PROVIDED BY -- AT -- WE HELP PEOPLE GET CARE, STAY WELL, AND BUILD HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.

CARE IS THE HEART OF OUR WORK.

AT AMERIHEALTH CARITAS LOUISIANA.

AND BY THE U.S. ARMY, BATON ROUGE RECRUITING ATLANTA.

COMMUNITY COFFEE.

AND THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY.

WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM HOTEL INDIGO.

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

THE GOAL 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 AND LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

WITH SUPPORT FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

WE'RE MORE AT RISK.

I THINK WE'LL SEE CASES GO UP.

A NEW VARIANT BRINGING UP MASK MANDATE.

WE ALL REALIZE -- WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THEM THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED.

REFORMING PRISONS IN ONE LOUISIANA PARISH.

"SHE'S OUT OF MY LEAGUE" BEEN A BIG HELP FOR ME THIS PAST YEAR.

THIS WEEK'S LPB LOUISIANA YOUNG HERO.

HI, I'M KARA ST. CYR,.

AND I'M ANDRE' MOREAU.

THIS WEEK PRESSURE IS MOUNTING AT THE CAPITOL, SOME LAWMAKERS ARE WORKING OVERTIME TO REVERSE BILLS THE GOVERNOR VETOED AFTER THIS PAST SESSION.

THAT'S RIGHT, JOHN BELL EDWARDS REFUSED TO SIGN A BILL THAT WOULD KEEP TRANSGENDER GIRLS FROM PARTICIPATING IN GIRLS' SPORTS, HE WILLS STRUCK DOWN A CONCEALED CARRY PROPOSAL THAT WOULD NIX THE LICENSE REQUIREMENT IF YOU NEED TO CARRY A GUN IF USUAL 21 OR OLDER.

IF IT HAPPENS, IT WOULD BE A FIRST VETO SESSION SINCE THE MODERN CONSTITUTION WAS ADOPTED IN 1974.

A SPECIAL SESSION WOULD BEGIN JULY 20th.

ALSO HAPPENING THIS WEEK, IT'S 225 VERSUS THE 504.

BATON ROUGE AND NEW ORLEANS ARE OFFICIALLY RIVALS IN THE RACE TO GET VACCINATED.

MAYOR SHARON WESTTON-BROOME FROM BATON ROUGE AND MAYOR LATOYA CAN TERRELL IN NEW ORLEANS PUT UP A TWITTER VIDEO ANNOUNCING THE TWO CITIES ARE FIGHTING OVER WHO CAN WIN THE CONTEST.

TO PARTICIPATE YOU HAVE TO GET THE VACCINE AND ENTER THE SHOT FOR A MILLION CONTEST THAT OFFERS $100,000 PRIZES, SCHOLARSHIPS AND A GRAND PRIZE.

YOU HAVE TO RECOMMEND YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS GET THE VACCINE TOO.

SO FAR BATON ROUGE IS LAGGING BEHIND WITH 40% OF THE POPULATION VACCINATED.

NEW ORLEANS IS APPROACHING 60%.

THE CHALLENGE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT, LASTS FOR 30 DAYS.

IT STARTED JULY 1st.

NOW TO OTHER HEADLINES ACROSS THE STATE.

THE PINK TAX IS OFFICIALLY A THING OF THE PAST.

PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO SHELL OUT ANY EXTRA DOLLARS TO BUY TAMPONS, DIAPERS OR HYGIENE PRODUCTS.

THE GOVERNOR SIGNED A BILL ELIMINATING ALL THAT, BUT IT WON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

THE STATE STANDS TO LOSE $11 MILLION IN COLLECTIONS AND LAWMAKERS NEED A MOMENT TO ADJUST.

RIGHT NOW THE EXEMPTION IS SET FOR JULY 2022.

A NEW CHLORINE PLAN IS COMING TO SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA AFTER BEING DESTROYED IN HURRICANE LAURA.

PLANS FOR BIOLAB INC.

IN WESTLAKE WERE ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY.

GOVERNOR JOHN BELL EDWARDS SAY THE PLANT WILL PRODUCE MORE SWIMMING POOL PRODUCTS AND CREATE JOBS FOR PEOPLE WHO LOST THEM AFTER THE FIRE.

