A few weeks ago, allegations surfaced that the Baton Rouge Police Department had been using a police warehouse as an unmonitored interrogation chamber. The facility – known within the department as the “Brave Cave,” was shut down in August. The scandal has led to one officer’s resignation, and the city’s street crimes unit has been disbanded. Earlier this week, a woman filed a lawsuit accusing BRPD officers of sexual battery at the facility.
Lara Nicholson has been covering this story for The Advocate, and she joins us today for an update on the investigation.
New Orleans’ trees are in trouble. First, there are the live oaks, which provide those mossy tree canopies that line our city streets – and which have been falling down. One falling tree causedsevere brain damage to a teenage tourist back in July. And many of the city’s palm trees are suffering from a disease known as “lethal bronzing,” which has already spread through six parishes.
Jessie Mudge, owner and lead arborist at NOLA Tree Solutions, tells us about the consequences of sick and falling trees – and how we can better preserve arbor health in an urban landscape.
The primary election is coming up in October, so this week, we are replaying our interviews with the major candidates for governor.
Today, we re-air a conversation with Attorney General Jeff Landry. The Republican candidate is the frontrunner in the race – and, much like Donald Trump, the early frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination – Landry has abstained from most of the debates. Last week, he made what is expected to be his single debate appearance of the primary season, in a televised event with the other major candidates in Lafayette.
Earlier this year, Landry spoke with the Times Picayune / New Orleans Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace about issues like violent crime, culture wars and abortion access. Today, we give that conversation a second listen.
Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Bob Pavlovich. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber and our assistant producer is Aubry Procell. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman.
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