Bayou” returns to the Baton Rouge stage next week, featuring professional ballet dancer Emilia Perkins. This is a homecoming for Perkins, who first danced in the production when she was just four.   She joins us now to talk about the impact it’s had on her life and career, and what it is like to take the stage in her hometown as the Sugar Plum Fairy.  — 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!

The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council passed the city-parish’s 2026 budget Tuesday. This budget season was marked by an attempt to make up for a budget deficit. Ultimately, Mayor-President Sid Edwards proposed a budget that features near-across-the-board 11% cuts and a 33% reduction in staff.  Baton Rouge metro reporter and Report for America corps member Alex Cox joins us to break down the budget.  Earlier this fall, an exhibit opened at the Whitney Plantation to pay tribute to enslaved women whose hands were stained blue with dye. Titled “Indigeaux: Yes, Spirit. I’ll Go…” the exhibit features hand-dyed textiles and original artwork that draws attention to the role of indigo in plantation history. Leia Lewis is the artist and educator behind the exhibition. She joins us for more.  This year, fans are anxiously awaiting the start of the college football playoffs, when Tulane will face off against Ole Miss. But back in 1970, it was an Ole Miss quarterback who had his would-be home of New Orleans rooting for him, when a young Archie Manning stepped on the field at Tulane for the Sugar Bowl. By the end of the game, Manning earned the title of MVP. In this edition of The Historic New Orleans Collection’s first-person narrative series, NOLA Life Stories, Manning reflects on that formative game and the many that followed. — 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!

Plastics are everywhere. In the clothes we wear, the food we eat, and even running through our brains. While environmental concerns like pollution, toxic spills and trash islands make the problem feel insurmountable, a new book aims to break down the major issue into solvable problems.  “The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late" was written by Judith Anck, founder and president of Beyond Plastic, and Adam Mahoney, climate and environmental reporter for Capital B News. Adam joins us for more on the book. The National Institutes of Health recently awarded a research grant to LSU Health to support its research into patients living with HIV-AIDS. Specifically, researchers will study how alcohol use and other issues affect patients with the virus. Dr. Patricia Molina, senior associate dean for research at the LSU School of Medicine, and director of the Comprehensive Alcohol-HIV/AIDS Research Center, and Dr. David Welsh, LSU professor of medicine in pulmonary and critical care medicine, join us to discuss their research.  — 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!

It's official: Tulane is headed to the college football playoff. The Green Wave punched their ticket in a Saturday 34 to 21 win against North Texas. Now, they’ll face Ole Miss, along with their new coach, Pete Golding, on December 20 in Oxford. Jeff Duncan, reporter for the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate, spoke with WWNO’s Alana Schreiber for more on Tulane’s journey to the playoffs. The Black Film Festival of New Orleans, now in its 8th year, opened over the weekend and continues through the weekend in venues across the Crescent City. The festival aims to promote Black filmmakers and actors, featuring stories about Black communities and experiences.  Executive director Gian Smith joins us to share details on how viewers can attend screening events or watch at home. Running for office this year, Calvin Duncan wasn't your typical candidate. He first spent decades in prison for a crime he was wrongfully convicted of. He won his race and is set to take office as the Orleans Parish clerk of criminal court. The Gulf States Newsroom's Kat Stromquist recently sat down with Duncan at his home to discuss his plans for the clerk's office. __ 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!

U.S. Customs and Border Protection ramped up enforcement in the New Orleans area last week. Officials say the operation, known as “Catahoula Crunch,” aims to arrest 5,000 criminals who are in the country illegally. Reporter for The Times-Picayune/The Advocate, Lara Nicholson, joins us with an update.  The United Way of Southeast Louisiana is expanding its footprint of one-stop financial capability centers, called Prosperity Centers. They open in areas where more than half of parish households are facing financial hardship. The latest center opened this month in St. Bernard Parish and will offer an assortment of free, year-round financial services. United Way CEO Michael Williamson joins us to discuss how the organization is addressing financial needs for low-income families. An audit released this month finds that Louisiana ranks near the bottom among states and U.S. territories for the collection of child support payments. The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s review of the Child Support Enforcement Program run through the Department of Children and Family Services found the agency collected just over half of court-obligated payments last year.  Editor for the Louisiana Illuminator, Greg LaRose, joins us with more on the results of the audit. — 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!

This is part 1 of a 2-part series exploring the future of farming seafood in the Gulf. Americans eat a lot of farmed seafood — but the vast majority of it comes from overseas. We just don’t farm fish on a big scale in U.S. waters. Now that might start to change. There are proposals to build massive fish farms in U.S. federal waters. And guess which coast is likely to be the first home for these new farms? You guessed it, the Gulf. So is this a miracle cure or a looming ecological disaster? ----- This series is produced in partnership with the Food and Environment Reporting Network. This episode was hosted by Carlyle Calhoun and Boyce Upholt. Boyce also reported this episode. Editing by Jack Rodolico. Carlyle Calhoun is the executive producer. The episode was fact-checked by Garrett Hazelwood. Our theme music is by Jon Batiste, and our sound designer is Emily Jankowski. Voices featured at the top of the episode in order of appearance: Melvin Jackman in Newfoundland, Fay Orfanidou in Greece, Nick Underdown in Scotland, and Leticia Caro and Claudio Carocca in Chile. Sea Change is a WWNO and WRKF production. We are part of the NPR Podcast Network and distributed by PRX. Sea Change is made possible with major support from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Sea Change is also supported by the Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans. WWNO’s Coastal Desk is supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Meraux Foundation, and the Greater New Orleans Foundation.

