The Thanh Report: Recent Episodes
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From hard hitting news to the quirky aspects of New Orleans and Southeast Louisiana, the Thanh Report takes an in-depth and intimate approach to the stories of the region. Through continually added content, veteran New Orleans journalist Thanh Truong gives listeners a unique perspective on one of the most interesting cities in the U.S.
Hear from kids who got away, a father who ran in alongside first responders, and Minnesota's top political leaders as we grapple with something all-too familiar: a school shooting. Get the latest on the perpetrator, and insight into what -- if anything -- may finally change.
Listen to live coverage from legendary station WWL Radio during Hurricane Katrina and then hear analysis from experts talking to WWL's Newell Normand on what it took -- and will still take -- to bring New Orleans back to the city it should be.
What does it take to book the Rolling Stones? A lot of patience and persistence according to Quint Davis. He’s the producer of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and has been pursuing the Rolling Stones for quite some time. Every year, over two weekends in the spring, the New Orleans Fairgrounds is transformed from a venue for horse racing to one of the biggest music festivals in the world. “Jazz Fest” is nearing its 55th anniversary. Throughout the decades, musicians like Bruce Springsteen, Elton John and Stevie Wonder have been marquee acts. Quint Davis has been at the center of it all. Ahead of the first weekend of this year’s festival, I sat down with Davis to get to know the man behind all the music. From dropping out of college to his friendship with a late 60 Minutes correspondent, Davis gives us a glimpse of a life that even he didn’t quite expect.
It was a massive cargo ship striking a portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore that caused the catastrophic bridge collapse which captured the attention of the nation. Video of that collision showed how quickly the bridge buckled after the cargo ship named Dali struck one of the bridge’s support beams. If stood upright, the Dali would almost reach the top of the Eiffel Tower. The Dali’s size is considered to be average in the cargo industry. The size of cargo vessels has greatly increased since 1956, when the first commercially successful cargo ship was introduced. In this episode, I visit the Port of New Orleans to get a sense of why these ships have grown so much and why the port and others like it are building to host so called monsters of the sea.
What’s your favorite Easter candy? Your answer may say a lot about where you live and what kind of candy and chocolate you ate during your childhood. Of course, Easter is a religious holiday for Christians, and along the Gulf South there seems to be quite a religious following for treats like the Gold Brick Egg, Heavenly Hash, and Pecan Egg. Those are a few of the Easter chocolates made by Elmer Chocolate. The company is based in the small city of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, but it got its start in New Orleans back in 1855. Today, the Elmer Candy Corporation uses state of the art robotic technology to produce chocolate and candy that can be found in stores across the U.S. and beyond. When it comes to Elmer’s Easter chocolates though, the company and its workers go back to some old school ways. In this episode, I go inside Elmer’s chocolate factory to see how man and machine are cranking out something truly sweet.
You’ve heard of the Grand Ole Opry, but how about the Abita Spring Opry? There’s one stop light in the town of Abita Springs, Louisiana. It’s nestled in the piney woods about 40 minutes north of New Orleans. Abita Springs is probably best known for being the place where Abita Beer originated. But, for more than 20 years, it’s also been home to the Abita Springs Opry. Each year, the Abita Springs Opry hosts six performances. Its main mission has been to showcase and preserve Louisiana roots music. In this episode, I visit the Abita Springs Town Hall where the show takes place and to learn about how Louisiana roots music has evolved. My guide is the founder of the Abita Springs Opry, who has a very personal connection to the sleepy, small town.
Crawfish, culture and cash. It’s crawfish season in Louisiana, and normally the supply of the crustacean would be plentiful, but not this year. Heat and drought are being blamed for an abnormal crawfish season where crawfish farmers/producers are seeing fewer “mudbugs”, and consumers are seeing outrageous prices for the crawfish that are making it to market. Prices for live and boiled crawfish can vary from week to week, but who actually sets these prices which an entire state keeps an eye on? The answer is a true mystery. I traveled to a crawfish farm in Church Point, La to learn more about the pricing system and the challenges within the crawfish industry.
