227. Fatima Shaik

227. Our interview with Fatima Shaik. Fatima is an American writer of children’s and adult literature, and former journalist. Her literature explores the human spirit and the intersection of cultures, notably themes of family, community, and justice. Publishers Weekly described her as “knowledgeable and perceptive.” Her work across genres reflects her career as a journalist and fiction writer to use a variety of literary forms in order to explore contemporary social issues, especially that of the "African-American experience." Shaik’s continuing research on the Société d’Economie, the founders of the jazz incubator Economy Hall, has received support from the Louisiana Endowment of the Humanities and the Kittredge Fund.

1. This week in Louisiana history. September 23, 1810. In the early morning hours of Sept. 23, 75 armed rebels slipped into the Spanish fort at Baton Rouge, and in what was described as a "sharp and bloody firefight," subdued the garrison. They lowered the Spanish flag and raised the Bonnie Blue Flag — a single white star on a blue field — that had been adopted for the new nation they called West Florida.
2. This week in New Orleans history.  Allison Miner.Jazz Fest Founder. Born on September 23, 1949. When the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival first began [the second incarnation of it] in 1969, it was radical...founders Quint Davis, George Wein, and Allison Miner created a safe space for New Orleanians to come together, to hear each others’ music and to party -- together.  Eve Abrams brings us this profile of Allison Miner, a titan in New Orleans music, and the only person with a Jazz Fest stage named for her:
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival
   September 20th, 2017 - September 24th, 2017
   Various Venues
   New Iberia, LA 70560
   337-369-9323
   Website | Email
   Street fair, Fais Do-Do, Coronation of Queen Sugar, Blessing of the Crop, photo & art exhibits, boat parade, Louisiana Sugar Cane parade, children’s parade and much more.

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226. Anne Butler

226. This week's interview is with Anne Butler.  Anne is a native of St. Francisville and operates a bed and breakfast at the Butler Greenwood Plantation, which has been in her family since the 1790s. Motivated by her love of culture, she has reached a wide audience through articles published in the Los Angeles Times, Country Woman, New Orleans Magazine, and Country Road. She is also the author of Pelican's Audubon Plantation Country Cookbook, Bayou Plantation Country Cookbook, Acadian Plantation Country Cookbook, The Pelican Guide to Plantation Homes of Louisiana, and her memoir, Weep for the Living.

1. This week in Louisiana history. September 17, 1712. Antoine Crozat receives royal charter giving exclusive trading rights to Louisiana.
2. This week in New Orleans history. The Beatles at City Park Stadium. Wednesday, September 16, 1964. A sellout crowd of 27,000-plus New Orleanians, most of them young girls, filled City Park Stadium on Wednesday, September 16, 1964 to "meet" The Beatles.  General admission tickets sold for $5.00 ($4.32 plus taxes).  Opening the 8:00 P.M. show were New Orleans' own Frogman Henry, Jackie deShannon, and The Bill Black Combo.
         Mayor Victor H. Schiro issued a proclamation declaring the date “Beatles Day in New Orleans”.  Most news reports from the day fail to include that September 16,  1964 was Yom Kippur and many businesses were closed in observation of the Jewish holy day.  
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival
   September 15th, 2017 - September 16th, 2017
   Riverbank Stage
   Natchitoches Tourism,
   780 Front Street, Ste. 100,
   Natchitoches, LA 71457
   800-259-1714
   Website | Email
   Riverbank Stage
   This is the festival that celebrates Natchitoches' famous meat pies! Join us to celebrate these extremely tasty, hot homemade pies. Enjoy live music and dancing along the banks of the Cane River, kid activities, arts and crafts and more.
   
4. Postcard from Louisiana.  We listen to the Jackson Square All-Star Brass Band.

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225. Kent Wascom, part 2

225. Listen to part 2 of our interview with Kent Wascom. Kent has written The Blood of Heaven and Secessia. These are historical novels following a family from the Florida Parishes. They follow the adventures of Angel Woolsack, the son of a frontier Baptist preacher, and his descendants against the backdrop of Louisiana history.

