PROVIDED BY -- WHEN MORNING CAME TO LOUISIANA, WE WERE HOPEFUL, NOT HIBERNATING.

WE WERE STRONGER, READY FOR WHAT IS NEXT AND TOGETHER AS WE GO ANEW, BLUE CROSS IS READY TO SUPPORT YOU.

HI.

I'M PATRICK.

EMPLOYED AT EXXONMOBIL AND PASTOR AT ASSEMBLY OF BATON ROUGE.

I'M SO GLAD THAT EXXON MOBIL IS SPONSORING THE LOUISIANA BLACK CHURCH AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY WATCHING.

AND BY CSRX.

BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.

ENTERGY IS PROUD TO SUPPORT PROGRAMMING ON LPB AND GREENER PRACTICES THAT PRESERVE LOUISIANA.

THE GOAL OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES REALLY IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN BE LEFT WITH A CLEANER PLANET.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE FRED B.

AND RUTH B. ZIEGLER FOUNDATION AND THE ZIEGLER ART MUSEUM LOCATED IN JENNINGS CITY HALL.

THE MUSEUM FOCUSES ON EMERGING LOUISIANA ARTISTS AND IS AN HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.

AND THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING WITH SUPPORT FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY LNS CAPTIONING WWW.LNSCAPTIONING.COM I WOULD ARGUE THAT THOSE STEPS WERE A STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

STATE LEADERS PUSH BACK ON THE PRESIDENT'S PLANS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE.

THIS ISN'T JUST A DISEASE.

ALL OF US COPING WITH CORONAVIRUS.

JUST REALIZING IT, COPING WITH IT, AND GETTING OVER IT WAS THE ONLY THING YOU REALLY COULD DO.

HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES BRACE FOR A FUTURE WITH FEWER PROSPECTS.

WHAT MAKES AMERICAN RELIGION AMERICAN IS THE AFRICAN IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

THE HISTORY OF BLACK CHURCHES TOLD THROUGH LOUISIANA SANCTUARIES.

HI.

I'M KARA ST. CYR.

I'M ANDRE MOREAU.

MUCH MORE ON THOSE TOP STORIES IN A MOMENT ON THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "SWI" BUT FIRST -- THE LATEST NUMBERS ON THE CORONAVIRUS.

863 NEW CASES AND 32 NEW DEATHS.

TOTAL CASES APPROACHING 410,000 WITH MORE THAN 9,000 DEATHS.

AS VACCINATION OPPORTUNITY CRAWLS ALONG, COVID MUTATIONS OR VARIANTS ARE POTENTIALLY MOVING MORE QUICKLY.

AND THAT'S BRINGING NEW WORRIES.

WE ARE NOT ONLY JUST MANAGING THE CURRENT COVID CASE LOAD, WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT A FOURTH SURGE THAT COULD BE DRIVEN BY THE NEW VARIANTS, PARTICULARLY THE B117 VARIANT, THE USC K VARIANT WHICH IS PRESENT IN 35 OR MORE STATES AND IN MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES HERE IN LOUISIANA.

IT IS HITTING US AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE RECOVERING FROM THIS VERY BIG SPIKE, THE LARGEST SPIKE IN THE PANDEMIC OVER CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S.

THE NATURE IS OUR ABILITY TO DETECT THE VARIANT PALES IN COMPARISON TO WHAT IT IS.

WE DON'T DO A LOT OF GENOMIC SEQUENCING, SEQUENCING OF THE VIRUS ITSELF.

SOME EUROPEAN COUNTRIES DO MUCH MORE OF IT.

WHEN WE IDENTIFY CASES LIKE THIS, IT IS A TIP OF THE ICEBERG SCENARIO.

MORE CASES ARE OUT THERE NO DOUBT.

BEGINNING MONDAY, THE STATE WILL ALLOW PEOPLE 65 AND OLDER TO GET VACCINATED.

NOW A LOOK AT OTHER HEADLINES MAKING NEWS ACROSS LOUISIANA.

THE STATE'S RECENT SAW GAR CANE -- SUGAR CANE HARVEST IS EXPECTED TO SET A RECORD AT ALMOST TWO MILLION TONS OF SUGAR ONCE GRINDING OF CANE IS COMPLETE.

