Support for Louisiana.

The state we're in is provided by Entergy.

Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state.

We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us.

Because together we power life.

Additional support provided by the Fred B and Ruth B Ziegler Foundation and the Ziegler Art Museum, located in Jennings City Hall.

The museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists and is a historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana public Broadcasting.

And viewers like you.

Thank you.

Louisiana shrimpers say high fuel prices are cutting into their profits.

I'll explain what it could mean for the industry.

And a. Broadway star from Louisiana turns his personal struggles into a movement to help kids with diabetes.

Plus, hurricane season is here.

We'll look at changes happening at a key state agency.

And I'll take you inside the New Orleans Lakefront Airport, where teams are working to protect that iconic artwork.

Let's get started.

Let's get to it.

Hi everyone.

I'm Christina Jensen.

And I'm Johnny Atkinson.

Much more on those top stories in a moment on this week's edition of Louisiana The State We're In.

But first, for Louisiana shrimpers, fuel is one of the biggest cost of doing business.

Now, rising prices are making it even harder to stay afloat, cutting into their already thin profit margins.

I went to the coast to see what impact this will have on one of the state's most vital industries.

As shrimp season gets underway.

Louisiana shrimpers are facing a difficult reality.

The rising cost of fuel is increasing the price of every trip out on the water, forcing some shrimpers to rethink whether they can afford to leave this dock along Louisiana's coast.

Shrimping is more than a job.

It's a way of life.

Louisiana leads the nation in wild caught shrimp production, making the industry a major part of the state's coastal economy and culture.

But this season, many fishermen say making a living on the water is becoming more difficult.

I've never seen fuel prices this high at the park, ever.

Diesel fuel is one of the biggest expenses for commercial shrimpers, often accounting for more than 30% of total production costs and in some cases, more than half.

According to the Southern Shrimp Alliance.

Fuel prices for shrimpers increased 54% in roughly three months, from about 348 to 537 per gallon in Louisiana.

Diesel prices are hovering just under 480 per gallon statewide.

Owner Robert Campo of Campos Marina in Shell Beach, says higher fuel prices are hitting just about everyone who makes a living on the water.

They're catching shrimp for cents on a pound.

When we're paying dollars, multiple dollars for for the fuel.

Is your business going to be sustainable if this lasts for a few more months?

Well, that remains to be seen.

You know, I think the pain at the pump is just going to kill everybody because, you know, we sell conventional gas right here at 475 a gallon for a commercial guy, that's tough.

But for shrimpers, those higher fuel bills come at a time when many say they're already struggling to make a profit.

You're paying.

Seven times more for the price of diesel, three times more for the price of ice.

Only crazy people do this.

People that got in the blood, you know, and that's.

Those are the ones that are holding on.

George has spent decades on Louisiana waters and now serves as president of the United Commercial Fishermen's Association.

He says some shrimpers are reporting a two day trip now cost more than $1,000 in fuel, compared to about 600 to $700 before the recent diesel spike.

Our numbers are so low that we can't sustain the industries that depend on us, that we depend on.

Well, I used to buy 1100 gallons and go make a long trip.

Now I'm buying 3 or 400 to make a short trip and see if I can make it.

Barrett says some Louisiana shrimpers are selling their catch for as little as $0.80 per pound.

He says that's down from about $2 per pound in the 1980s.

Industry leaders point to imported shrimp as a major reason why.

When you take a look around and see all these boats still here, what goes through your mind?

The amount of both has tied up in the dock right now.

Third week into the season is a telltale sign that nobody's making any money.

These challenges aren't unique to Louisiana.

Shrimpers across the Gulf and South Atlantic coast report many of the same pressures.

The Southern Alliance represents shrimpers throughout those regions.

We're not.

In a position right now to absorb these costs as well as we could be, and that's primarily due to counterproductive trade policies that have been ongoing in this country for about the last 20 years.

That's why the Southern Shrimp Alliance, along with other food producing groups, is pushing for a tariff rate quota or TRK.

The proposal is currently in the exploratory and coalition building phase.

It's a trade tool that would essentially put a volume limit on the amount of shrimp that could be exported from specific countries.

Now, shrimp could still be exported from these countries.

Once that volume is exceeded, however, they would be at significantly higher, higher tariff rates.

Supporters say the policy could help reduce the impact of import surges on the U.S.

shrimp industry.