THE COMPANY'S OWNERS SAY THE LAB WILL ADD 82 MORE JOBS WITH AN AVERAGE SALARY OF $76,000.

THE PLANT IS EXPECTED TO BE FIXED NEXT YEAR.

LOUISIANA'S WETLANDS ARE STARTING TO GET NATIONAL ATTENTION, BUT NOT FOR GOOD THINGS.

EROSION, SINKING LAND, AND SEA RISE IS CAPTIVATING THE INTEREST OF NASA.

THE SPACE ASSOCIATION IS DROPPING $15 MILLION ON SPECIAL EQUIPMENT TO STUDY THE LOUISIANA DELTAS.

THE RESEARCH WILL BE USED TO CREATE COMPUTER MODELS THAT CAN BE PAIRED WITH SATELLITE DATA TO FIND OUT WHICH DELTAS CAN BE SAVED AND WHICH ONES ARE GONE FOR GOOD.

TO BE SPECIFIC, SPINE 'TISES WILL BE LOOKING AT WATER FLOW FLOWING IN AND OUT OF BASINS, AND PLANTS THAT CAN SLOW, TRAP SAID ADVERTISEMENT AND PULL CARBON FROM THE AIR.

A SMALL TRAGEDY COMING FROM THE LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES.

BRUNO THE BEAR IS NO MORE.

AFTER A GROWING SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING FROM WALKING HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM THE MIDWEST DOWN SOUTH, THE BLACK BEAR'S EXPEDITION WAS CUT SHORT AT THE ARKANSAS STATE LINE.

HE WAS HIT BY A CAR IN NORTHEAST LOUISIANA.

THE BEAR WAS EUTHANIZED AFTER BREAKING BOTH LEGS IN THE ACCIDENT.

A MANAGER OF THE LARGE CARNIVORE PROGRAM SAYS THERE WAS NO WAY FOR HIM TO LIVE AND LEAD A COMFORTABLE LIFE AFTER THAT.

BRUNO WAS FOUND LAYING DOWN IN SOMEONE'S YARD WHEN THE DEPARTMENT GOT THE CALL FOR HELP.

YOU PROBABLY HEARD THE PHRASE DELTA VAIRNT SEVERAL TIMES THIS WEEK, BECAUSE HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE WORRIED THIS NEW STRAIN OF COVID COULD CAUSE A DISASTER BY THE FALL.

DR. JOSEPH KANTER SAYS IF LOUISIANA ISN'T CAREFUL, WE COULD SEE POCKETS OF OUTBREAK.

THE U.S. IS FAIRING BETTER THAN OTHER COUNTRIES, BUT WE'RE STILL AT RISK FOR AN OUTBREAK.

THE DELTA VARIANT FIRST FOUND IN INDIA IS NOW IN EVERY STATE IN THE COUNTRY.

INCLUDING LOUISIANA.

ANY VIRUS THAT TRANSMITS ACROSS THE WORLD AND -- ALMOST ALWAYS THEY HAPPEN EVERY SINGLE TIME THE VIRUS TRANSMITS FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER.

USUALLY THEY'RE INSIGNIFICANT, BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU HAVE A VARIANT THAT IS SIGNIFICANT, AND CHANGES THE DYNAMICS OF THE VARIANT.

THE DELTA VARIANT IS ONE OF THE STRAINS THAT CHANGES THE DYNAMICS.

THIS VERSION IS SIMILAR TO THE ALPHA STRAIN OR UK VARIANT.

YOU'LL STILL GET THE SAME SYMPTOMS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, SORENESS, DRY COUGH, BUT IT'S MORE DANGEROUS.

THE DTV IS MORE EASILY SPREAD AND THOSE WHO GET INFECTED ARE MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE SEVERE SIDE EFFECTS.

IT'S PROVEN TO BE MORE TRANSMISSIBLE, PERHAPS 60% MORE TRANSMISSIBLE THAN THE DOMINANT STRAIN.

IT IS MORE THAN LIKELY MORE DANGEROUS.

MEANING IF YOU GET IT YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO GET SICK, TO ACQUIRE HOSPITALIZATION.

IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, OFFICIALS ARE REINSTATING MASK MANDATE TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.

EVEN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IS ASKING PEOPLE TO WEAR FACE COVERINGS AND SOCIAL DISTANCE AGAIN.