THE LSU AG CENTER SAYS EVEN WITH THE OVERACTIVE HURRICANE SEASON, THAT MOST OF THE PLANTING WAS DONE BY THE TIME HURRICANE LAURA HIT IN AUGUST.

THE HARVEST BEGAN IN SEPTEMBER AND CONTINUED FOR ALMOST 125 STRAIGHT DAYS IN SOME AREAS.

THE STATE'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO SPEND FEDERAL CORONAVIRUS AID RECEIVED NINE MONTHS AGO.

TO DEFRAY PANDEMIC EXPENSES.

THEY ARE SCHEDULED TO GET ANOTHER $1.1 BEING, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVEN'T SPENT MORE THAN HALF OF THE $287 MILLION RECEIVED LAST APRIL.

THE MONEY SENT TO DISTRICTS WAS TO COVER COSTS FOR COMPUTERS, SUMMER SCHOOL, PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER EXPENSES RELATED TO THE VIRUS OUTBREAK.

AN AUDIT RELEASED MONDAY SHOWS MOST STATE AGENCIES DID NOT HAVE WORK FROM HOME POLICIES IN PLACE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

A LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR SURVEY LED TO THE FINDINGS.

84% OF AGENCY LEADERS RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY AND 47% OF WORKERS SAY TECHNOLOGY BARRIERS MADE IT TOUGH TO CARRY OUT JOBS WORKING REMOTELY FROM HOME.

ON FEBRUARY 2 EACH YEAR, WORLD THE LOUISIANA CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL BRINGS TOGETHER THE EVENTS OF THE 1950s AND 60s THAT PUTS OUR STATE AT THE CENTER OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT AT LOUISIANACIVILTRAILS.COM.

FORMER STATE SENATE PRESIDENT MICHAEL O'KEEFE DIED THIS WEEK FROM CANCER AT HIS HOME IN NEW ORLEANS.

HE WAS A POWERFUL POLITICAL FIGURE IN THE 1970s AND 80s.

HIS CAREER ENDED WHEN HE WAS CONVICTED IN A SERIES OF SCANDALS AND HE SPENT NEARLY 20 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON.

MICHAEL O'KEEFE WAS 89.

WE KNEW MARDI GRAS WOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT, BUT FEW ANTICIPATED ALL NEW ORLEANS BARS WOULD CLOSE COMPLETELY UNTIL AFTER FAT TUESDAY.

THAT GOES INTO EFFECT NEXT FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12.

THAT IS HARD TO IMAGINE.

IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT A SUPERSPREADER EVENT.

THE MOVE COMES AFTER LARGE CROWDS WERE SPOTTED ON BOURBON STREET AND IN THE FRENCH QUARTER LAST WEEKEND.

THE BAR BAN IS STID CITYWIDE.

NO LIQUOR SALES IN THE FRENCH QUARTER FROM FEBRUARY 12 THROUGH MARDI GRAS DAY.

HOPING TO PERSUADE PRESIDENT BIDEN TO SLOW DOWN HIS SWEEPING ACTIONS TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE IS JUST ONE BIG ITEM WHERE WE'VE SEEN SENATOR BILL CASSIDY OUT FRONT AND CENTER THIS WEEK.

THIS AFTER OIL AND GAS LEADERS WARNED THAT BIDEN'S AGENDA COULD DEVASTATE LOUISIANA'S ECONOMY, ALREADY REELING AMID THE CRUSHING BLOW OF THE CORONAVIRUS.

I TALKED WITH STATE AND NATIONAL LEADERS.

A LEAD ECONOMIST, A SENIOR SIERRA CLUB SPOKESMAN, A PROMINENT OIL INDUSTRY ANALYST AND PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY FOR THE STATE TO GET THEIR REACTION TO THE CLIMATE ORDERS.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO PUT THESE RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND REALLY THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE INTO THE BROADER CONTEXT OF THE LONG RUN CHANGES WE ARE SEEING IN THE ECONOMY.

EVEN BEFORE THESE EXECUTIVE ORDERS WE WERE HEARING MORE AND MORE FROM SOME OF THE MAJOR OIL AND GAS COMPANIES ABOUT LONG-TERM PLANS TO REDUCE DEPENDENCY ON TRADITIONAL RESOURCES AND INCORPORATING ALTERNATIVE FUELS INTO THEIR PORTFOLIOS.

THIS IS AN EFFORT TO ACCELERATE THAT CHANGE AND PUSH IT FORWARD AT A MUCH FASTER PACE.