While critics of tariffs and other trade restrictions are to, they can lead to higher prices for consumers and businesses that rely on imported seafood.

For now, many shrimpers say they'll keep going out as long as they can.

You might have come home with nothing, you might tear something up or you might come home with a load, but you keep going and ask the mentality of the 25% that's left.

But with fuel costs rising and debates continuing over trade policy, industry leaders say the question isn't whether shrimpers want to keep fishing, it's whether they can afford to.

Let's take a look at what's happening this week in the world of sports.

Sports correspondent Victor Howell joins us now with more.

What's going on this week Kelvin and joined the NBA finals.

Lots of fun basketball to watch between the Knicks and the Spurs.

Absolutely.

Got a little basketball news for you as it ties right here to South Louisiana and in particular in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Basketball fans have known how clutch Makayla Williams is on the court since her high school days at Parkway and Miles's full.

While he proved her talents at South Carolina before transferring to LSU.

Well, earlier this week, over in Warsaw, Poland, the two LSU Lady Tigers stars show the world what the SEC already knows.

There a problem?

Here we go.

Seba three on three finals for the gold medal.

The U.S.

facing Australia.

Regular buckets are worth one point.

The deep ball is worth two.

Its first to 21 at a time.

But watch Michaela way in with the starter dribble.

She takes it in for the layup.

U.S.

is up 1611.

Now it's 17.

Each full wiling with the long ball.

It's 1917.

Team USA what Australia takes the lead.

It's 20 to 19 a point away from the win.

Watch full while he missed the shot.

But she gets the steal.

She kicks it out to Williams.

And cold as ice Williams looks waits and then with the fake tells everyone I'm going home and I'm taking the gold with me back to the States.

A dagger to win it.

21 to 20 for the red, white and blue.

Congratulations to both of them.

From bringing home international goal to trying to win NCAA gold, the College Track and Field Championships taking place in Eugene, Oregon this week.

And there's a Lady Jaguar from southern in the hunt for a title.

Let's take it back to Thursday night, because that was the semifinals in the 110 meter hurdles watch Lane six.

That's to Sheena.

Allays.

She would win her heat at a time of 12.90 seconds.

She also qualified for the indoor championships earlier this year as well.

For southern.

She will run for the title Saturday night and here's hoping she runs like the wind and we wish her all the best of luck at the NCAA Championships.

Well, this weekend in Omaha, the greatest show on dirt.

Get started with the College World Series.

A little bit of a strange feeling here in Louisiana because the defending champs, LSU, didn't even qualify to get to Omaha and defend the title.

But it was 30 years ago when LSU was there that we witnessed the greatest moment in College World Series history.

Now, Warren Morris hits a deep dive down the right field line.

That ball is gone.

LSU wins the College World Series and a home run by Mars.

Can't believe it's been 30 years since Morris hit his first and only home run of that season to win the title for the Tigers.

Here's what Moore said 30 years ago after that magical moment.

When asked if he could ever have imagined that he would be in this position.

I can attribute a lot of that.

The reason I am here to that just from coach talking about, you know, seeing yourself winning the game and dreaming about it, and if you do it enough, you know it'll become real.

Not so much the fact that I saw myself hitting the home run because I was just trying to keep the inning going and get get Brad in from third base and hopefully Jason would hit me in.

But I hit the ball well and, you know, it went over to fence and I don't know I can't explain much else.

Well that's what he said 30 years ago.

How much does he reflect on that moment today.

Well you can find out in two weeks when Morris joins the class of 2026 to be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

It's an outstanding class.

It'll be two weeks from Saturday.

And yes, once again, you can watch the executive ceremony live right here on LP.

It'll be a great night in Natchitoches.

Look forward to hearing Warren talk about that special moment.

Yeah, looking forward to watching this.

That sounds great.

Thank you.

You bet.

Well, into some good news.

Now, a Broadway star from Louisiana is using his personal health struggles to help others.

Kyle Banks was diagnosed with type one diabetes.

Now he's helping young people also struggling with that disease.

Diabetes affects more than half a million people in Louisiana, and experts with the American Diabetes Association say they're seeing a concern number of teens and pre-teens being diagnosed.

Is an epidemic fueled by poverty, unhealthy food and limited health care and.

Struggling poor communities.

Diabetes doesn't just affect one person, it has a major impact on entire families and communities.