The “Pirate Oncologist” and his personal journey with cancer. Dr. Jack Saux has been working to help cancer patients in Southeast Louisiana for more than 25 years. He knows how serious the issue is throughout the state. Louisiana is ranked 7th worst in the U.S. for cancer outcomes. It’s some heavy stuff for sure. To lighten things up, Dr. Saux has been dressing up as a pirate and other characters during office hours at his practice in Covington, La. Over the years, his patients and the community have lovingly called him the Pirate Oncologist. Dr. Saux is full of wit and personality but following a cancer diagnosis that hit close to home, he was filled with fear and anxiety. In this episode, Dr. Saux opens up about how that diagnosis has changed his approach to oncology. He also explains in very relatable terms why cancer is particularly deadly in Louisiana.
Faith vs. finances, a church in New Orleans is desperately trying to get itself off a list of closures and consolidation. There are only a few months left before more than a dozen Catholic churches in the greater New Orleans area will close their doors or be absorbed into another parish. Last year, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans announced the 13 parishes that will be affected. The Archdiocese filed for bankruptcy protection in 2020 after more than 500 claims of sexual abuse by Archdiocesan clergy or staff. As it struggles with its own financial situation, the Archdiocese selected 13 parishes which have been diminishing in population to consolidate. Our Lady Star of the Sea parish in the St. Roch neighborhood of New Orleans is on the list. In this episode, I visit the parish and its members as they try to find ways to keep their individual church alive while trying keep their faith in the broader Catholic church.
Nonprofit newsroom carves out niche in NOLA’s market. Whether it’s for print, radio, tv or digital, newsrooms across the nation are shrinking. Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Times announced it would be laying off 20% of its newsroom and Sports Illustrated planned to cut a significant number of staff members, possibly all of them. Like any other sector of the economy, the news industry must maintain a level of profitability to stay viable. With the rise of digital and social media, traditional ad-based, for-profit news organizations have had to slash jobs while trying to produce quality journalism. In 2022, two former veterans of New Orleans’ newspaper of record, the Times-Picayune, decided to go a different route and founded a nonprofit news organization, Verite News. But if for-profit news is struggling, how does Verite plan to stay in the game as a nonprofit? In this episode, I visited Verite’s newsroom to find out.
The show must go on. When one of the biggest, if not the biggest parade of Mardi Gras rolls in New Orleans this year, there will be a mix of emotions. This year the “super” Krewe of Endymion will hold its first parade since the death of its founder, Ed Muniz. In this episode, I visit the Krewe’s den where many of its floats are housed to learn about how Muniz became one of the most influential figures in Mardi Gras history.
King Cake fever is spreading across NOLA. With a shorter Mardi Gras season this year, people in New Orleans seem to be even more fixated on the parties, parades and everything else that comes with this unique celebration. That includes King Cake. With their blend of cinnamon, butter icing and a seemingly endless variety of fillings, King Cakes are must haves at any Carnival celebration. Many bakeries in the New Orleans region offer their version of it. This time of year, those bakeries are uber busy trying to meet the demand for King Cake. People are standing in extra-long lines at the crack of dawn to get their hands on their favorite King Cake. You’d think with that kind of loyalty, somebody would’ve written a book on King Cake, but that wasn’t the case…until recently. In this episode I sit down with a man who authored two books on King Cakes. We discuss what makes King Cakes so irresistible and if it’s possible to anoint a king of King Cakes.
Louisiana political leadership is ruby red. Republican Jeff Landry was recently inaugurated as the 57th governor of Louisiana. Gov. Landry was preceded by John Bel Edwards, who was the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South. Republicans are now in firm control of state government, holding a super majority in both chambers of the Louisiana legislature. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Ed Chervenak, a political scientist at the University of New Orleans. We take a look at how Gov. Landry’s conservative politics may impact the state and a Democratic Party in Louisiana Chervenak says in utter disarray.
