This week on Behind the Lens, ten months into the COVID-19 pandemic, about 20 percent of NOLA Public Schools students are considered “chronically absent” this school year. 

A lone New Orleans Councilwoman has asked the Louisiana Tax Commission to investigate and reverse a set of controversial tax cuts that the Orleans Parish Assessor granted to nearly every commercial property in the parish for this year.

In his inaugural address on Monday, newly elected Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams promised that he would hold people who commit serious crimes accountable, but wouldn’t waste resources on low-level offenses that stem directly from drug addiction, mental illness, and poverty. 

Our guests this week are education reporter Marta Jewson, criminal justice reporter Nick Chrastil and The Lens editor, Charles Maldonado.

Behind The Lens is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play and Stitcher. And we broadcast the show on community radio stations 102.3 FM WHIV LP in Mid-City and 90.3 FM WAMF-LP in the Marigny.



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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...