Do you leaving your home or if you're traveling, you're going to the gym.

If you're going to meet friends for dinner?

Diabetes comes with you.

Kyle Banks is a New Orleans native who now performs on Broadway during his rigorous schedule.

Years ago, he noticed he was getting exhausted and rapidly losing weight.

On Broadway.

He lost 30.

Pounds in.

Three weeks.

You knew.

Something was wrong.

See, that's when he first went to the doctor.

I was performing with The Lion King when I began to experience the onset of type one diabetes, when the symptoms were really intense.

And I'm rather healthy, guy.

And it's also in great shape.

So I just didn't understand why I was having these crazy symptoms all of a sudden.

Kyle talked to doctors around New York and received various diagnoses, but his condition continued to worsen.

Symptoms included like frequent urination, extreme thirst.

I felt so, like ravenously hungry.

Despite his condition, Kyle did not want to give up a career that he worked so hard to create.

I thought insulin therapy with shots, injections, and I was pricking my finger.

Kyle Banks gave up his spot on Broadway and returned home to Louisiana to begin treatment for type one diabetes.

He also then took on the job of educating families and children of color and underserved communities, which was the start of his own nonprofit health group, the Kaiser Cares Foundation.

So what kind of things do you do for kids?

Well, when we could make sure that they have all the resources they need to manage type one because there's so many things needed.

Tyler Cares provides a lot of supplies like pumps and insulin, and they help families dealing with housing and food insecurity.

They focus specifically on juvenile diabetes patients, helping educate them using things like animation and comic books to simplify complicated medical information.

And do fun stuff that also just helps kids build confidence with management.

There's a lot of kids who believe our focus is on the child and building their confidence so that when they're in those situations, they can still manage the disease.

Kyler cares is now driving national health equity and diabetes advocacy with technology grants for students and communities, and they're expanding resources to help educate kids and families about what new technology is available.

Show me how you.

Take care of your diabetes now.

Well, we're a CDM on my arm.

It takes my glucose every five minutes, and that information is available, accessible on my phone.

It is so simple.

This year, the American Diabetes Association is holding their 86th annual conference in Louisiana, focusing on diabetes research, prevention, and care.

They learn all about the new drugs that are in development.

They learn all about different behavioral approaches for managing diabetes and obesity.

We also learn about the new technologies that are emerging to improve outcomes for people with diabetes.

Announcer Attila works with Kyler Cares and is also at the convention to help measure the impact of Kyler Cares on children, families, and education.

On the other side of all the hard work that Kyler cares and the team are doing, I can essentially come in, help them quantify the impact that they're having.

So it's been really great to really dive down in the science and take something very organic and kind of from the Earth, which is the organization and its work, and bring it to a space where it can also be measured and evaluated and sustained.

In recent years, there's been an explosion in cases of diabetes, largely driven by changes in food and lifestyle.

But Kyler Cares proves that the right tools and the support.

Diabetes no longer gets to call the shots.

Big shakeups are happening at a state agency responsible for protecting parts of Louisiana from hurricanes.

Advocates are concerned that politics could reverse progress made in the years since Hurricane Katrina.

Here's more.

Hurricane season is here, and concerns about the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority have been building for some time.

Joining me now to discuss those concerns is Blair Duchesne, chair of citizens for One Greater New Orleans.

Blair, thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you for having me.

So first question, what does the Flood Protection Authority do and what is their importance to the region?

The flood protection authority, there's east and west on both sides of the Mississippi River.

They are responsible for operating and maintaining the flood walls, the levees, the flood gates, the whole flood protection system.

And your organization.

What's your involvement with the flood authority?

Citizens for one, Greater New Orleans is an all volunteer, nonpartisan advocacy group.

We were founded after Hurricane Katrina, and the very first issue that we took on was the reform of the levee boards and the creation of the flood protection authorities.

So let's talk to talk about some of those concerns.

What are some of those concerns that you guys have?

Yeah.

So after Hurricane Katrina, citizens wanted reform of the levee board for a few reasons.

Consolidation storms don't care which parish you live in.

Professionalization.

We wanted people who were professionals, who understood the systems to be serving on these boards and removing politics from the situation.

Unfortunately, what we've seen in the last couple of years is a return to the old ways and allowing political influence over decisions of the flood authority.

Can you talk a little bit more about that?

Sure.

So let's talk about who serves on the board of the Flood Authority.

