Auto Insurance, Will Wade, Maison Freetown Museum, Ja'Nika Stanley | 04/18/2025

Season 48 Episode 32 | 28m 28sVideo has Closed Captions

04/18/2025

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Louisiana: The State We're In is a local public television program presented by LPB

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Auto Insurance, Will Wade, Maison Freetown Museum, Ja'Nika Stanley | 04/18/2025

Season 48 Episode 32 | 28m 28sVideo has Closed Captions

Auto Insurance, Will Wade, Maison Freetown Museum, Ja'Nika Stanley | 04/18/2025

04/18/2025

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Support for Louisiana. The state we're in is provided by Entergy. Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state. We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us. Because together we power life. Additional support provided by the Fred B and Ruth B Zigler Foundation and the Zigler Art Museum, located in Jennings City Hall. The museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists and is a historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana. And the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting and viewers like you. Thank you. Several bills aimed at lowering auto insurance rates are moving ahead in the legislature. We'll have more on that. And I'll introduce you to our next young hero, Jenica Stanley. Plus, Victor Howell sits down with former McNeese men's basketball coach Wil Wade as he prepares to leave Lake Charles. And I'm taking you to Lafayette for a look behind the Mason Freetown. Let's get started right. Hello, everyone. I'm Karen Loblaw. And I'm Dorothea Wilson. Much more on those top stories in a moment. On this week's edition of Louisiana, the state we're In. But first. At least 16 international students at five Louisiana universities face deportation after the Trump administration revoked their visas. It's not clear exactly why those students were targeted, but the president has vowed to deport visa holders who take part in pro-Palestinian activities. He has also threatened to revoke federal funding to schools, including Tulane University. He feels have failed to protect Jewish students. Less than a week into this year's legislative session, state lawmakers have advanced a handful of bills dealing with Louisiana's auto insurance crisis. During his opening speech Monday, Governor Jeff Landry urged lawmakers to drive down rates. Part four of my series, driving in the dead looks at insurance reform agendas. Both Governor Jeff Landry and state Insurance Commissioner Tim Governor Jeff Landry, in his opening address to lawmakers at the start of the 2025 legislative session, had strong words for insurance companies and trial lawyers regarding insurance reform. Now, the only difference I see between these lawyers and these insurance companies is that one wants to skin you from the ankle up, another from the ear down. The auto insurance reform debate lies in the cost drivers of Louisiana's auto insurance premiums. Governor Landry believes auto insurance companies are making a profit in Louisiana. The state insurance commissioner, Tim Temple, says not so. On the insurance side, our loss ratios are better than Texas and Florida, and more comparable to Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas. This means that insurance companies profit more in Louisiana than in other states. We consistently rank as the most unaffordable state for auto insurance in the country and Louisiana, drivers and businesses pay close to twice as much as drivers in our neighboring states. But insurer profits are not driving our high auto rates because insurer profits don't exist in Louisiana. just days before the start of the 2025 legislative session. The insurance commissioner called a press conference to present his insurance reform agenda. We're trying to rebalance a system in Louisiana that is severely out of balance. Study after study shows that our high rate of medical and legal utilization are the primary drivers in our state. Both the governor and insurance commissioner agree that Louisiana's high rate of auto accident, bodily injury claims and litigation are driving up auto insurance premiums in the state. are accident frequency and repair costs aligned with the national average are injury severity, which was shocking to me, is below the national average. However, our minor injury claims are nearly double the national average. This suggests a culture driven by lawyer advertising that requires a correction. Governor Landry wants some guardrails on legal advertising for auto accidents. I support the legislation to restrict attorney advertising that promises monetary outcomes through dubious testimonies and deceptive claims for fantasy monetary awards. Have I had that bill? The last governor vetoed it. Set it up to me. I'll sign it. In an earlier press conference, the governor called out advertising practices on both sides in support of legislation that prohibits insurance companies from passing on advertising costs to consumers. I'm just as tired of seeing Mars board as I am of seeing the lizard The governor and insurance commissioner detour on possible solutions to curb auto insurance premiums. Governor Landry believes the insurance commissioner needs more power to reject high rates and is supporting legislation to that end. This proposed legislation expands the commissioner's oversight by removing legal exemptions and requiring rate filings for more than just informational purposes. These changes will enable the Commissioner to assess and reject excessive rates, regardless of market conditions. I removing public hearings, the barriers to public hearings, and shifting the burden of proof. I said it earlier. It works in Mississippi the governor said that the Louisiana law does not provide the insurance commissioner me the authority needed to effectively regulate insurers. That simply isn't the case. Similar to 29 other states across the country, I have all the authority I need to deny a rate for being too high, and I exercise it. The insurance commissioner is supporting insurance reform legislation that he says brings transparency, certainty and predictability in the market to attract carriers. With this reform package, we are going to fix the cost drivers in our legal system like medical billing, transparency, comparative fault, and general damages. These are measures that we know will move the needle and start lowering costs for families and businesses. Insurance reform also takes aim at Louisiana's uninsured motorist. Limiting the amount of damages they can claim. A concept called no pay, no play. We must further limit the recovery for drivers who don't play by the rules, breaking the law and driving without insurance. Currently today, the bodily injury damages exclude the first 15,000. I say we raise it up to $100,000. Depending on the lens through which consumers look at the data, insurance companies in Louisiana are either making a profit or taking on losses. Consumers are left to determine fact from fiction and call on lawmakers to vote for meaningful reforms that prevent them from driving into debt and driving businesses out of Louisiana. From hashtags to headlines, here's what's trending this week. Right. Looking for love in the modern age isn't easy. Even with all those dating apps. We got something really creative going on here. Yes, we do. And you're right.