THE GOVERNMENT CAN CERTAINLY PLAY A ROLE IN DOING SO.

WHEN YOU ACCELERATE THE PACE OF CHANGE, YOU END UP BRINGING ALONGSIDE MORE ECONOMIC DAMAGE AND TRANSITION COSTS.

THE PRESIDENT HAS SET FORTH A VISION OF HOPE FOR NEW JOBS IN LOUISIANA, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE ISSUE OF WIND FARMS, WIND INDUSTRY.

LOUISIANA BUILDS SHIPS.

WE HAVE SKILLED WORKERS TO DO THAT MATERIAL.

WE HAVE A PLANT ALREADY IN NEW ORLEANS EAST BUILDING WINDMILL BLADES.

I COULD SEE THIS PUSHING FORWARD LOUISIANA'S SKILLED WORKERS AND GREAT MORE JOBS.

IN THE ENERGY BUSINESS WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE DOLLARS ON LINE AT AT STAKE, URN CERTAINTY IS THE BUG-A-BOO THAT CREATES PROBLEM.

IN CASE IN POINT, CHEVRON SPEAKING TO INVESTORS AS RECENTLY AS YESTERDAY, THERE IS GOING TO BE AN IMPACT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW THE GENERAL DETAILS OR HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK.

HOW THIS WILL AFFECT OFFSHORE OPERATIONS IS AMBIGUOUS.

IT DOES HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF FACTORS ACROSS THE STATE.

THERE IS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY WITH WHAT THIS MEANS AND THE SPEED AT WHICH IT IS TAKEN.

THERE ARE TWO KEY RESPONSES YOU WOULD HAVE.

ONE, I WOULD ARGUE NO STATE IS MORE HARMED BY THOSE ACTIONS THAN LOUISIANA.

AND, TWO, THE STATED GOAL BY THE ADMINISTRATION TWO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, THOSE ACTIONS WERE A STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PETROLEUM PRODUCTION IN LOUISIANA, 90% HAPPENS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO.

FEDERAL WATERS ARE TAKEN OFF THE TABLE WITH LEASING AND PERMITS.

WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SEE IS THOSE INVESTMENT DOLLARS, LONG-TERM INVESTMENT DOLLARS START TO DRY UP IN OUR FEDERAL WATERS AND PIVOT TO OTHER AREAS WHERE THEY ARE WELCOME.

AND WHAT THE PRESIDENT'S ACTIONS HAVE DONE IS SENT THOSE INVESTMENT DECISIONS TO OTHER STATES WITH PRIVATE LAND LIKE WEST TEXAS OR OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE RUSSIA, IRAN AND THOSE.

I DON'T THINK THAT IS GOOD FOR AMERICAN ENERGY.

I DON'T THINK THOSE COUNTRIES ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY IN HOW THEY PRODUCE RESOURCES.

WE NEED TO MOVE TO CREATE NEW GREAT JOBS THAT WILL PAY BENEFITS.

THAT IS GOING TO BE THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND A PATH FORWARD AND INTO THE FUTURE.

BY MAKING A QUICK MOVE WITH EXECUTIVE ORDERS PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS PUT FORWARD SOME POLICY THAT WILL CAUSE SOME ECONOMIC DAMAGE AND WE ARE YET TO HEAR WHAT EXACTLY MIGHT BE ON THE TABLE IN TERMS OF NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT OUR BUSINESSES AND WORKERS CAN GET ENGAGED IN TO TAKE ITS PLACE.

WE THOUGHT WE WERE LONG OVERDUE TO GET A COVID IMPACT ON OUR MENTAL HEALTH AS WE BEGIN TO CLOSE IN ON ONE YEAR OF LIFE FEW OF US COULD HAVE IMAGINED ONE YEAR AGO TODAY.

WHEN WE FIRST TALKED TO LESLIE TODD, BATON ROUGE PSYCH THERAPIST, WE WERE THREE WEEKS INTO THE PANDEMIC, LIFE CHANGED WITH LOCKDOWNS AND A TOUGH NEW NORMAL.

CASES AND DEATHS WERE CLICHLING AND MENTAL STRESSORS WERE TAKEN HOLD.

10 MONTHS LATER THE LONG HAUL CONTINUES.

WE ALWAYS DO BETTER WITH ANXIETY WHEN THERE IS AN END POINT.

