This week on Behind The Lens, a report on how schools collect and report COVID-19 data, which is used not only to make decisions on quarantines but to guide public health policy.

Angola prisoner Bobby Sneed — who saw his parole revoked in an unusual procedure — is back in the news after his lawyers filed a petition arguing he is being held unlawfully. 

The future of the jail facility known as Phase III is still uncertain as a committee can’t reach consensus on whether to approve a necessary zoning change. But the decision is ultimately the New Orleans City Council’s.

And New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has announced a plan to deputize civilian employees of some city departments to issue citations for certain quality of life municipal violations.

Our guests this week are education reporter Marta Jewson, criminal justice reporter Nick Chrastil, government and cultural economy reporter Michael Isaac Stein, and Lens editor Charles Maldonado.

Carolyne Heldman

Carolyne Heldman has been in media for 35 years, most recently as Executive Director at an NPR member station in Colorado where she was responsible for new multi-platform content initiatives, strategic...