Nerding out in NOLA. From Hollywood blockbusters to the t-shirts worn by kids, comic book heroes and science fiction are big business. At the recent Fan Expo New Orleans, people packed the city’s convention center to celebrate a culture that may have once been reserved for “nerds”. Since the time I was reading comics in the 80’s, that nerd culture has exploded into a bankable economy. In this episode, I take a look at the unique world of fandom and how twin sisters from the New Orleans area are trying to build a career around it.
A sobering moment puts a New Orleans Police Dept. homicide detective on the path of sobriety. The beginning of a new year is usually a time when people make a change in life or start a new chapter in it. A common New Year’s resolution is improved health, and that sometimes means reducing or cutting out alcohol or other “vices”. Maggie Darling started what she calls a sober journey three years ago. In this episode, I have an honest and emotional conversation with Maggie as she describes her life before and after her sobriety.
Pay to play? It’s going to take big money for the Sugar Bowl and NOLA to remain in the College Football Playoff picture. The Sugar Bowl and the city of New Orleans have a long history of hosting one of the premier bowl games in NCAA College Football. But tradition alone won’t guarantee the Sugar Bowl a prominent place in future College Football Playoff games. The Sugar Bowl’s contract with the CFP expires in two years, and there’s a big effort underway to keep the Sugar Bowl relevant during a time of intense competitive changes in college football. Hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake. In this episode, I have a candid conversation with the CEO of the Sugar Bowl. Jeff Hundley shared some surprising details about what’s been done and what’s being done to keep the show going in New Orleans.
The 12 Yats of Christmas, a holiday tradition that can only be from New Orleans. In the mid 1990’s, Benny Grunch and the Bunch gained local fame in New Orleans through their song, The 12 Yats of Christmas. It’s so specific to New Orleans that out-of-towners listening to it would likely be scratching their heads, while also laughing at the creative comedy in the holiday song. In this episode, I sit down with Benny Grunch, the man behind what’s become a timeless Christmas song for New Orleans natives. He told me some wildly entertaining stories of the band’s origins, his music, and how they represent the uniqueness of New Orleans culture.
Becoming a minister in America’s largest maximum-security prison, Part 2. Alex was a juvenile when he was arrested and eventually convicted for his role in a murder. In part 1, Alex explained how he wasn’t the triggerman, but was convicted of being a principal to the murder because he refused to tell authorities about what took place. Alex was later sent to one what’s considered to be one of the most dangerous prisons in the nation: Louisiana State Penitentiary aka Angola. In part 2, Alex enters what was then a prototype seminary program in Angola and finds a pathway to spiritual and physical freedom.
Becoming a minister in America’s largest maximum-security prison, Part 1. Louisiana State Penitentiary, (aka Angola) has long been considered to be one of the most dangerous prisons in the nation. Conditions in the prison and in the fields where inmates work have been said to be harsh and punishing. So, Angola would seem an unlikely place for someone to become a minister, but a prison seminary program has been changing lives within Angola’s walls, and also outside them. In this episode, “Alex” gives us his harrowing account of life in Angola and the lessons he learned after taking part in what was a prototype prison seminary program.
Why is HIV/AIDS so prevalent in The South? The number of people living with HIV is highest in the American South. Louisiana recently ranked 4th in the nation when it comes to rates of HIV. In New Orleans, there’s a place which has been helping people with HIV for decades. In its early days, the location of Project Lazarus was kept secret. It was a place where many AIDS patients saw their last days because they had nowhere else to turn. In this episode, I visit the campus of Project Lazarus which no longer is a place where people with HIV/AIDS go to die, but rather, a place where they learn to live.
How do you settle a $40,000 utility bill? That’s something a chef/restaurant owner in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter is trying to figure out after a public dispute with what some call a local energy monopoly. Chef Eric Cook admits he got some privileged treatment after venting his frustration about his bill, but he says New Orleans is home to many blue-collar people who can barely afford to keep their lights on. In this episode, Cook pulls back the curtain on why it’s so complicated in New Orleans to do something as simple as getting an accurate power bill.