AND SO EVERYBODY IS LOOKING FOR AN END POINT AND, OF COURSE, THE MAGIC OF JANUARY 1, BECAUSE EVERY YEAR WE FEEL WE HAVE A FRESH START.

YEAH.

SO THIS PARTICULAR YEAR THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT LOOKED HOPEFUL FOR A FRESH START.

WE HAVE THE VACCINES.

WE KNEW TWO WERE GOING TO COME OUT.

SOME PEOPLE FELT BETTER THE ELECTION WAS OVER.

THERE ISN'T THE END TO OUR WORRIES AND SO ALL OF US, IF ONLY I CAN GET TO X, WE'RE IN TROUBLE IF THE X DOESN'T HAPPEN.

SO IF YOU PINNED YOUR HOPES TO JANUARY 1, NOW YOU ARE DISAPPOINTING.

ALL OF US ARE COAXING OURSELVES ALONG THE BEST WE CAN.

THE BEST WAY FOR MANY IS A MOMENT-BY-MOMENT STRUGGLE.

THE CDC SAYS 2-5 PEOPLE REPORT MENTAL OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC, ANXIETY, DEPRESSIONS, INCREASED SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE.

THAT IS 40% OF ALL PEOPLE.

NORMALLY ANXIETY RESOLS ITSELF BECAUSE THE PROBLEMS RESOLVE.

THIS PARTICULAR SET OF THINGS GETS MORE COMPLICATED.

SO WE'VE HAD SURGES.

WE'VE HAD NEW VARIANTS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS WITH COVID THAT MAKE IT A NON-ENDING KIND OF ANXIETY, TURN OF THE SCREW, THERE IS MORE.

PARTICULARLY WITH IT WILL ALL BE BETTER ON JANUARY 1, PICKING AN END DATE DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE IT IS NOT AN ON/OFF SWITCH.

THE NUMBER ONE SYMPTOM I'M SEEING IS INSOMNIA, SO MUCH INSOMNIA.

WE ARE REVVED UP AT A LEVEL WE ARE NOT USED TO ALL THE TIME.

ESPECIALLY PARENTS WITH KIDS AT HOME OR IF YOU ARE NOT SURE YOU ARE GOING TO GET YOUR NEXT PAYCHECK OR HAVEN'T FOUND A NEW JOB OR WORKING SIX JOBS.

I THINK THE ANXIETY IS SHOWING UP A LOT AS INSOMNIA.

HOW WE COPE, TODD SAYS, WILL TAKE INNER STRENGTH.

EXPECT TO HAVE A LOT OF MIXED FEELINGS AND WORK EXTRA HARD TO MANAGE OUR EMOTIONS AND MANAGE OUR LIVES.

I SPEND TIME OUTDOORS.

THAT IS THE THING I DO.

GET OUTDOORS.

IF IT IS JUST IN THE BACK YARD.

GET SOME SUN ON YOUR FACE.

WALK.

LOOK AT THE TREES.

THERE IS NOTHING MORE SPIRITUAL TO ME THAN NATURE, YOU KNOW, TO REMIND OURSELVES THAT THE WORLD WILL GO ON, THAT WE ARE PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ANXIETY, WHAT IS ANXIETY YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?

THERE IS ANXIETY IN A LOT OF LEVELS, NOT JUST MY PERSONAL LIFE, BUT IF I WERE A PERSON OF COLOR, I WOULD HAVE A WHOLE DIFFERENT SET OF ANXIETIES AND BROADER SOCIAL INJUSTICES THAT HAVE COME TO LIGHT CAN COVID AS WELL.

IT IS A BIG PACKAGE.

THIS ISN'T JUST A DISEASE.

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS LIKELY THAT COLLEGE ATHLETES HAD A FUTURE TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

ONES THAT INVOLVED COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS AND MAYBE A SPOT ON THE TEAM.

THESE AREN'T OPTIONS FOR EVERYONE ANYMORE.

I SPOKE WITH A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL COACH HE SAYS NEW RESTRICTIONS ARE MAKING IT HARDER FOR HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES TO ADVANCE.

THIS IS GEORGE HART, 18-YEAR-OLD WITH A LIFE FULL OF POSSIBILITIES STILL AHEAD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO FOOTBALL.

