Behind The Lens episode 160: ‘They knew that the storm was coming’

Oil workers on foreign-flagged ships are subject to fewer protections. BGR says livestreaming public meetings should be adopted permanently. And an update on the DA's office's review of split-jury convictions.
Photo by Sara Sneath/Floodlight.

On this week’s episode, oil workers on foreign-flagged ships don’t have the same protections as workers on American-flagged vessels, leaving many of them vulnerable. Special guest Sara Sneath of Floodlight has the story.

A new report from a local watchdog group is urging all government bodies to permanently retain the COVID-era practice of livestreaming public meetings and to make it a law to do so.

As a candidate, District Attorney Jason Williams promised a comprehensive review of hundreds of split-jury convictions from Orleans Parish. A year after that project began, the pace of the reviews has slowed, but the DA’s office maintains it’s making progress.

Our guests this week are Lens reporters Nick Chrastil, Michael Isaac Stein, editor Charles Maldonado and Floodlight investigative reporter Sara Sneath.

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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 planning, research, branding, and non-traditional revenue generation. During her tenure she also created and launched four weekly news, public affairs and cultural affairs programs and monthly live Town Hall broadcasts. Heldman moved to New Orleans last summer with her husband and canine companion and they live happily in The Marigny.