Conditions at an ICE processing center in Pine Prairie, Louisiana, are reported to have deteriorated over the past year. There are multiple reports of overcrowding, and a lack of beds, hygiene products and medical care at the Evangeline Parish facility. Verite News’ Bobbie-Jeanne Misick joins us for more on these findings.  Often, the conversation around childcare revolves around the high costs of enrollment, low wages for workers and barriers to access. But a new study by the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children offers insights into at-home childcare options that can support working or struggling families. The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children highlights the way that families and home-based care fill in the gaps in that system, and the struggles the people providing that care at home face. Research and policy director at LPIC Mattilyn Karst Batson tells us more about the childcare alternatives. Historic preservation and revitalization are two of the central values of the Louisiana Main Street organization. The program seeks to help communities develop sustainable strategies to preserve historic assets and stimulate economies. The organization’s director, Ray Scriber, tells us more about the organization’s successes and its recent pivot to the Lafayette metro area. — 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!

Louisiana’s surgeon general has been critical of vaccines. Now, Dr. Ralph Abraham has a new job as the second-in-command at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  WWNO and WRKF’s Rosemary Westwood has spent the year reporting on Abraham’s leadership at the Louisiana Department of Health. She joins us for more on his appointment and why some doctors have been critical.  The once-mundane process of college accreditation has become political, ever since the Trump administration began targeting universities’ diversity, equity and inclusion mandates. Now, six southern schools have formed their own accreditation agency rather than rely on the national model that has been around for decades.  Reporter for Stateline Robbie Sequeira tells us more about the Trump administration’s ongoing influence in higher education. __ 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!

Over the weekend, LSU announced that Lane Kiffin would take on the job of head football coach. This comes after a weekslong search following coach Brian Kelly's ouster earlier this season. Kiffin will come to LSU from Ole Miss, and the mid-season switch is already generating a strong reaction, with the New York Times dubbing the move an “all-time hypocrisy in college football.” Koki Riley covers LSU baseball and football for the Baton Rouge Advocate. He joins us for more on Kiffin’s decision and Gov. Jeff Landry’s role in his hiring.  A new study from Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute found that while rates of sexual and physical violence are down in Louisiana, more than half of adults in the state will experience violence in their lifetimes.  Executive director of the Newcomb Institute, Anita Raj, joins us to break down the study.  Nicholls State University has partnered with the Audubon Aquarium and the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program to launch the first-ever turtle hatchling initiative in Louisiana. The tiny terrapins will enjoy their new home at the Audubon Aquarium while they gain weight before being returned to a protected marsh.  Tim Clay, associate professor of biology at Nicholls State University, tells us more about the program.  — 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!

After New Yorkers elected democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani as their new mayor, Louisiana’s Economic Development (LED) forum took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal that said, “In Louisiana, we value capitalism, not socialism.” Gov. Jeff Landry was also on Fox News to promote the campaign to attract New York-based businesses to the state.  Capitol Access reporter Brooke Thorington spoke to LED Secretary Susan Bourgeois about the advertisement. Louisiana company NovaSpark Energy says it has developed the world’s first mobile atmospheric hydrogen generator. The machine uses electricity and air to produce hydrogen that can power energy-hungry devices, such as those used in the defense industry or in disaster recovery scenarios. Now, NovaSpark Energy is partnering with another Louisiana-based company, Maven Scouts, and LSU’s FUEL Energy Institute to figure out how to commercialize this technology and employ veterans. CEO of NovaSpark Energy, Rick Harlow, and founder and CEO of MavenScouts, Grant Rogers, join us for more. In Baton Rouge, the charitable organization St. Vincent DePaul is offering a free Thanksgiving meal. It aims to give those who attend the feeling of a family sitting down for the holiday. WRKF's Report for America corps member, Alex Cox, spoke with Sunnie Johnson-Laine, the CEO and president of the Baton Rouge St. Vincent DePaul, to talk about the significance of the day. — 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!

Last week, news broke that roughly 250 U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were headed to south Louisiana for an operation dubbed “The Swamp Sweep.”  As agents aim to arrest close to 5,000 undocumented people, fear and concern are growing within immigrant communities, and among educators and advocates.  To help us understand what’s ahead — and what rights people have — WWNO’s Sara Henegan spoke with Marco Balducci, an immigration attorney in New Orleans, and Laila Hlass, professor of Immigration Law at Tulane University. Report cards are out for Louisiana’s public schools. The state’s overall score inched up again this year, and many schools earned higher grades.  But that’s expected to change next year under the state’s new accountability system. WWNO and WRKF’s education reporter, Aubri Juhasz, joins us to break down these findings.   __ 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!