The Thanksgiving po’ boy is back in NOLA. November this year features five Wednesdays. That means New Orleanians and tourists alike will have five opportunities to get their hands on this unique “poor boy” sandwich. It’s available just one day a week, only during the Thanksgiving season and only at the world-famous Parkway Bakery in New Orleans. For more than a decade, Parkway’s Thanksgiving po’ boy has been satisfying appetites, but more recently, it’s been part of an effort to save lives. In this episode, we go inside the kitchen at Parkway Bakery to find out why this particular po’ boy consistently has people lining up early in the morning.
An unconventional campaign strategy leads to a resounding political victory. In recent elections in Louisiana, an incumbent member of the Jefferson Parish Council didn’t sweat the political endorsements his challenger racked up or the amount of money he was spending to unseat him. Councilman Scott Walker won by a large margin and did so in large part by ignoring some typical political assumptions. Here's how he did it.
The lore in Louisiana. In the spirit of Halloween, we explore some of the folklore to emerge from the Cajun community in the state. Cities like New Orleans have long been associated with mystery, murder and the macabre, but the bayous along South Louisiana have their own dark stories and creatures. One of the most identifiable stories is of the Rougarou. While most people think of a werewolf-like monster when thinking of the Rougarou, a woman dedicated to preserving Cajun traditions and folklore says the Rougarou can take many forms. I visited her at her family’s home in Cut Off, Louisiana to learn more about the origins of the Rougarou and why the real monsters are often walking among us.
The big business of name, image and likeness at LSU. To say Louisiana State University embraces the changes to the rules governing NIL (name, image, likeness) in collegiate athletics would be a huge understatement. When a major shift took place in the summer of 2021 allowing college athletes to profit from their NIL, LSU expressed its support through an electronic billboard in New York City’s Times Square. Since then, NIL and the money it produces has exploded. In this episode, I sat down with the woman overseeing NIL strategies at LSU. It’s a candid conversation about the potential for student athletes to make multimillion dollar endorsements and what that may mean for the future of college athletics.
Saying goodbye to elections and the conspiracy theories surrounding them. As voters in Louisiana prepare to head to the polls for many races including one for the next governor, Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin is preparing to step away from his post as the person who oversees elections across the state. Ahead of the October 14th primary elections, Ardoin decided not to run for another term. The persistent verbal attacks and what he calls lies that have been directed at him and his employees were major factors in that decision. In this episode, Ardoin opens up about the emotional toll election deniers have taken on his professional and personal life and what changes could be made to improve an election system that historically drew high marks.
Help wanted, but so are skills. Adequate staffing remains a big challenge for New Orleans area employers post pandemic even with Louisiana experiencing its lowest level of unemployment in recent history. The state’s low unemployment rate gives job seekers more bargaining power. That’s according to one local staffing agency. In this episode, I visit with Adeeta Corporate Staffing, a “temp agency” that can attest to the impermanence of the current job market.
Getting your message across. Now more than ever, we have more ways to control the amount and type of messaging that comes our way. We can fast forward or skip through commercials. We can subscribe to premium services to bypass ads altogether. With that as a backdrop, what’s it like for the people, companies and organizations trying to deliver their messages to you? In this episode, I visit two public relations firms in New Orleans. One is a boutique operation and has spent decades in political communications. The other is one of the largest public relations firms in the Gulf South handling accounts ranging from professional wrestling to Louisiana’s energy sector.
A truly hairy business, a barber and his barber shop celebrate more than 50 years of cutting hair. Back in 1973, Sherwood Parker opened Parker’s Hair Styling & Barber Shop on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Terrytown, La. He’s still cutting hair 50 years later. Parker has managed to stick with a profession longer than many people have been alive. Many marriages don’t last as long as Parker has in the barer shop biz. In this episode, I visit the shop where Parker tells me about his longevity, why haircuts are so important, and his other career that sometimes required him to rescue people in emergencies.
Golf course warriors, U.S. veterans in New Orleans and across the country are learning more about themselves as they learn the game of golf. Golf hasn’t always been viewed as the most accessible sport, but PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is seeking to change that. In collaboration with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, PGA Hope is introducing golf as a form of therapy to veterans and active-duty military who may suffer from PTSD and other service-related conditions. In this episode, I join a group as they practice at Bayou Oaks Golf Course in New Orleans. It’s a place where these veterans can laugh and enjoy their novice golf skills.
