Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1978-01-06

Duration: 00:27:55

Subjects: Elections, 1978 | Elections, 1979 | Energy | Filmed panel discussions | Journalists | Teachers' unions | HAYNES, J.K. | Teacher pay raises | School integration. | Schools for the deaf | Schools for the blind | Westwego Grain Elevator Explosion, 1977 | Carter, Jimmy, 1924- | Johnston, J. Bennett (John Bennett), 1932- | Panama Canal Treaties (1977) | Jenkins, Woody | United States Senate election in Louisiana, 1978 | Republican Party | Louisiana gubernatorial election, 1979 | Tonry, Richard A. | Gallinghouse, Gerald | Edwards, Edwin W.

Contributors:

• George, Beth Host
• LeBlanc, Valeri Photographer
• Ertl, Bob Photographer
• Wilhelmi, Marcia Photographer
• DeMers, John Writer
• George, Beth Producer
• Mitchell, Gene Producer
• Mitchell, Gene Director
• DeMers, John Panelist
• Lynch, Bill Panelist
• Hill, John Panelist

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from January 6, 1978, features Beth George leading a panel discussion with three capitol reporters: John DeMers of Louisiana Public Broadcasting; Bill Lynch of the New Orleans States-Item; and John Hill of the Shreveport Times and Monroe Morning World.  They discuss: the efforts of J.K. Haynes to invalidate the merger of the predominately white Louisiana Teachers’ Association (LTA) and the predominately black LEA into the Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE); teacher pay raises; the possible integration of the segregated elementary schools for the deaf and blind; the federal and state investigations into the explosion of a grain elevator in Westwego; the Congressional debate over President Jimmy Carter’s energy package; Senator J. Bennett Johnston and his work on the conference committee for the energy package and his stance on the Panama Canal Treaty; the possibility of State Representative Woody Jenkins running against Johnston in the 1978 Senate election; the future of the Republican Party in Louisiana, including the upcoming 1979 Governor’s Race; the reduction of the sentence of former Representative Richard Tonry, who violated campaign finance laws; the resignation of U.S. Attorney Gerald Gallinghouse; and the rough year for Governor Edwin Edwards.    Host: Beth George