MORE TRANSMISSION, MORE VARIANTS.

LESS TRANSMISSION, LESS VARIANTS.

IN LOUISIANA, NO SUCH GUIDANCE HAS BEEN GIVEN YET, BUT EXPERTS DO EXPECT THE NUMBER OF DELTA VARIANT CASES TO JUMP IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO.

WE'RE MORE AT RISK.

I THINK WE WILL SEE CASES GO UP, AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IS POCKETS OF THE STATES THAT HAVE NOT DONE AS GOOD A JOB GETTING PEOPLE VACCINATED.

THAT'S WHEN WE'LL SEE MORE PATIENTS AND MORE HOSPITALIZATIONS.

KANTER SAYS THERE ISN'T A CLEAR SIGN OF A FOURTH WAVE BUT HE CAN'T RULE IT OUT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE LOUISIANA IS IN A HOT SPOT.

EXPERTS ARE EXPECTING THE SOUTHERN REGION OF THE COUNTRY TO SEE POCKETS OF OUTBREAKS.

AND THE REASON IS SIMPLE -- PEOPLE AREN'T VACCINATED HERE.

ONLY ABOUT 38% OF THE STATE HAS INITIATED VACCINATION PROCESS.

WHICH IS WELL BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

THAT COUPLED WITH HOT WEATHER AND RAIN CONDITIONS FORCING PEOPLE INSIDE IS ENOUGH FOR CASES TO BOOM AGAIN.

KANTER SAYS YOUR BEST LINE OF DEFENSE IS STILL GETTING VACCINATED.

[INDISCERNIBLE] PARTICULARLY IF YOU GET BOTH DOSES.

IF YOU ONLY GET ONE DOSE OF THE SERIES, USUAL ONLY ABOUT 32% PROTECTED.

IF YOU GET -- HIGH 80s, LOW 90s -- SO THIS VARIANT IS SPREADING QUITE RAPIDLY.

IN FACT THE CDC ESTIMATES THE AMOUNT OF VARIANTS IN THE COUNTRY IS DOUBLING.

WE ONLY HAVE 19 CONFIRMED CASES IN LOUISIANA, BUT IT'S LIKELY THAT NUMBER ISN'T ACCURATE.

THERE AREN'T TESTS TO CONFIRM WHICH VARIANT YOU HAVE, SO IT'S BEST TO ASSUME WE'VE GOT MORE CASES, KANTER SAYS.

IT'S TRUE THAT LOUISIANA HAS MORE PEOPLE BEHIND BARS THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

BUT IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT THE STATE IS REFORMING THE WAY IT INCARCERATES PEOPLE.

TONIGHT WE'LL SEE PRISON REFORM STRATEGIES FROM TWO DIFFERENT STATES AND HEAR HOW LOUISIANA COMPARES FROM A GROUP OF EXPERTS.

A PERSON CAN END UP IN PRISON FOR MULTIPLE REASONS.

DRUGS, THEFT, THE LIST GOES ON.

ONCE SOMEONE HAS SERVED THAT STEARNS, HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE THEM BACK INTO SOCIETY?

WHEN INMATES COME HERE THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO A JOB.

THE FILM ZOO CREW AND PARISH PRISON ANALYZED THAT QUESTION.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO LOCKING PEOPLE UP?

JAMILA JOHNSON, A LOUISIANA CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY, SAYS REHABILITATION IN MOST LOUISIANA PRISONS ISN'T A PRIORITY.

AND THE INMATES KNOW THIS.

WHAT WE GET MOST OFTEN ARE REQUESTS FOR TRANSFERS TO FACILITIES WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A JOB PROGRAM OR TRANSFERS TO A FACILITY WHICH MIGHT HAVE A BETTER CHANCE AT EDUCATION, SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS PATCHWORK OF INDIVIDUALS WHERE IT SEEMS MUCH LIKE THE LUCK OF THE DRAW WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO GATE CHANCE TO REALLY GAIN THE SKILLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL WHEN YOU COME HOME.

AND THAT SHOULDN'T BE THE WAY OUR SYSTEM OPERATES.

BUT THE PLAQUEMINES PARISH DETENTION CENTER IS DIFFERENT.