BUT LIKE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES, THE PANDEMIC CHANGED THE WAY HE PARTICIPATED.

THERE ARE A LOT MORE GUIDELINES YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW, ESPECIALLY AT A HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL THAN WE ARE USED TO.

ESPECIALLY AT PRACTICE, STAY DISTANCED, WE BRING OUR OWN WATER TO PRACTICE.

THAT IS DIFFERENT.

EVEN IN THE LOCKER ROOM, WE ARE GETTING -- IN MEETINGS WE ARE GETTING STAGGERED TIMES.

SO WE ARE NOT ALL CLUMPED UP AT ONE TIME.

AND TAKING A LOT MORE PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS SAFE.

WHAT ARE THE WORSE SIGNS OF THE VIRUS FROM THE EYES OF A STUDENT ATHLETE ARE THE PROSPECTS THAT WON'T BE THERE.

NORMALLY DURING THE SUMMER STUDENTS LIKE GEORGE ARE GETTING READY FOR FOOTBALL CAMPS TO TRAIN AND GET EXPOSURE OR SCOUTS MIGHT SEE HIM COME PRACTICE AND PLAY A FOOTBALL GAME.

COVID CLOSED A MAJORITY OF THE CAMPS AND SCOUTS COULDN'T VISIT.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT, BASICALLY.

IT IS IN PERSON INSTEAD OF TECHNOLOGY.

HART'S COACH SAYS PLAYERS LOOKING TO PLAY ON A COLLEGE LEVEL ARE STRUGGLING FOR SEVERAL REASONS.

THE COACHES DIDN'T GET TO COME BY TO GATHER NAMES.

THEY WERE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE THAT HAPPENED.

WE DIDN'T HAVE SPRING PRACTICE.

THAT WAS NOT EVEN A THING.

AND THEN THE COLLEGE SUMMER CAMPS DIDN'T HAPPEN.

THE EVALUATION CAMPS AT THE COLLEGES ALSO DIDN'T HAPPEN.

THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS A GIANT STRUGGLE FOR 2021 GRAD, THE GUYS THAT ARE GOING -- GOING TO GRADUATE THIS SPRING.

ADD TO THAT LIST, THE NCAA RULED OUT NEW REGULATION FOR ATHLETES.

THEY EXTENDED THE ELIGIBILITY FOR 2020 FRESHMAN TO GIVE THEM ANOTHER SHOT TO PLAY.

THE PROBLEM IS KIDS LIKE HART MAY NOT GET A SLOT ON A COLLEGE TEAM BECAUSE THAT SLOT IS OCCUPIED BY SOMEONE WHO HAS PLAYED BEFORE.

I UNDERSTAND THE GENESIS OF WHY THEY -- THE REASON WE WANTED TO DO THAT.

EVERYBODY, NO MATTER WHO YOU TALKED TO SAID THEY SHOULD HAVE PUT A GAME CAP.

IN OTHER WORDS, IF A KID AT LSU PLAYED IN FIVE GAMES AND HE GOT A SEASON, HE GOT SOME GAMES, HE SHOULDN'T GET A FREE YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY.

INSTEAD OF DOING THAT, THEY GRANTED THE ENTIRE NCAA AN EXTRA YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY.

HE SAYS YOU CAN TRY TO GET AROUND IT, BUT IT WILL BE HARD.

YOU CAN TRY TO GO TO A JUNIOR COLLEGE AND MAKE SPOTS THERE.

YOU CAN WALK ON TO A TEAM, BUT THAT MEANS YOU WOULDN'T GET A SCHOLARSHIP.

YOU WOULD PAY OUT OF POCKET, WHICH IS PRETTY EXPENSIVE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE COMING FROM OUT OF STATE.

A LOT OF STATES DON'T HAVE PROGRAMS LIKE WE DO WITH TOPS THAT GIVES THEM FREE TUITION TO A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY.

THAT IS AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION, YOU'RE SAYING I'M GOING TO PAY MY OWN WAY TO GET ON THE TEAM.

A LOT OF THE KIDS DON'T HAVE THE MEANS TO PAY $40,000 AND $50,000 TO GO TO SCHOOL, WHEN NORMALLY THEY WOULD BE GETTING A SCHOLARSHIP SOMEWHERE THEY WOULD BE MAKING MONEY TO GO TO SCHOOL.