It's not easy. But I don't know if this one is going to make it a little easier. Get this now. A guy from Prairie ville. He decided to go a little old school to make a match. Jeff Seeger was frustrated with online dating and had an idea while setting up a billboard for his landscape business site. So he put up a second billboard declaring himself as since in Paris's most eligible bachelor included a website where potential love interest can answer some basic questions. Now, she says, he's got hundreds of submissions, which I imagine so a whole billboard. Now he's gone on around 40 dates so far. All right. Well, definitely he's got game and some creativity, but after all that, he hasn't found his soulmate just yet. A long way from newspaper ads.

That's right. Well, now we're going to shift gears a little bit to some other trending news. Will, our young hero of this week is Jenica Stanley from Baton Rouge. A pretty strange lawsuit targeting the New Orleans Now she faced challenges and they forced her to take on adult responsibilities at a young age to keep her family together. So Michael Messi sued the team, claiming that he is the direct But a loving foster family and support from her community put her on the path to success. descendant of the French kings and that his family owns rights to the image. Here's her story. descendant of the French kings and that his family owns rights to the image. Fine.

Time to say something after all this time. I will say that you are the writer of your own story. However, you watch the stories and it will anyway. You are the author of your own work. Meet young hero number three. Ja'Nika Stanley and the Saints have used the logo since they were formed in 1967. Janica entered the foster care system at the age of ten when her mother, struggling with mental illness, could no longer provide for her and her siblings. For two years, Janica took on many adult responsibilities, working hard to keep the family together, believing that one day her mother would recover. Just growing up, you know, being at home right around eight years old, my mom, she she really struggled. She was like almost at her breaking point. But her mental health meant that she couldn't do for herself. And so being like that, I had to cook, I had to clean, I had to make sure she was given bathe. I had to make sure I was getting by. You have to make sure she and you know that we alarm you at eight years old. When Ja'Nika finally entered foster care, she missed her family immensely and struggled with feelings of depression and rejection. Pacheco, really as she was the last to be fostered. Then, unexpectedly, everything changed. I got to meet somebody that, you know, helped me through that process. Heal me through life, navigate me just, you know, be my kind of guardian angel in that sense. And I can say like, she's the reason I'm here now. So, I mean, growing up, it kind of was hard, but now that I'm in the space than I am, I can grow like I flourish and I can be who I want to be. Once placed in her new home with her new foster mother, Sharon Norwood, Janica began to thrive and she also began engaging in a variety of activities, such as the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition. That's where she met her nominator, Mychell Lewis. When I think about Janica, I think of someone who is passionate, who is kind, who is so loving, and she's usually super quiet, but is it's her wisdom that takes over a room when she talks is just amazing. I think Ja'Nika's story is one of transformation. Turn your pain into passion and turning adversity into a stepping stone for a brighter future. She's always coming here with a bright smile, willing to help out. She's just an amazing all around student. And Ja'Nika is just that, an amazing student working to build as many connections with others as possible. I'm the vice president for National Honor Society. I'm part of Hosa club. I've been a part of the Bay club. I'm a cheerleader, running track. I've been in the JROTC or my company commander. I know, and you know, right now I just mentor people and make connections with people. Ja'Nika is also an entrepreneur who has launched her own eyelash company. I had