8/28 Friday: Remembering Hurricane Katrina and the Inflammatory Nature of the "N Word"

HOUR ONE: 

Barry Weinstein

Barry Weinstein is Rabbi at Temple Sinai, Lake Charles, LA and Temple Shalom, Lafayette, LA.  He remarks on the changes Hurricane Katrina brought to Baton Rouge. 

Ivor van Heerden

Ivor van Heerden is the former Director of the LSU Hurricane Center.  After being wrongly dismissed, he wrote a book about Katrina called The Storm.  He is also the director of the Center for the Study of Public Health Impacts of Hurricanes.  

Gubernatorial Q&A

John Bel Edwards: "I welcome transparency, and I welcome sunshine." 
David Vitter: "I have a complete record of strong transparency...  I will continue holding in person town hall meetings in every parish of the state." 
Scott Angelle: "My administration will be more transparent than any other.  I will post my daily schedule online everyday." 
Jay Dardenne: "You can rest assured that when I travel out of state, it will be to bring business to Louisiana..." 

HOUR TWO: 

Kym Carter

Kym Carter is a former Olympian and current Director of the Carl Lewis foundation.  She comments on the use of the 'N word.' 

Musheer Robinson

Musheer Robinson joins us from the Louisiana NAACP and further discusses use of the 'N word.'

Gus Weill

Gus Weill is a Louisiana politico and author.  He discusses the changes Louisiana has undergone in the ten years post Hurricane Katrina. 

7/30 Thursday: Israel, Lafayette Theater Shooting, Lt. Gov. Candidate John Young, and the LSU Reveille

HOUR ONE: 

Mike Wagenheim

Mike Wagenheim is the Assistant Athletic Director of Communications at Nicholls State University.  He is moving to Israel.  Wagenheim shares his reasoning behind the move, stating that his religion, Judaism, is not the sole motivator but rather a desire to pursue a new chapter in his life.  

Barry Weinstein

Rabbi Barry Weinstein has served Temples in Omaha Nebraska and Baton Rouge.  He started serving Temple Shalom in Lafayette, LA in the fall of 2008.  Weinstein shares his reaction to the Lafayette Theater Shooting.  He also discusses the Iran Deal and Mike Huckabee's comments.  

Gubernatorial Q&A

In light of the Lafayette movie theater shooting, as governor would you push for legislation to require background checks at gun shows when firearms are purchased from private individuals?  Also, is there anything that you would push for as governor that could possibly prevent another mass shooting? 

David Vitter: "This certainly highlights the need to focus on mental health issues, which is already addressed in my plan Louisiana Strong...criminal justice reform."
Scott Angelle: "We must be enforcing current laws... ensure we are keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals... not using this tragedy as a reason to restrict a right... or keep guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens
John Bel Edwards: "47th state in mental health workforce availability... fight to increase access to mental health availability... reinvest in mental health services in Louisiana"
Jay Dardenne: "I have no intentions of pushing legislation on background checks for gun shows... We need assessment and treatment options that will be cost effectives for Louisiana." 

911 Calls from Lafayette Theater Shooting

The 911 calls from the Lafayette Theater Shooting are played.  

HOUR TWO: 

John Young

John Young was elected Jefferson Parish President in 2010.  He is now running for Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana.  Today, he shares with Jim his campaign message and what he will do for Louisiana.  "Every part of this state has something unique to offer," Young says, "I think our best days are ahead of us.  We're getting ready to mark 10 years since Hurricane Katrina and we turned that negative into a positive."

Steve Buttry

Steve Buttry is the Director of Student Media at LSU.  LSU student media leaders are considering cutting the Reveille print frequency.  He shares the decline in print media in most universities, even universities with strong journalism programs.  

FRIDAY: National Book Award Winner, La'El Collins Investigation, January 1973, Louisiana Legislative Session, and Religious Freedom

HOUR ONE: 

Author Kimberley Willis Holt shares her book Dear Hank Williams which won the National Book Award.  She shares her inspirations for this book and her love for Louisiana.  "At some point she knows he's not going to answer her.  It's almost like a journal to her."

Louisiana Radio Network's Michelle Southern comments on LSU lineman La'El Collins as a person of interest in the investigation of his pregnant ex-girlfriend's homicide.  He was kept out of the first round of drafts.  

"They haven't even said he's not a suspect at this time.  They've just said he's not a suspect," Michelle says.  

Author James Robenalt shares his book January 1973.  Robenalt is a trial lawyer.  He discusses the Vietnam War, Roe Vs. Wade, and the day LBJ died.  "It's so ironic that on the day the Vietnam War is ending, Johnson dies." 

HOUR TWO: 

Investigative Reporter Peter Kovacs moved to the Advocate to become the editor after being the editor for the Times Picayune.  He will discuss the newspaper industry. 

Kovacs graduated from Brown University.  He jokes that although Governor Jindal also graduated from Brown, he <Jindal> must have studied harder.  