THE GUIDELINES FOR FRESHMEN ELIGIBILITY HE CAN'T CHANGE, AS FOR CAMPS, HE THOUGHT A CREATIVE WAY TO GET KIDS EXPOSURE.

HERE IS A VIDEO OF ONE OF HIS STUDENTS IN VIRTUAL COMBINE.

WEIGHT AND HEIGHT LISTED AND SCOUTS CAN SEE HIM PRACTICE, SOMETHING THEY WOULD HAVE SEEN IN PERSON IF NOT FOR COVID-19.

YOU HAVE TO FIND WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM.

REALIZING IT AND COPING WITH IT AND IS THE ONLY THING YOU REALLY COULD DO.

GEORGE HAS A TAPE OUT ONLINE.

HE IS USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO GET HIS NAME OUT AND SO FAR IT IS WORKING.

E-MAILING GRAD ASSISTANTS, POSTING VIDEOS ON TWITTER, FOLLOWING COACHES SO I CAN BE ON TWITTER MORE THAN ANYTHING TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM.

RIGHT NOW HIS PROSPECTS ARE GOOD.

HE HAS GOTTEN A FEW OFFERS FROM DIFFERENT COLLEGES, NOWHERE NEAR THE AMOUNT HE WOULD HAVE SEEN BEFORE THE VIRUS, BUT JUST ENOUGH TO GIVE HIM SOME OPTIONS AND SOME HOPE.

I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY YET WHERE I'M GOING TO DECIDE TO GO.

MAKING THAT DECISION, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO AND, YEAH, ALSO GRADUATION.

NATIONAL SIGNING DAY WAS WEDNESDAY AND HART SIGNED WITH ARIZONA STATE AS A PREFERRED WALK ON.

THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF BLACK CHURCHES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRISTIANTY IS BROAD.

I SPOKE WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS OF LOUISIANA HISTORICALLY BLACK CHURCHES AND HOW THEY CAME TO BE AND HOW SHAPED THEM.

BUFFALO SOLDIERS WERE HERE.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE WINDOWS IN THE CHURCH, IN THE SANCTUARY HERE, YOU'LL SEE HISTORY PRINTED UP THERE.

ROGERWENE WASHINGTON HAS LIVED 77 YEARS OF LIFE THROUGH THIS CHURCH.

ST. JAMES AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

RACE WASN'T SOMETHING SHE WAS UNSECURE ABOUT HERE.

THIS PLACE WAS A SANCTUARY SINCE THE LATE 1840s WHEN IT WAS BUILT.

THIS IS A COMMON ORIGIN FOR LOUISIANA BLACK CHURCHES, START OUT AS SAFE HAVENS FOR SLAVES AND PEOPLE OF COLOR, AN ALTERNATIVE TO A BEAUTY REALITY.

IT WAS A RESPONSE TO WHITE RACIAL TERROR, BUT THERE WAS THIS OTHER SIDE THAT WAS SOMETHING CREATIVE.

WHITE SLAVES AND PEOPLE OF COLOR WORSHIPPED IN THE SAME BUILDING.

THE MESSAGE TAUGHT FROM THE PULPIT WAS WHITE.

HARDSHIP ON EARTH BEFORE GOING TO HEAVEN, OBEDIENCE TO MASTERS.

THE BLACK MEMBERS OF THE ST. ST. UNITED METHODIST CHURCH DECIDED TO TAKE THAT IDEA AND BLOW IT UP.

WE DECIDED NOT TO LIVE LIKE THIS OR WORSHIP LIKE THIS.

THEY LEFT THAT CHURCH IN 1844.

TO BUILD A CHURCH WHEN THEY DID BUILD A CHURCH, THE LADIES CARRIED THE BRICKS FROM THE RIVERS IN THEIR APRONS, THE MEN CARRIED THE BOARDS ON THEIR SHOULDERS.

AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN THE UNITED STATES ESPECIALLY IN THE 19th CENTURY TOOK ELEMENTS FROM AFRICA, NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE AND EUROPEAN AND BLENDED THAT INTO A UNIQUELY AFRICAN-AMERICAN SYSTEM.

THAT IS PART OF THE GENIUS AND CREATIVITY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN RELIGION.

SUDDENLY CHURCH LOOKED DIFFERENT.

PEOPLE WERE SINGING AND CLAPPING.

SOMETIMES A PERSON MIGHT FALL OUT AND CATCH THE HOLY GHOST.

THESE ARE BITS AND PIECES THAT PEOPLE CANNOT REMEMBER.

JESUS WAS FRIEND, RIGHT?

JESUS WASN'T SOMEONE DISTANT.

THIS COMES FROM AFRICAN-AMERICAN RELIGION.

BUT EVEN WITH SIMILARITIES, BLACK CHURCHES ARE NOT THE SAME, THOUGH THEY ARE UNITED IN THEIR FAITH, WHEN IT COMES TO CULTURE AND TRADITION, THAT VARIES.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN LOUISIANA IS A PRIME EXAMPLE.

IT IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE THEY EXPECTED THE BLACKS TO COME TO CHURCH EVEN IF YOU HAD TO SIT ON THE LEFT SIDE.

HERE THE BLACK AND WHITE CONGREGATION SAT TOGETHER, SEPARATE, BUT TOGETHER.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD SEE OFTEN, ESPECIALLY NOT IN THE JIM CROW SOUTH.

BACK THEN THE BLACK BAPTISTS AT THE BLACK CHURCH AND THE WHITE BAPTISTS HAD THE WHITE CHURCH.

THEY WENT TO THEIR CHURCH AND THE WHITES WENT TO THEIRS.

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY WAS BUILT BY FORMER SLAVES IN 1870.

SOMEWHERE WHITES BEGAN ATTENDING.

THIS CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE REST.

IN THE 60s IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT THE RACIAL DYNAMIC CHANGED.

THE PRIEST WAS HERE AT FATHER -- I FORGOT WHAT HIS NAME WAS.

HE DIDN'T GO FOR THAT.

HE SAID WE ARE ALL GOING TO SIT TOGETHER.

WE ARE GOING TO GET TOGETHER.

WHETHER CATHOLIC OR PROTESTANT, EACH BLACK CHURCH HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE, NOT JUST IN LOUISIANA, BUT THE WHOLE NATION.

WHAT MAKES AMERICAN RELIGION AMERICAN IS THE AFRICAN IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

AS PART OF LPB'S LOUISIANA BLACK CHURCHES SPECIAL, WE'LL BE AIRING AN EPISODE EVERY WEEK FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY HIGHLIGHTS THE STATE'S HISTORICAL BLACK CHURCHES AND HOW THEY'VE INFLUENCED DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES.

AND PLEASE JOIN US THIS MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 8th, FOR AN LPB VIRTUAL EVENT, LOUISIANA'S BLACK CHURCH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOUISIANA'S HBCU ADVISORY COUNCIL.

IT'S FROM 6:30 TO 8:00 P.M. AND IT'S FREE.

RSVP AT LPB.ORG/THEBLACKCHURCH AND, EVERYONE, THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEK.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN WATCH ANYTHING LPB ANY TIME, WHEREVER YOU ARE, WITH OUR LPB APP.

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, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.

FOR EVERYONE AT LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, I'M ANDRE MOREAU.

I'M KARA ST. CYR.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, THAT'S THE "STATE WE'RE IN."

ENTERGY IS PROUD TO SUPPORT PROGRAMMING ON LPB AND GREENER PRACTICES THAT PRESERVE LOUISIANA.

THE GOAL OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES REALLY IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR KIDS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN BE LEFT WITH A CLEANER PLANET.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE FRED B.

AND RUTH B. ZIEGLER FOUNDATION AND THE ZIEGLER ART MUSEUM LOCATED IN JENNINGS CITY HALL.

THE MUSEUM FOCUSES ON EMERGING LOUISIANA ARTISTS AND IS AN HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.

AND THE FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING WITH SUPPORT FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

FUNDING FOR THE STORY FOR LOUISIANA'S BLACK CHURCH IS PROVIDED BY -- WHEN MORNING CAME TO LOUISIANA, WE WERE HOPEFUL, NOT HIBERNATING.

WE WERE STRONGER READY FOR WHAT IS NEXT.

TOGETHER AS WE BUILD ANU, BLUE CROSS STANDS READY TO SUPPORT YOU.

HI.

I'M PATRICK.

EMPLOYEE AT EXXON MOBIL AND PASTOR OF ASSEMBLY BATON ROUGE.

I AM SO GLAD WE ARE SPONSORING THE BLACK CHURCHES.

AND CSRX, BUILDING STRONGER