to give it a shot myself. She is also a licensed CNA and medical assistant. Now, while she may be too young to officially work in these positions, that doesn't prevent her from helping others. Ja'Nika volunteers at local retirement homes providing support to the elderly because she believes it's important for them to feel loved and valued, which is helping others see the smile on their face as saying that they're happy that someone is listening to them. Someone is just taking in what they're saying. Whether you just helping them wash their face, just seeing it, they feel themselves. They feel feel valued, important, like more like themselves. They feel loved. And I like that. I like to see that. And just like her own foster mother, Jenica also wants to foster kids of her own. One day, another avenue to share with others the love in her heart and to prevent them from feeling the same pain she felt from her past experiences. You know, make them feel at home. Make them feel like they are loved. Make them feel a part of something. Make them feel like they have a family, you know? So that's what I want. I want to give back to those kids that don't have that now. After hearing all of Ja'Nika story, I asked nominator Michelle Lewis what she wanted to share most about Ja'Nika Her story is one that anyone who is going through hardship or who is experiencing trouble can really realize that you have the power to write your own story, that you're in natural circumstances, that you're bigger than your circumstances. Because she embodies that in every single way. Janica is a strong, bold person, and though she's quiet, she speaks so many volumes and I'm so proud of her. I am Ja'Nika Stanley and I am a young hero. LPB Louisiana Young Heroes program is presented with the generous support of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library. The Gail and Tom Benson Charitable Foundation, and Fishman Haygood. Along with title sponsor Community Coffee. And with additional support from the US Army Baton Rouge Recruiting Battalion, Demko and McDonald's. Former LSU men's basketball coach Will Wade got a second chance at McNeese state. Now, under his leadership, the Cowboys shattered several program records, but now he is headed to North Carolina State. Before saying goodbye to Lake Charles, Wade sat down with sports correspondent Victor Howell to talk about the ups and downs of his career. I'm excited about this rebirth of our basketball program and of our community, and I can't wait to start the largest turnaround in college basketball this next season. We're going to go from 23 losses to 23 plus wins next year. Remember I said that we're going to start that today. You took that job as you well know, and it was very viable. You called your shot and said 23 losses last year. You mark my words, we'll be 23 wins next year. Make sure you remember this. And everybody did. And you went from 23 losses to 30 wins and a trip to the turn, winning the Southland Conference. What made you call your shot on the podium that day? What did you see that you were going to be able to do in that program? I'm not always right, but I'm always sure. So I think part of it's about having having some confidence. And I felt like just the program needed an injection of of confidence and an injection of some pop. You know, instead of just us, you know, walking around with this woe is me and, you know, waiting for the other shoe to drop and that sort of thing. I think we needed some. I think we needed some some, you know, just just some pop to what we're doing. And I felt like making something by, making a statement like that would, would galvanize everybody and get us going. And fortunately, we were able to back it up. What did the community mean for you, coach, when you had the chance? Obviously, it wasn't your first for this season. It wasn't your first trip to get to term and get a win. But it was for that program. And the emotion afterwards that we all witnessed on TV was real. You with your players jumping into the administration's arms, the celebration, it seemed like that really was a nice encapsulation of what Lake Charles had meant to you and what you had built for two years.