Removing the scars of human & sex trafficking. It took many years for Scott Vaughan to find his true purpose in life: helping survivors of human and sex trafficking get rid of tattoos, brandings and other physical signs from their former lives. His current work through the nonprofit he co-founded, Unbranded, is markedly different from his previous career as a football official in the NCAA’s Southeastern Conference. In this episode, we follow Vaughan’s journey and the journey of one woman who endured horrific abuse.
The heat in Louisiana is becoming more intense and more deadly. If you’ve found yourself thinking that this summer has just felt hotter than others, there’s data to back that up. Researchers tracking heat related illnesses and heat related deaths for the Louisiana Dept. of Health say more people have died or have become sick because of the heat this year. It’s a situation that will likely worsen. In this episode, two physicians discuss how the heat is forcing changes to the way we live, work and play.
A small-town newspaper in Louisiana keeps surviving as others have collapsed. The current owners of the Plaquemines Gazette are managing to cover news in Plaquemines Parish and produce a physical newspaper at a time when “digital content” is king. Profitable years are rare, as are high paying salaries. So, how does the Plaquemines Gazette continue to operate? I visited the paper’s offices in Belle Chasse to find out.
Can’t get enough of hot sauce? An ongoing shortage of the most popular brand of Sriracha hot sauce has left many restaurants in Louisiana and across the U.S. without enough of the wildly popular Asian style hot sauce. Social media has been full of funny and extreme anecdotes from fans of Huy Fong’s Sriracha as they’ve searched for the iconic green capped bottles. In this episode, I sit down with Peter Nguyen, the founder/owner of Banh Mi Boys in Metairie. We discuss how Sriracha has evolved from a condiment that was mostly known in Asian circles to something that has caught the attention of hot sauce giants like Tabasco.
A crisis in Louisiana’s shrimp industry is threatening to wipe it out and there’s real concern it may never come back. Commercial fishermen or “shrimpers” in Louisiana say the prevalence of cheap, imported shrimp has caused prices for wild caught Louisiana shrimp to sink so low that they can’t make a living. The high cost of fuel mixed with lowered shrimp prices is causing many shrimpers to look elsewhere to earn money. As that happens, a long-time shrimper says the industry is heading to a point of no return and the days of having Louisiana shrimp on our plates may be numbered as well.
What’s behind skyrocketing home insurance premiums in Louisiana? If you think it’s all about insurance companies trying to rake in profits, you may want to reconsider. In the wake of several hurricanes going back to 2020, more than a dozen insurance providers doing business in Louisiana became financially insolvent. Others pulled out of the state due to the number of claims and payouts. To help attract and retain insurance providers, state lawmakers approved a $45-million incentive package. In this episode we speak with the president and founder of an insurance company who wants to stay committed to Louisiana but says conditions in the state make that very difficult.
So, you think the driving is bad in your city? People in New Orleans have been known to march to the beat of a different drum and that could apply to many drivers in this city. The shortage of police officers in New Orleans has contributed to a driving environment which could be described as lawless. Hop in the car with me as I ride along with a driving instructor to discuss how reckless some drivers have become in New Orleans.
Digging yourself out of debt. According to one consumer credit agency, Louisiana is third in the U.S. when it comes to the average amount of credit card debt. To pay off a balance of roughly $5,400 would take about 21 months says data from Transunion. Those numbers are optimistic according to Melika Honoré. Through her business, she’s been helping people in Louisiana get a handle on their credit debt for more than a decade. But as I found out when I sat down with Honoré, her personal approach to credit is something she would never encourage any client to take.
Gulf Shrimp is about taste and delivery according to Mr. Shrimp. In the span of just a few years, Larry Thompson Junior has made a name for himself in the world famous and locally competitive food scene in New Orleans. He’s known as Mr. Shrimp. Raised in the city’s 7th Ward, Mr. Shrimp’s approach to delivering and cooking shrimp has earned him praise and partnerships with restaurants like the legendary Commander’s Palace. The transformation of Larry Thompson into Mr. Shrimp began on a Super Bowl Sunday with a pot full of boiling shrimp and a smartphone. This is his story.