In the last measurement of newspaper circulations, the Advocate has been deemed the largest Louisiana newspaper.  "I think the Advocate is the only newspaper in America that is growing." 

They discuss the appointment of F. King Alexander as LSU President.  

"We do not intend to endorse," Kovacs says of the four candidates for governor.  

"Edwards was interesting mostly because there were so many chapters of Edwin Edwards," he says, "I think Edwards could have been a great governor." 

Rabbi Barry Weinstein and Reverend David Diamond debate religious freedom, gay rights, and marriage equality.  They each comment on Governor Jindal's support of the Marriage and Conscience Act.  

Diamond agrees with Governor Bobby Jindal that if someone won't come to Louisiana because of the Marriage and Conscious Act, then, "Go somewhere else." 

Weinstein disagrees and says, "In no way are these couples <gay couples> an abomination." 

 


WEDNESDAY: Jerome Dee Richard, Barry Weinstein, Joan Borysenko

HOUR ONE: 

State Representative Jerome Dee Richard is working to strip the governor's line out of veto.  "Other states do it," Richard says, "call for automatic veto session.  It would mainly be for bills that pass with 2/3 vote."  

He comments on the budget proposal by Governor Jindal.  He asserts, "We have a spending issue not a revenue issue."  

Richard is an independent from Thibodaux, Louisiana.  They discuss a bill the representative introduced last year to allow voters to be identified as independent.  

He continues commenting on the effects of the budget cuts on higher education.  

"That's something I can't be supportive of," Richard says of the inventory tax.  

HOUR TWO: 

Rabbi Barry Weinstein joins the show to comment on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's recent speech on Iran.  "I think our good President Obama is doing his best to minimize what could have been one of the most important statements about Iran."  Jim comments, "I think he <Prime Minister Netanyahu> speaks better English than most members of Congress." 

They discuss Nancy Pelosi's reaction to the speech.  

"They do not particularly like each other, but I think Netanyahu gives important respect to the President," Weinstein comments.  72% of the people in Israel believe President Obama will not limit nuclear arms in Iran.  "There is an existential threat to the viability of Israel should Iran become nuclear," Weinstein affirms.  Israel would fit four times in the state of Louisiana.

"Israel is, in many respects, a theocracy," Rabbi Weinstein says in response to the question of separation of church and state in Israel.  "One has to hope that there will eventually be peace in all the countries in the Middle East," Weinstein comments, citing that Israel's anthem means 'hope'.  

Weinstein says that he thinks Prime Minister Netanyahu has a "pretty good shot" at reelection.  "I think winning or losing, his speech in Congress will be faulted or credited.. but no doubt it will go down in history as one of the major moments in Israel."  

A caller questions the motives of Netanyahu's visit to the United States.  "My belief is, bottom line, he did it as a sincere man to stand up for Israel." 

Dr. Joan Borysenko discusses the mind and body spiritual connection.  99% of human DNA is microbial DNA.  She promotes her upcoming event Scholar in Residence: Spiritual Awakening Seminar.   

TUESDAY: Rabbi Barry Weinstein and State Treasurer John Kennedy

HOUR ONE: 

Rabbi Barry Weinstein joins us to comment on the Governor's recent prayer rally and the Israeli Prime Minister's upcoming visit to the United States.  Weinstein gives a positive opinion on Jay Dardenne, the first Jewish state official in Louisiana.  

He remembers a tornado that took his synagogue in Omaha in 1965.  
Rabbi Weinstein says there are 12-15 synagogues in the state of Louisiana.

The Auschwitz prison camp was liberated 70 years ago today.  

Rabbi Weinstein asserts that he himself has never experienced discrimination for his religion. 

He affirms he did denounce David Duke when Duke ran for office in 1991. 

"Republican parties have been more friendly and empathic to the state of Israel.  I lament the current administration... I'm very proud of Israel, even with the weaknesses and mistakes," Weinstein says, "which we all have."  He also comments on the war in Iraq and the state of Palestinians in Israel. 

"What a marvelous rally it would have been if he would have said it was a rally for all religions and beliefs," Weinstein says of the recent prayer rally. 

HOUR TWO: 

State Treasure John Kennedy discusses Louisiana's budget.  "We have to look at our spending side first," Kennedy says, "I don't think taxes will solve our problems... People want discipline." 

The projected deficit for Louisiana for 2016 is over 1 billion dollars.  67% of the higher education budget has been cut over the past 7 years.  Louisiana universities are about 35% below the national average of spending per student. 

When asked if he is running for governor, Kennedy says, "I'm trying to work through and consider if, where, and how I can best contribute, but I haven't made a decision." 

"49% of all of the children born this year will be born into families where the mother is not married to the father" is the biggest problem in our state according to Kennedy.  

The Treasurer comments on the upcoming race for the governor and speculates about a potential presidential run for current Governor Jindal.  

Republicans hold 31 governor offices and the majority of said governors engaged in the Grover Norquist Pledge.