Can you describe that? I mean, it's almost indescribable. Look, we've we've won NCAA tournament games a lot of places, but I mean this to win one as a, as a as a major underdog like that, to win one, just, really put the cherry on top of everything that, we had accomplished over the, over the couple years. In Lake Charles, I just felt, you know, I felt like all the belief and all of the investment and all of the, just all the hard work paid off in that and that, in that moment. And so I was, you know, just just so excited because I knew what it was going to do for, our school. I knew what it was going to do for our university. I knew what I was going to do for our community. And so it was just just, incredible sense of pride, sense of pride for our players and knew how was going to change their lives. So just just really, incredible, experience and a moment that that I'll never forget. I don't I don't care what happens the rest of my coaching career. That will be one of the top three moments, ever, in my, in my coaching career. And, was just so excited to share it with the folks who came from Lake Charles. We had a good, good, good, cheering section up there. And then administrators, I mean look and and we sat there and we were on the court after winning an NCAA tournament game. But two years before that, everybody thought all three of us were idiots. And and so, you know, I think that, to see, their belief, rewarded was, was really, special for me. And then, by the same token, the emotion after the next game and the loss, realizing it was in for the run for this year's team. And also, I know things had been developing, it had become official, but things were boring about you taking another job. And I thought what was very unique, coach, is that you seem to be very honest with the players and with the program that they all knew something might happen. And it was afterwards. But the emotion I could see in that locker room what it meant, that was also very real. You saying goodbye to those players and what you had built. Know a lot of our a lot of the people in our program or second chances, myself, the players. That's kind of why we've, you know, we're close. We've got a lot of stuff that that, the, the, you know, bonds us together. And so, I'm a big believer in it and, and, you know, hopefully, we did right by the people who gave us a second chance. Today. Today's a tough but, I mean, we went 40 and two in the league. I don't care what league you're in.

That's hard to do. 58 and 11 and two years. And as these guys man, as these guys. You touched on it. I wanted to ask you before I let you go coach, about getting that second chance and maybe what you learned about yourself, about the game, about the state, maybe specifically about McNeese and the fact that you were gone. You left LSU not by your own choice, but then you got that second chance, and you certainly made the most of it and grabbed not only statewide attention, community attention, but national attention. But what did you learn, maybe about yourself and the coaching style and and getting back into it to where you're now back in a power for you know, going to NC state? Yeah, I mean, look, you know, you got to evolve. You got to change. Have a lot more empathy now than I had before. And so I try to, you know, look, we're still going to have the same hard edge and hard nosed mentality, that we had. That's what we want our teams to play with. That's who we want to be. But we also, also way more understanding and try to have a lot more fun and try to enjoy it a lot more than I did the, you know, the first time, the first time around. So, you know, I, I enjoyed every minute of it, and we're going to continue to enjoy it and, and, look forward to seeing what's ahead. Well, we see you back as a regular visitor to the state of Louisiana, whether you're playing an opponent or just coming back to, to see the family and friends you've made here in the state. Oh, yeah, we've got some of our, you know, some of our best friends in the world are here. My closest friends are here either in Lake Charles or Baton Rouge. And so, yeah, you you had heard the last of us. You're not going to get rid of us that easily. Whatever I can do. And as much as I can do for this, this school in this area, I'm going to continue to do because they gave me a second chance when not many people would. And they believed in me when not many people would. And I'm going to I'm going to do everything I can to repay that.

Good. This place in the state holds a special place in my heart and, very, very appreciative of all the people. There's no better people in the world. From the blue and gold and McNeese to the red, black and gray of NC state.

He's head coach. Well, way coach, I really appreciate your time. Congratulations on the success you had in Lake Charles. And we wish you all the best at NC state. Don't be a stranger.

Thanks so much that appreciate it. In the heart of Lafayette's historic Freetown neighborhood stands a beacon of culture and history. The Mason Freetown Museum and Cultural Center highlights the history of the area's free people of color. I took a tour to learn about the living testament to the community struggles and triumphs. Take a look. Mason Freetown serves as a cultural museum and African American Heritage center. Situated in the nationally recognized Historic Freetown neighborhood. this community was established prior to the Civil War. And it has a lot of history. It was the backside of what was Governor Alexander Mouton plantation. And a high population of enslaved Africans live here. So the Freetown stands for some of the free people of color and the emancipated, enslaved that lived in this community. Wow.