Carla Pesono is a social media influencer who despises that term, but she doesn’t hate the results of marketing herself on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok. In the few months since she went all in with being a social media influencer, she’s doubled her number of followers. But has that paid off monetarily? How do you make money as an influencer? And does a person Buffalo know about New Orleans food? Pesono talks about her transition from TV news to the ever-changing social media space.
Dad of “Praline King” on the meaning of Father’s Day, parenting, and the special bond with his special needs child. Patrick Bode is a blue-collar guy from Metairie, La. Five years ago, he and his family started Pirogue Praline Company. Their take on the uniquely Louisiana sugary treat quickly got recognition locally and even thumbs-up from the likes of southern culinary giants like Paula Deen. The mission behind the company has been bigger than money or celebrity shout-outs. It was centered around a special needs child, the boy who became the “Praline King”. This is their story.
Can you really get quality healthcare if you don’t have health insurance? A network of healthcare clinics in Jefferson Parish is specifically catering to low-income families who may not have the means to pay for the care they need. But how does that work when you don’t have health insurance? I visited the InclusivCare network to find out.
They called him “The Ringmaster”. The founder of the largest Carnival Krewe in New Orleans was more than a parade man. Ed Muniz was also an influential player in politics and radio within the New Orleans region. Following his recent death, I take a look at the life and legacy of a man who truly enjoyed juggling more than one ball.
Recent shootings and murders in New Orleans involving female victims have grabbed headlines and the attention of city leaders. Those are the incidents that have taken place in public spaces or have gotten public attention. There is an often less visible kind of violence against women, but it can be equally dangerous and deadly. To better understand how that violence affects women and their families, I visited the New Orleans Family Justice Center which is on the frontline of what it calls a domestic violence crisis.
Louisiana should learn to live with water, that’s what the lead author of a recent Tulane University study on sea level rise is encouraging locals to do. Sonke Dangendorf is an assistant professor at Tulane’s relatively new Department of River-Coastal Science and Engineering. In the spring of this year, Dangendorf and a team of researchers published a study that found sea-levels along the Gulf and Southeast Coasts of the U.S. have been rising at a faster in the past 10 years than they had in the previous 100 years. So, what’s behind this?
Mother’s Day is often filled with flowers, gifts and families taking mom out for the holiday. But for some mothers in the New Orleans area, Mother’s Day can be painful because of the loss of their child. In this episode, we sit down with the founder of A Mother’s Cry, a support network for mothers who have had their child’s life taken by violence. The harsh realities of the city make such a support system necessary. Cheryl Jackson tells the story of loving and then losing her son, Walter.
Is $7.25/hour a reasonable minimum wage? In Louisiana, which consistently ranks as one of the poorest states in the U.S., the minimum wage hasn’t changed since 2009. Louisiana is one of five states which has no minimum wage requirement. As his second term nears its end, the governor of Louisiana is urging legislators for a “modest” increase to the minimum wage. One attorney who has been advocating for higher wages doesn’t have much hope any increase will take place. Even if it does, she believes it wouldn’t offer much help to the many people in Louisiana who are considered the working poor.
Hoda Kotb has all the fame and celebrity that comes with being the co-host of the Today Show. But before her network news life, there was her New Orleans life. It’s one that she’s never forgotten, and one that keeps her coming back to the city. Recently, she persuaded the Today Show to take a trip to New Orleans. In this episode, Kotb talks about the timing of her latest visit and how the city and its people fit into her past, present and future.
Orphanage to Orleans, a New Orleans woman born in Vietnam during the Vietnam War is searching for her birth mother. Saran Bynum was among an estimated 3,300 infants and children evacuated from south Vietnam in what was called Operation Babylift. Adopted by a New Orleans couple, Bynum grew up unaware of her Vietnamese heritage, but she had a feeling she didn’t quite fit in. As she matured, Bynum discovered her adoption. She learned her father was a black U.S. soldier and her Vietnamese mother had given her up. As the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon approaches, this podcast explores the overlooked aspects of the war and the people still searching for a sense of peace decades after the fighting finished.