1. This week in Louisiana history. September 10, 1935. Gov. Huey P. Long dies after assassination.
2. This week in New Orleans history. Hurricane Betsy was the first tropical cyclone in the Atlantic Basin to cause at least $1 billion (1965 USD) in damage.  It was the third tropical cyclone, second named storm, and second hurricane of the 1965 Atlantic hurricane season.  Betsy entered into the Gulf of Mexico and re-strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on September 9. While approaching the Gulf Coast of the United States, Betsy peaked slightly below the threshold for Category 5 hurricane status. However, further intensification was halted after Betsy made landfall in Grand Isle, Louisiana later on September 9.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   4th Euro-Global Conference on Infectious Diseases
   September 7-9
   9:00 AM
   Venue information:
   Place de France Decatur Street and St. Philip Street New Orleans, LA 70116
   800-216-6499
   http://infection.conferenceseries.com/europe/
   Admission:
   http://infection.conferenceseries.com/europe/registration.php
4. Postcards from Louisiana. This week's postcard is from Alonda de Costa, street artist.

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224. Kent Wascom, Part 1

224. Listen to part 1 of our interview with Kent Wascom. Kent has written The Blood of Heaven and Secessia. These are historical novels following a family from the Florida Parishes. They follow the adventures of Angel Woolsack, the son of a frontier Baptist preacher, and his descendants against the backdrop of Louisiana history.

1. This week in Louisiana history.  September 2, 1772. The 'El Principe de Orange' "was struck by a hurricane...and wrecked at the entrance of the Mississippi River, where she quickly went to pieces, only six survivors."
2. This week in New Orleans history. On September 2, 1909, New Orleans was first linked by rail to Houston.  Amid celebrations and ceremonies the train left the New Orleans Terminal Station at 6:10 A.M.   On board were Ben R. Mayer representing the Mayor of New Orleans, F.B. McQueety, Secretery of the Baton Rouge Board of Trade representing the board, and other officials.  The first stop was at the Edenborn Depot (Gonzales. Louisiana) where large delegations from the board along with businessment in general awaited the train.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   82nd Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival
   August 31st, 2017 - September 4th, 2017
   Downtown Morgan City
   Downtown Morgan City
   715 Second Street,
   Morgan City, LA 70380
   985-385-0703 | 800-256-2931 | Fax
   Website
   Downtown Morgan City
   Tap your toes & tempt your taste buds at Louisiana's oldest state-chartered harvest festival. The four-day extravaganza of family entertainment includes continuous live music by local & national acts, a huge arts & crafts show and sale, a Childrens' Village, the Cajun Culinary Classic, the traditional Blessing of the Fleet and water parade . . . all with no gate fee!
4. Postcard from Louisiana. Bruce listens to street musician Ricky Paulin and chats about his music and stuff.

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Kent Wascom

Ricky Paulin

Ricky Paulin playing by the Cafe du Monde.
from B. Bryant Productions & Films on Vimeo.

223. Tanya Erzen on "God in Captivity"

223. We interview Tanya Erzen about her book God in Captivity, focusing on religion in Louisiana prisons and jails. It is by now well known that the United States’ incarceration rate is the highest in the world. What is not broadly understood is how cash-strapped and overcrowded state and federal prisons are increasingly relying on religious organizations to provide educational and mental health services and to help maintain order. And these religious organizations are overwhelmingly run by nondenominational Protestant Christians who see prisoners as captive audiences. God in Captivity grapples with the questions of how faith-based programs serve the punitive regime of the prison, becoming a method of control behind bars even as prisoners use them as a lifeline for self-transformation and dignity.

1. This week in Louisiana history. August 26, 1895. 'Uncle' Earl Kemp Long born.
2. This week in New Orleans history. August 26th, 1992 (Andrew): Andrew, a major hurricane, slammed into South Florida on August 24th before striking the Louisiana coastline August 26th. Seven people died and 94 were injured across Southern Louisiana during Andrew. Winds reached hurricane force from Lafayette eastward to the Atchafalaya
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   "I'll Be Your Medicine" new sculpture and video works by Marta Anna Rodriguez Maleck and Local Honey. (User Submitted)
   Friday, September 1 - Saturday, September 2
   12:00 PM - 5:00 PM CST
   Venue information:
   Good Children Gallery
   4037 St. Claude Ave.
   New Orleans, LA 70117
   413-478-2586
   http://www.goodchildrengallery.com
   Admission: Free
   New sculpture and video works by Marta Anna Rodriguez Maleck and Local Honey.
4. Postcard from Louisiana. Bruce interviews Laura Janelle McKnight about her reporting on crime in New Orleans.