Well, I can't wait to get inside and see what's behind this door. The property features an oak tree embodying centuries of splendor. This majestic canopy covers Lafayette's historic Freetown neighborhood, which was once part of Louisiana Governor Alexander Mouton. I'll.

Copal sugar plantation. A short stroll away is good. Hope Hall, a place reserved for black patrons during the Jim Crow era. Well, Louis Armstrong captivated audiences while white guests stood outside. Museum curator Erika Fox says she chose to open the museum after relocating to California and returning to Lafayette, only to find a lack of diversity. every time I would come back, I was looking for places that showcase diversity, showcase people of color, and I honestly wasn't seeing it again. So for about 14 years, I had been poking and prodding some of our other non-profits to get it started in our city government, and everyone kind of just thought it was a good idea, but no one kind of movement pushed forward. And so finally I said I could keep poking or I could be the solution. Erica guided me through the museum to showcase what visitors could expect to see. Visitors can explore Afro Creole art galleries, attend exhibitions on Louisiana's history, participate in literary events, and enjoy cooking demonstrations. They can also delve into over 400 cataloged oral narratives of Louisiana residents preserved at the Library of Congress. center also serves as a repository for Louisiana culture, enabling guests to connect directly with local artisans and musicians. I'd like to start with talking about the benevolence group, True Friends Society. Lafayette. This was an organization of neighbors that were helping each other from some very trying times. They were established just after the Civil War, circa 1883 is the exact date when true friends came together and it was neighbors promoting support for everything from burials and funerals. The True French Society was founded in Freetown to protect its citizens of color from vigilante groups and attacks on black residents. Mason Free town's goal is to continue the century long mission of true friends, and to serve as a repository to document and preserve diverse histories and cultures. Erica and I continue to explore the museum, and I discovered something new about Lafayette Mardi Gras Indians. So this is kind of our Mardi Gras room. Many people think that there's only Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans, but we also have a mardi Gras tradition, particularly in Freetown. Some of the actual original members of True Friends were designers, seamstresses and maskers and the local Mardi Gras association. And when they asked to be a part of the main organization, they were denied access because of their color. So they began their own tradition, and it still exists to this day. So these are some of our local black maskers in our neighborhood. Right. And if you could see some of the detail, it's so beautiful. It takes over a year just to make. And some of our maskers in our neighborhood are now teaching the young individuals in our neighborhood to continue the tradition. Next, we explored the Creole Legends Room, a space dedicated to honoring the icons of Creole music and culture. So here we have our Creole legends room, where we honor some of our Creole musicians of the area, like Buckwheat Zydeco and Clifton Chenier. Buckwheat was instrumental in bringing zydeco or Creole music, also known as La la to the nation, to the world. Really and truly. And they all came from this area. Many of the people in this community were farmers, agriculturalists. And so at the end of the day, this was their way of kind of letting off some steam by playing the accordion or fiddle or the scrub board report that you see here. So it's our way to continue telling the story of these everyday people doing some incredible things in the world. We wrapped up the tour in the classroom, showcasing more notable Lafayette residents, African American inventions, and artifacts discovered underground that are considered part of history. That's our show for this week. Remember, you can watch anything.

LPB. Any time, wherever you are, with our LPB app. That's right. And you can catch LPB news and public affairs shows, as well as other Louisiana programs you've come to enjoy over the years. And please like us on Facebook and Instagram for. Everyone at Louisiana Public Broadcasting. I'm Kara Loblaw. And I'm Dorothea Wilson.

Until next time. That's the state we're in. The state we're in is provided by Entergy. Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state. We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us. Because together we power life. Additional support provided by the Fred B and Ruth B Zigler Foundation and the Zigler Art Museum, located in Jennings City Hall. The museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists and is a historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana and by Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. Visit Baton Rouge and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting and viewers like you. Thank you.