Collection:LPB

Genre: Newsmagazine

Place Covered: Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 1985-04-19

Duration: 00:25:58

Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1985 | Environment | Air quality

Contributors:

• Johnson, Ken Host
• Myers, Laura Reporter
• Norton, Pat Interviewee
• McCarthy, Dan Interviewee
• Brinkman, Jay Interviewee
• Jenkins, Woody Interviewee
• Smith, Danny Interviewee
• Edwards, Edwin Speaker
• Duke, Paul Interviewee

This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from April 19, 1985, features Ken Johnson hosting a daily legislative report on the 1985 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Johnson first reports on the day’s headlines. He interviews Secretary Pat Norton of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, who discusses the environmental legislation under consideration and the state’s superfund sites. Johnson also interviews Dan McCarthy, a professor at Tulane University, who discusses their development of a computer system that can monitor air quality and air pollution. Next, Laura Myers reports on the efforts of two new groups working to improve Louisiana’s image. She interviews Jay Brinkman of Education for a New Louisiana, as well as State Representative Woody Jenkins and Danny Smith of Citizens for Louisiana. Lastly, Johnson conducts an in-studio interview with Paul Duke, the moderator of the PBS series “Washington Week in Review.” He discusses: whether members of Congress listen to their constituents; the possibility of a balanced federal budget; the changes to Louisiana’s Congressional delegation, including the upcoming retirement of United States Senator Russell Long; Louisiana’s national image; and the importance of improving the public education system.