These are volunteer individuals in the community who have proper qualifications.

Maybe they're retired engineers, attorneys, accountants who submit an application to serve on the board.

And they those applications are reviewed by an independent nominating committee.

People who are coming from universities, professional organizations, good governance groups who are looking at those resumes and determining who should serve on the board.

And then they send names up to the governor to be appointed to serve on the board.

Very early in the Landry administration, we saw an appointment made by the independent nominating Committee and the governor's refusal to appoint that person to serve on the board.

Since then, we've seen a complete turnover.

All nine members who served on the board of the Flood Authority East prior to the Landry administration have either resigned, not been confirmed, or have left the board.

And why is that concerning to have those board members resign?

If you think about pre-Katrina, the flood authority board was all government governor appointees, all political appointees.

And so the process of taking politics out of the situation was what the reform was designed to do.

And when you see a complete turnover and now we have a governor with all nine picks on the board, you're seeing political influence, and you can see that in the work that's happened at the at the board level the last few years.

There seems to be sort of an obsession with increasing the police force.

There is a levee police force for the flood authority East, taking those flood protection dollars, redirecting them towards a law enforcement practice.

That's just one of many examples of what can happen when politics gets involved.

I had read the police chief and a board member had left their positions.

How does this add to your growing list of concerns?

Yeah, so one of the most political board appointees who served as the president of the board a couple of last season did resign in recent days.

And the police chief, whose contract has been in the news, he was outside of statute earning more than the Louisiana state superintendent of police to oversee a very small police force.

He was put on leave last week.

We haven't heard why, but it is looking like he may be out the door as well.

These are two individuals who were the subject of a lot of media coverage.

This doesn't, though, remove.

The problem that we're seeing with political influence.

Has your organization reached out to the governor?

We have had conversations with members of the governor's staff, but we have not spoken to the governor directly.

What do you guys hope changes?

We really want to see a return not only to the letter of the law, but the spirit of of those reforms.

Let's take politics out of the decision and let the flood authority do its job of maintaining and operating our levees.

If people are watching, what would you say to them?

Why should they be concerned?

We all know that our flood protection system failed in Hurricane Katrina.

What we want to make sure is that we are in the best possible situation every single day, and trying to improve it every single day.

And so when the focus is not on flood protection, people need to be concerned.

With all of the turnover.

Are you worried that we're not prepared for hurricane season?

We have seen a lot of staff turnover at the flood authority.

Unfortunately, so there are fewer people who have multiple years experience operating the system.

That should concern.

People will be watching to see what happens if and when they have to operate the system this storm season.

The fact of the matter is, there are less people with those years of experience in place today than there were a year ago and two years ago.

Is there anything else you want to add that you think I haven't asked you?

I would say that if citizens are concerned in hearing this and maybe hearing it for the first time, that they can follow citizens for one greater New Orleans citizens for the number of one.

Com we have a newsletter.

We will keep you updated.

We will let you know if there are actions that citizens can take.

Because the best thing that we can do is let our elected officials hear our voices and hear our concerns that we want the flood authority focus solely on flood protection.

Well, thank you so much for stopping by.

We really appreciate it.

Thank you for having me.

When asked about the turnover earlier this week, the Flood Protection Authority released a statement saying employees are prepared for hurricane season and that the agency is focused on its mission of protecting the community.

And history and architectural beauty.

Come together at the New Orleans Lakefront Airport decades after it first opened, preservation work is underway to help protect the Art Deco masterpiece for future generations.

I'm taking you on a tour.

It's a living time capsule in Louisiana that blends aviation history with architectural art.

The New Orleans Lakefront Airport first opened in 1934 at Lake Pontchartrain, and it was originally dubbed the Air Terminal of the future.

But opening this airport all those years ago started with a multitude of complications.

Lakefront airport was the first airport in New Orleans.

Huey long wanted an airport down in New Orleans, and he found a way of making it happen with reclaimed land.

Bruce Martin has been working with airport operations since joining.

The Marines.

27.

Years ago.

Today, he is the director of aviation at lakefront and recalls Huey Long work nearly 100 years ago.

He wanted the airport so much so here in New Orleans, and I don't think the city was quite on the same page that he went through.

The levee board reclaimed the land, and we were the first airport here in New Orleans.

Nearly $4 million was spent building the Art Deco terminal before the grand opening in 1934, to show off the new airfield and the modern art.