INSTEAD OF HAVING A STANDARD LADDS PRISON WHERE INMATES SERVE THEIR SENTENCE AND LEAVE, THIS PLACE FOCUSES ON GETTING THEM BACK ON THEIR FEET.

HERE THEY LEARN VALUABLE SKILLS THEY CAN USE LATER ON.

IF THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF EDUCATION, THIS PLACE TRIES TO PROVIDE THAT.

CAPTAIN BYRON WILLIAMS WORKS WITH THE PLAQUEMINES PARISH SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS HIGHLIGHTED IN THE FILM, "PARISH PRISON."

HE SAYS GETTING GEDs AND EDUCATIONAL COURSES IS ESSENTIAL, AND INMATES THAT FINISH THE PROGRAM USUALLY SHOW PROMISING RESULTS ONCE THEY LEAVE.

ONCE WE ALL REALIZED THEY'RE GOING BACK INTO OUR SOCIETY, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING THEM THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES THEY NEED THAT THEY CAN BE PRODUCTIVE AND FIND WHAT IS THEIR CAREER PATH AND WHAT IS THEIR CAREER GOALS.

JOB PROGRAMS LIKE THOSE OFFER INMATES A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE WHICH WE LEARN IN BOTH FILMS "PARISH PRISON" AND "ZOO CREW."

IN "ZOO CREW" INMATES ARE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO WORK WITH ANIMALS.

IT GIVES THEM A SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE AND PURPOSE.

WE WANT IT TO BE A GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR THEM TOO, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT.

SON SON SAYS GIVING PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WHILE INSIDE PRISONS CAN HELP INMATES ADJUST FOR THE REAL WORLD, ESPECIALLY IF THOSE JOBS TEACH VALUABLE SKILLS.

WITH "ZOO CREW" YOU SAW THE RESPONSIBILITY ASPECTS, BEING SOMEWHERE ON TIME, HAVING TASKS, THAT TRANSLATES.

BUT THE THING WE CAN DO THAT'S THE MOST HELPFUL IS REALLY GIVE PEOPLE SKILL SETS THEY CAN USE IN THE MARKET, AND IDENTIFY THOSE AND HELP PEOPLE TRANSLATE THE WORK THEY DO WHILE INCARCERATED TO JOBS THEY CAN SEE IN THE FUTURE.

IN THE LAST FILM, "CONSTANCE," VICTORIA COUNTY, TEXAS, IS TRYING TIME PROVE JAIL TIME DIFFERENTLY.

THE CRIMINAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY TRIES TO CHANGE THE WAY THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS.

SHE WANTS TO IMPLEMENT SPECIALTY COURTS WHICH DO DOLE OUT PUNISHMENTS, BUT IT ALSO OFFERS TREATMENT.

IN THE FILM THE DWI COURT JOHNSON FOUND SECOND DEGREE SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO DRIVE DRUNK.

IN ADDITION TO LEGAL ACTION, THE COURT OFFERS TREATMENT TO GET SOBER.

WHICH WASN'T ALWAYS POPULAR.

JUST LIKE A LOT OF OFFICERS, IN THE BEGINNING OF MY CAREER I WAS LINEAR IN THE WITH I LOOKED AT CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

YOU GO OUT, YOU FIND THE CRIME, YOU ARREST THE BAD GUYS AND PUT THEM IN JAIL.

THEY GO TO PRISON.

LIKE CONSTANCE, LOUISIANA PROGRAMS WANT TO DO MORE THAN THAT.

CAPTAIN BROWN SAYS PROGRAMS LIKE THE DWI ONE EXISTS IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH.

INSTEAD OF ALCOHOL TREATMENT, THEY OFFER ANGER MANAGEMENT COURSES AND SOME COUNSELING.

WE'VE BEEN IN OPERATION NOW FOR SIX YEARS, SO WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MASSAGE THIS LIVING DOCUMENT SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IT TO THIS POINT.

AND KNOWING THAT THE MODELS, WE'RE LOOKING AT RISKS, SO -- WE DO -- WE FIND OUT IF THEY HAVE A SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUE OR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.

I'M SORRY, SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUE OR ALCOHOL ABUSE ISSUE, AND ON THE FLIP SIDE WE DO A PSYCH SOCIAL TO SEE IF THEY HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

IT WILL TAKE TIME FOR ALL THESE PROGRAMS TO BE ROUTINE FOR ALL PRISONS IN THE STATE, BUT REFORM IS HAPPENING SLOWLY IN PLAQUEMINES PARISH.