In 50+years in the car selling business, Ronnie Lamarque has made himself millions of dollars through his dealerships in the New Orleans area. Now at the age of 77, the car salesman is crooning. Lamarque is scheduled to perform at this year’s French Quarter Festival and at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. I sat down with Lamarque to talk about his motivation to perform music at this point in his life. It’s a life that once included delivering newspapers to Fats Domino. There was even a plot to have Lamarque murdered.
If you Google LSU Women’s head basketball coach Kim Mulkey’s name, one of the top results are: Kim Mulkey outfits. She may have led the Tigers to their first basketball title in school history, but from a media and online perspective, the internet can’t get enough of the colorful and flamboyant fashion Mulkey displayed throughout this year’s March Madness. The story of how the designers connected with the coach touches on very basic tenets of business. Some are so basic, you could say they’re cliché.
From the 1960’s until 2022, Chris Owens’ name and persona was interlocked with the nightlife of Bourbon Street in New Orleans. She was a throwback to an era of sensual but not explicit showgirls. For 37 years, the straight and gay community would join thousands of others in the French Quarter for the Chris Owens Easter Parade. One year after her sudden death, her longtime manager speaks candidly about their relationship, the famous performer’s final moments and why the Easter parade won’t be carrying her name this year.
When was the last time you were in a taxi? Chances are, it’s been a while. There are several taxi cab companies still operating in the greater New Orleans Metro area. That’s increasingly getting tougher in the face of the dominance of rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. How do traditional cab companies survive? Who are their customers? This episode features a New Orleans taxi company that dates back to 1938. With slumping sales and staffing, the general manager and a long-time employee refuse to give up.
When Linda Pailet earned the title of fire captain with the New Orleans Fire Department, she became the first female fire captain in the NOFD’s 132-year history. She’s now a 20-year veteran of the department, but being a firefighter didn’t necessarily interest her as a young woman. It wasn’t until an event which forever changed the country that Pailet decided that entering a historically low paying and male dominated field would be her calling. As the U.S. observes Women’s History Month, Pailet shares some of the most frightening and heartfelt experiences while firefighting in her hometown of New Orleans.
Building anything from the ground up, whether it’s a home, a business and even relationships, requires a tremendous amount of work. Trennis Grant is building a collegiate baseball program from scratch. He’s the head coach of Dillard University’s baseball team. The Bleu Devils are in their inaugural season. This episode explores the challenges and rewards of starting a team from scratch in the network of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). And did I mention they have no homefield?
City Park is among the 100 largest urban parks in the United States, and it’s often associated with many attractions and events like Celebration in the Oaks, the New Orleans Museum of Art and even beignets and café au laits. Fishing, though, is something that doesn’t always come to mind when City Park is mentioned, but it’s apparently home to the longest running freshwater fishing competition in the country. For one local fisherman, it’s one of the park’s best kept secrets.
Following the shooting death of a tv reporter while covering
another deadly shooting, we look at some of the ways crime is covered and why.
In a news industry where budgets are continually getting smaller, what is the best
way to cover crime?
From pressure packed political scenes to private medical moments, American Sign Language interpreters are physically standing front and center. They’re also often in the backroom of those situations. Listen to the story of a New Orleans born ASL interpreter and what she has learned about people, politics and perseverance through her life-long work.
The Greasing of the Poles is something that is unique to New Orleans, the French Quarter and the hotel on Bourbon Street that’s made it a spectacle every year during Carnival season. The annual competition and “sensual” ceremony is considered to be the official kick off to Mardi Gras weekend. Listen to the history and humor surrounding it.
It can be easy to enjoy a Carnival parade in New Orleans. It’s designed that way. But, what most people outside of New Orleans don’t understand is the amount of time, work and history that’s attached to a single Krewe and its parade. In this episode we visit with the Captain and Krewe members of the all-ladies Krewe of Iris. To them, the tradition of parading celebratory and sacred.
