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What’s on deck at Essence Fest 2025; fortified roof bill heads to Senate floor; Verite series on the legacy of slavery

Cover photo of the 2025 Essence Magazine Hurricane Katrina 20th Anniversary issue
Courtesy of Essence Festival
Cover photo of the 2025 Essence Magazine Hurricane Katrina 20th Anniversary issue

A bill recently advanced in the state Legislature that would give a $10,000 tax break to property owners who install a fortified roof. This comes after a recent study found that houses with fortified roofs in coastal Alabama were nearly 75% less likely to file insurance claims after hurricanes. This bill moves forward while a different insurance bill, written by state Senator Royce Duplesis, died in committee.

Capitol Access reporter Brooke Thorington spoke to Duplesis about what comes next.

A new series from Verite News tells the story of slavery in New Orleans. Titled, “Devil’s Bargain,” the essays recount how the slave trade came to the city, sustained the economy and left a terrible legacy. Verite News’ editor-in-chief Terry Baquet and former managing editor Tim Morris tell us more.

The Essence Festival of Culture is one month away, but boots were on the ground last week as executives visited in advance of the “party with a purpose.”

Michele Ghee, Chief Content Officer at Essence Ventures, gives us a sneak peak of this year's festival.

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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.

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"This is NPR's Morning Edition, at 89.9 WWNO. Good Morning, I'm Diane Mack."
Alana Schreiber is the managing producer for the live daily news program, Louisiana Considered. She comes to WWNO from KUNC in Northern Colorado, where she worked as a radio producer for the daily news magazine, Colorado Edition. She has previously interned for Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul.