
The Light Switch
The Light Switch is a weekly podcast from the Louisiana Illuminator covering Louisiana politics.
Latest Episodes
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We've got the latest developments on the Louisiana law that treats reproductive health medication as controlled dangerous substances. Also, there's a rising business trend of investment groups buying care facilities for the disabled and elderly. Learn why regulators are concerned. Plus, Alabama is paying a lot of settlements to incarcerated people who've sued for being abused while behind bars. But guess who's making even more money?
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Louisiana counts more than 4,000 children in the foster care system and not quite 2,000 foster homes. Right away, you can see the math doesn’t work. We gain perspective from those involved in Louisiana’s foster care system to see if and how the gaps can be filled.
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Gov. Jeff Landry is pushing for dramatic changes to ethics laws in Louisiana, a state not exactly known for its pristine political reputation. Senior reporter Julie O'Donoghue has been covering this story from the get-go and brings us up to speed on the proposals. She also talks with the leader of the state's top good government watchdog group about his concerns over the legislation. Finally, we'll check in on how Indiana is dealing with new U.S. naturalization policies.
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Louisiana lawmakers are deciding whether to ban or regulate kratom. Its proponents say the herbal substance has helped them conquer anxiety, depression and opioid addiction. Its detractors say kratom is just as dangerous as the drugs it purports to replace. Host Greg LaRose shares stories from people on both sides of the debate.
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This week’s edition of The Light Switch dives into the debate over Louisiana’s vanishing wetlands. Host Greg LaRose explores the topic with reporter Elise Plunk, who literally has stepped into the latest research on coastal restoration. She also spoke with a leading expert in the field of wetlands restoration science about the future of the state’s fragile coast. And in this week’s News from the States segment, we look at the Rhode Island road kill menu.
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This week on The Light Switch from the Louisiana Illuminator, host Greg LaRose talks to reporter Piper Hutchinson, who recently attended the Angola Prison Rodeo. She shares details on the educational aspects behind the event – as well as what participants think about the negative views outsiders have of the rodeo. Piper also talked with a former Angola inmate who's now helping others prepare for life outside of prison.
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This week on The Light Switch form the Louisiana Illuminator, host Greg LaRose talks to reporter Wesley Mulller about efforts to ban an app for high-end restaurant reservations trading. Wesley then caught up with Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple to discuss his efforts to lower insurances costs and why he and the Governor aren't seeing eye to eye. We then conclude with this week's News from the States which brings us to Florida for a viral story regarding a US citizen who was held under arrest due to a suspended immigration law. Greg talks to Florida Phoenix reporter Jackie Llanos for the details.
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This week on The Light Switch form the Louisiana Illuminator, host Greg LaRose talks to reporter Piper Hutchinson about the challenging fiscal times Louisiana public universities are facing, Piper then talks to Rick Gallot president of the University of Louisiana system. We conclude with this week's News from the States which brings us to Idaho for a very specific new public indecency law, Greg chats with Idaho Capital Sun reporter Kyle Pfannenstiel about what the laws bans
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Welcome to The Light Switch, a weekly podcast covering Louisiana politics from the Louisiana Illuminator. What better time to kick off our podcast than on the eve of the Louisiana legislative session. Host Greg LaRose will chat about the upcoming session with reporter Julie O'Donoghue followed by an interview she had with the President of the Louisiana Senate Cameron Henry, and we'll finish up with a look at where else measles cases are popping up outside of Texas.