WWNO skyline header graphic
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Local Newscast
Hear the latest from the WWNO/WRKF Newsroom.

Whooping cough rates surge; LABI releases annual scorecard; early childcare providers face ongoing challenges

The 2025 Louisiana regular legislative session officially adjourned on Thursday, June 12, 2025.
Brooke Thorington
/
WRKF
The 2025 Louisiana regular legislative session officially adjourned on Thursday, June 12, 2025.

Louisiana is dealing with its worst whooping cough outbreak in decades. Hospitalizations have continued to rise over the summer, and two babies have died.

Health reporter Rosemary Westwood joins us for more on the outbreak and why the disease is so dangerous for young babies.

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) has released its annual scorecard, an analysis of the legislature’s performance on a number of policy issues from a business and industry perspective including tort reform, education, energy diversity and taxes.

Will Green, President and CEO of the LABI, joins us to break down the results.

According to the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, early childcare providers continue to face low pay and longer hours than K-12 educators.

Mattilyn Karst Batson, research & policy director for the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, tells us more about these challenges.

—-

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!

Adam is responsible for coordinating WRKF's programming and making sure everything you hear on the radio runs smoothly. He is Newscast Editor for the WRKF/WWNO Newsroom. Adam is also the Baton Rouge-based host for Louisiana Considered, our daily regional news program, and is frequently the local voice afternoons on All Things Considered.
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.