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222. Tim Reid of Frank's Place, Jason Hackworth.

222. We interview Tim Reid, star of Frank's Place and Treme. Both series were groundbreaking in their approach, and both were unusual in their efforts to portray New Orleans accurately. Tim Reid was in the cast of both of these extraordinary series.
       Also, part 2 of our interview with Jason Hackworth on neoliberalism and the Christian response to Katrina. His book Faith Based explores how the Religious Right has supported neoliberalism in the United States, bringing a particular focus to welfare—an arena where conservative Protestant politics and neoliberal economic ideas come together most clearly. Through case studies of gospel rescue missions, Habitat for Humanity, and religious charities in post-Katrina New Orleans, Jason Hackworth describes both the theory and practice of faith-based welfare, revealing fundamental tensions between the religious and economic wings of the conservative movement.

1. This week in Louisiana history. August 18, 1779. A hurricane struck New Orleans, scattering a n entire Spanish fleet and distroyed or disabled all but one ship.
2. This week in New Orleans history. On August 19, 2014, Dr. John released his Louis Armstrong tribute album "Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch" on Concord Records.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Ride the Bull 8
   August 26th, 2017
   5:00 am - 10:00 pm
   Bridge Side Marina Grande Isle
   1618 LA-1,
   Grand Isle, LA 70358
   225-952-9200
   Website
   Bridge Side Marina Grande Isle
   Louisiana's and now World's Largest Extreme Kayak Fishing Tournament ​Ride the Bull 8. This relatively young competition is now the largest on the globe by a large margin. The reason? Wide arms and an easy, welcoming atmosphere!
4. Postcard from Louisiana. Bruce and Laura Janelle McNight finish the second line parade by stopping by Ms. Linda Green's porch for some of her award-winning ya-ka-mein. 

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221. Jason Hackworth. Faith Based, part 1

221. Part 1 of our interview with Jason Hackworth on neoliberalism and the Christian response to Katrina. His book Faith Based explores how the Religious Right has supported neoliberalism in the United States, bringing a particular focus to welfare—an arena where conservative Protestant politics and neoliberal economic ideas come together most clearly. Through case studies of gospel rescue missions, Habitat for Humanity, and religious charities in post-Katrina New Orleans, Jason Hackworth describes both the theory and practice of faith-based welfare, revealing fundamental tensions between the religious and economic wings of the conservative movement.

1. This week in Louisiana history. August 13, 1717. Philippe d'Orleans accepts the resignation of Crozat and his charter.
2. This week in New Orleans history.  On August 13, 1794, the members of the Cabildo were convoked in extraordinary session by the Governor Carondelet to discuss means for repairing the levee and meat market which were damaged by the river during a hurricane on the night of the 10th instant. They decided to hear an opinion of Don Gilberto Guillemard, Major of the Post, and Don Carlos Laveau Trudeau, Surveyor, which will be discussed at the next session of the Cabildo. At the next meeting, it was agreed that repairs to the market should be started at once, with Don Francisco de la Barre to supervise the work. The levee to be in charge of the Major, and the work submitted to bids.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Delcambre Shrimp Festival
   August 16th, 2017 - August 20th, 2017
   Delcambre Shrimp Festival Grounds
   401 Richard St.,
   Delcambre, LA 70528
   337-685-2653
   Website | Email
   Delcambre Shrimp Festival Grounds
   Delcambre Shrimp Festival honors the shrimping industry with events including a Shrimp Cook-off, queens pageants', fais-do-do's, carnival rides, food court and much more.
4. Postcard from Louisiana. Bruce and Laura Janelle McNight attend the Uptown Swingers Second Line Parade on June 25. This ended the parade season for 2016-2017.  The 2017-2018 season will start in August 2017. Don't miss the fun!

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Laura Janelle McKnight