You’ve probably heard of Ruby Bridges, the first grader who helped desegregate New Orleans’ public schools in 1960. But have you heard of the three other girls who desegregated another local elementary school that same morning? Aubri Juhasz takes us to that school — now a museum — where students are learning why the fight for equitable education isn’t over. The acting head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has resigned. David Richardson only spent about six months in the position, and was known for being inaccessible during the early hours of the Texas flood disaster over the summer. Sarah Labowitz, senior fellow in the Sustainability, Climate and Geopolitics program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, tells us more about what this means for the agency.  The holidays are usually a season of joy — family gatherings, big meals and celebration. But for people in recovery, it can be one of the hardest times of the year. Stress, travel, financial pressure and constant social drinking all add up. Relapse rates spike between December and January. Two people who know that struggle personally are Dan Forman and Chris Copeland. They’re both in long-term recovery and the co-founders of NOLA Detox, a New Orleans–based recovery center that’s reimagining what addiction treatment can look like.  The Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins sat down with them to discuss strategies to stay sober through the holidays, and what families can do to support struggling loved ones. — 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!

As AI technology gets bigger and bigger, so do data centers. Meta is building the largest data center in the world in a small Louisiana town. It’ll have a footprint nearly the size of Manhattan, and the construction has brought an onslaught of heavy traffic. An investigation from the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins found that trucks contracted to work at the Meta facility are causing delays and dangerous roads for the people who live there. There are few writers as closely associated with New Orleans as Anne Rice. Born and raised in the Irish Channel, Rice was famous for her Gothic fiction, notably The Vampire Chronicles. Throughout her career, she never forgot her New Orleans upbringing and Catholic roots, which played major roles in her writings. She died in 2021 Earlier this month, the Orpheum Theater honored her life with An All Saints Day Celebration. And the celebration will be broadcast worldwide this Thanksgiving on AnneRice.com. Anne’s son, Christopher Rice, and friend, Eric Shaw Quinn, produced the event and documentary. They join us for more on Anne’s life and legacy. ___ Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Alana Schreiber. Our managing producer is Alana Schrieber. 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!

Over 4000 anthropologists have descended on New Orleans for the American Anthropological Association’s annual meeting. They’re here to share their latest research, professionally develop and do a little networking.  Their theme is Ghosts, thanks to New Orleans’ reputation as “the most haunted city in America.” Anthropologist and host of the podcast Sonic Anthropology Radio, Tom Miller, joins us with more.  Each week, award-winning columnist Tammy C. Barney publishes a column in “Back in the Day,” a series from Verite News. She explores often-overlooked chapters in Louisiana history, including profiles on historical figures and deep dives into the state’s French and Spanish colonial history.  Barney joins us now for more on her column with a historical bent, and her long and accomplished career in journalism.  If preparations for your Thanksgiving dinner involve making reservations, reporter on food and lifestyle for the Times Picayune/The Advocate, Ian McNulty, has some advice. He joins us today with insights on dining out during the holidays. — 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!

Roughly 250 agents are set to come to New Orleans for an immigration crackdown dubbed the “Swamp Sweep.” Agents are aiming to arrest 5,0000 undocumented people in southeast Louisiana and Mississippi.  Jack Brook reported this story for The Associated Press. He joins us with the latest.  Loyola University’s School of Music and Theatre Professions was recently recognized as a top music business school of 2025 by Billboard Magazine. Loyola joins the ranks of schools like Berklee College of Music, the University of Southern California and Belmont University in Nashville. This comes as Loyola is building its own hub for music business entrepreneurship and on-the-job education – it’s known as Wolf Moon Entertainment and involves partnering with the venue Gasa Gasa. Kate Duncan, director of Loyola’s School of Music and Theatre Professions, and Tim Kappel, associate director and professor of practice in music law, join us for more. Last month, two Louisiana doctors performed the first robotic pediatric spinal surgeries in the Gulf South. Ochsner Children’s doctors Lawrence Haber and Ryan Farmer work with patients with varying degrees of scoliosis. Now, technology is helping them to straighten patients’ spines. Pediatric orthopedic surgeons Both doctors join us for more on the future of technology in surgery. — 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

Over the weekend, Thrive EBR, the tax rededication plan meant to help pull East Baton Rouge out of a $21 million deficit, failed on all three measures. This means the 2026 budget will include nearly 11% cuts to departments across the board and 33% cuts to staff, at the very least. Report for America Corps member Alex Cox tells us more about what this means for the parish.  Residents of New Orleans and Baton Rouge weren’t the only ones to go to the polls last weekend. On Saturday, voters in Lafayette Parish weighed in on millages to fund infrastructure projects, road repairs, rural firefighters and a no-kill animal shelter.  Camden Doherty, a reporter for The Current in Lafayette, spoke with WWNO’s Sara Henegan for more.  Arts New Orleans will unveil its latest mural in downtown this week — the 11th large-scale outdoor mural from the organization. The mural collection is titled ‘Unframed’ and sponsored by the Helis Foundation. Artist Annie Moran and strategic projects director from Arts New Orleans, Lindsay Glatz, tell us more about the latest work and an upcoming dedication ceremony.  __ 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!