As the city of New Orleans enters the heart of its parade season and prepares to host hundreds of thousands of visitors, we sit down with the head of the organization dedicated to attracting tourists and presenting the city in the best light. Walt Leger is beginning his first year as the president/CEO of New Orleans & Company. Despite the media attention on New Orleans being the “murder capital” of the U.S., Leger says something else is pushing away potential visitors.
Damar Hamlin & Metaire’s “Miracle Meaux” have something in common and we can learn from it.
It seems like there's a different story every day about the possibility of a recession, but what's the reality? Thanh sat down with a professor from Tulane University to get the answer, and it might surprise you.
Visiting a gas station, helicoptering in ... People are taking all kinds of measures to place a sports bet in Louisiana. Get the story of Jim McIngvale, aka 'Mattress Mack,' here.
Remember the joy of visiting a casino and eyeing long lines of every kind of food imaginable? Here's what happened to those days.
The $2 billion in sports wagers and the subsequent $30 million generated in tax revenue from those wagers serves as a good benchmark for a conversation about how sports betting is going and perhaps growing in Louisiana.
What does Christmas sound like? Thanh Truong set out to get the answer. And it's a delight.
Throughout 2022, public safety in New Orleans has dominated headlines. With drastic increases in homicides and carjackings from the previous year and an alarming decrease in the NOPD’s manpower, the public and political scrutiny of the mayor’s ability to address those issues has been persistent all year.
In the Thanh Report, a congregation is reeling about the murders of a priest and parishioner whose bodies were found burned. "We hate the way he was taken from us." Rev. Otis Young and church member Ruth Prats were the victims. Antonio Tyson was arrested on Monday and booked with first-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping, obstruction of justice, resisting an officer, and illegally possessing stolen items.
Thanh Troung on location at the Roosevelt Hotel Lobby in New Orleans for the holiday lighting ceremony. Champagne on trays and tourists mingling with locals celebrate a spectacle that goes back generations.
Thanh Troung speaks with various seaman about the effects of the current low water depth of the Mississippi River.
Veterans continue to battle with ongoing effects of wide range of conditions connected to their time in service or training.
Thanh Truong talks to "hoppers" (trash collectors) about the difficulties of garbage pick-up after the pandemic and Hurricane Ida.
One of Halloween's most fun attractions in New Orleans is on the corner of State Street and St. Charles Avenue. Hear how the family makes it happen every year.
Thanh Truong talks with local chef's and residents to explore the rich history of red beans and rice.
Following the drug overdose death of a toddler in Baton Rouge this summer, the Louisiana Department of Child and Family Services is under intense scrutiny, and its operations are under internal review.
“I love her to this day,” How a former member of LaToya Cantrell’s administration came to organize the effort to recall New Orleans’ mayor
Making groceries is making many people frustrated in the past year. In that time frame, food prices have shot up 11.4%.
As rural cities across Louisiana experience a spike in homicides, Thanh Truong travels to Bogalusa to get a sense of why deadly violence is increasing in a place that is often described as "close knit."
Thanh Truong talks with the mastermind behind popular Instagram page @lookatthesefuckinstreets, an account that seeks to bring awareness to the often dangerous potholes that litter the streets of New Orleans.
Thanh Truong visited with some of the people there as the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Ida approached. This is their story.
At a recent press conference, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell responds to the New Orleans Police Department shortage crisis after attending several NOPD roll calls.
Former New Orleans Police Department officers share their various reasons for leaving the force during a time when cops are desperately needed.
Slidell based company, Q-risq, believes that they've developed technology to predict weather impacts at specific addresses, allowing them to personalize weather forecasts. They're ready to roll out an app to the public this hurricane season.
Thanh Truong sheds some light as to how a nuclear station in Port Gibson, Mississippi is affected the cost of energy for New Orleans Entergy customers.
Thanh Truong speaks with 3 different Louisiana families about their varying experiences with modern foster care and adoption.