At the opening ceremony, 10,000 people came in for the big party, featuring air races to show off the advanced design for the new airfield.

But that was just the beginning.

You have the Four Winds fountain out front with Eureka, who did the Full Winds fountain and did some of the friezes in this building.

Also the murals wall done by Javier Gonzalez.

Luis Capo is the executive director of the Lakefront Management Authority, and believes the airport as an indoor museum of art Deco, celebrating the romance of aviation with sugar cane tiles, hand painted murals and original sculptures.

But it wasn't always the prominent art landmark that it is today.

The New Orleans.

Lakefront Airport.

Has some of the most fascinating stories in aviation history.

Problems ranged from Governor Huey P Long's assassination in 1935 to 1 of the airport's founders, Abraham Shushan, being convicted of mail fraud and massive state corruption.

In 1946, major airline traffic moved 12 miles west to the newly opened Mozart Field, now known as Louis Armstrong International Airport, but the biggest changes came following the Cuban Missile Crisis.

In 1964, when this building was transferred from this Art deco look to a fallout shelter during the Cold War and Juba missile crisis.

It was the time of Cold War paranoia, and tensions were so escalated that the Orleans Levee Board decided to modernize the facility, turning it into a nuclear fallout bomb shelter.

They came in, they closed the outside with steel and concrete, closed up all of these windows.

Workers wrapped the entire exterior in thick, monolithic concrete panels to block out possible radioactive nuclear fallout.

It was going to be a fallout.

Shelter, to my knowledge, was never used as one.

But it had that box that concrete box looked to, it wasn't very attractive.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed into New Orleans, pushing a massive storm surge from Lake Pontchartrain that submerged the lakefront airfield and filled the terminal with four feet of water.

The hurricane destroyed historic hangars, and the water and wind severely damaged the 1964 concrete exterior panels.

But when FEMA and inspectors looked beneath the cracking concrete, they rediscovered the perfectly preserved 1934 Art Deco facade hidden underneath.

When all that water is subsiding, we were getting back on our feet working with FEMA.

We essentially brought it back to what it was once upon a time, in 1930.

Four, that concrete bunker shell was removed.

The original Spanish marble and brass fixtures were restored, and the Gonzales murals were finally uncovered.

Yes, this is the one of the murals that Javier Gonzalez created is the land of the Mayas.

They stayed behind it, encased closure with rice paper.

When we peel the rice paper off, they were an excellent shape.

They needed some restoration work, but other than that, they were in great shape.

Today, the airport is also a hot spot for tourists and visitors, with a runway cafe open for breakfast and lunch, along with dances, weddings, class reunions, bar mitzvahs and corporate events all celebrated at the historic airport.

Its first class.

I mean, it's they do everything.

Perfectly correct and they don't bother you to let you go.

To be honest, I don't care anything about the airport, but the food is great.

Being in this building, this building, when you walk in, you can feel the history.

It's very unique in New Orleans, this type of building, it's been around since 1933.

It's been fully refurbished.

Makes a beautiful setting.

The one of a kind.

Airport is also served as a highly versatile, camera ready Hollywood backdrop.

Like for the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die.

What's on for today?

Let's just wing it, Joey, Mrs.

Bell.

And Green Lantern in 2011.

So you came to this.

Airport.

When you were just a kid?

Yes.

There was no restriction, no security, nothing.

We just went up there by selves.

We stood out there and watched some of the planes land and take off and all.

And it was it was a thrill to young people.

It's an architectural time capsule.

To remember another unique part of Louisiana history.

This is a beautiful airport.

This is a hidden gem in New Orleans that most people don't know.

That's our show for this week.

Remember, you can watch anything LPB anytime, wherever you are with our LPB app.

You can catch LPB news and public affairs shows, as well as other Louisiana programs that you've come to enjoy over the years.

And please like us on Facebook and Instagram.

For everyone at Louisiana Public Broadcasting, I'm Christina Jensen.

And I'm Johnny Atkinson.

Until next time.

That's the state we're in.

For Louisiana.

The state we're in is provided by Entergy.

Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state.

We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us because together we power life.

Additional support provided by the Fred B and Ruth B Ziegler Foundation and the Ziegler Art Museum.

Located in Jennings City Hall, the museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists and is a historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana and by Visit Baton Rouge and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

And viewers like you.

Thank you.