WE SHOWED EACH OF THESE FILMS IN AN ONLINE SCREENING AND PANEL DISCUSSION.

IF YOU WANT TO WATCH THAT FULL PANEL YOU CAN VISIT LPB.ORG/JUSTICE.

THIS WEEK WE HIGHLIGHT OUR FINAL LPB LOUISIANA YOUNG HERO.

SHE'LL BE A COLLEGE FRESHMAN THIS FALL AFTER OVERCOMING A YEAR OF PERSONAL TRAGEDY IN WHICH SHE CONTINUED TO LIFT UP HER COMMUNITY AND THOSE AROUND HER.

HANNAH LEWIS HEADS TO COLLEGE AT LOUISIANA TECH ON AN OUTSTANDING STUDENT MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIP AFTER A SENIOR YEAR THAT TESTED EVERY REALM OF THE DERIDDER NATIVE'S LIFE.

THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC ALREADY MEANT HER FIRST SEMESTER WOULD TAKE PLACE VIRTUALLY WITH ALL INSTRUCTION ONLINE.

BUT SHE ALSO ENDURED THE DEATH OF HER MOTHER AND TWO HURRICANES.

IT DAMAGED HER HOME.

SHE'S BEAUTIFUL AND LOVELY, AND SHE'S WELL-GROUNDED AND SHE'S ACTIVE IN HER CHURCH, AND SHE'S VERY -- SHE'S GOT A STRONG FAITH, AND SHE'S BEEN VERY STRONG FOR ME THIS PAST YEAR.

LAST YEAR I HAD A HAPPY LIFE, I HAD A FAMILY OF FOUR, AND WE HAD THIS HOME, AND EVERYTHING, AND THE HURRICANE CAME AND THEN MY WIFE, HER MOTHER SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY PASSED AWAY, AND ANOTHER HURRICANE CAME, AND IT WAS JUST THE THREE OF US.

I TOOK THAT PRETTY HARD.

AND SHE TOOK IT HARD TOO, BUT SHE WAS VERY STRONG FOR ME.

SHE'S BEEN A BIG HELP FOR ME THIS PAST YEAR.

IT SEEMS HELPING AND BEING INVOLVED IS JUST PART OF HER DNA, INCLUDING ACADEMIC, CIVIC, AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES.

AFTER THE STORM SHE HELPED FEED FAMILIES WITH THE DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAMS, AND STUFF LIKE THAT, HANDING OUT MREs, TO SERVING FOOD AND MEALS IN THE HOT LUNCH LINE.

WE DID THAT.

IT'S LIKE, TO ME IT'S JUST NORMAL LIFE STUFF.

ALL OF THE EVENTS IN THE SCHOOL I WAS PART OF, THOSE WERE AVAILABLE.

THERE WEREN'T A WHOLE LOT OF EXTRA RICK LAR PROGRAMS, THERE WERE, BUT NO GIFTED PROGRAMS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I WAS PART OF THE LOCAL PLAY THEY DO EVERY SUMMER AND THAT WAS FUN.

I'VE ONLY EVER GOTTEN TO DO IT ONE OTHER YEAR, BUT I WAS A SENIOR, SO IT WAS AWKWARD BECAUSE ALL THE OTHER SENIORS HAVE DONE IT FOR LIKE SIX YEARS.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

A LOT OF MY FRIENDS WERE PART OF IT.

AND I GOT TO BE DOROTHY FROM WIZ OF ARIZONA AND MAKE MY OWN DRESS.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

BUT I WOKE UP YESTERDAY AND WAS LIKE WHOA I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THEATER TODAY!

SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE IT FOR THREE YEARS, BUT IT WAS CANCELED LAST YEAR.

SHE DID 2019 AND THIS YEAR.

SHE HASN'T DECLARED A MAJOR YET, BUT KNOWS HER ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE HER PASSIONS WILL BE PART OF WHATEVER SHE DOES.

I LIKE HISTORY, I LIKE SCIENCE, I LIKE -- DAD IS TALKING ABOUT HOW I I'M A FANTASY READER, BUT I THINK THAT'S A MISREPRESENTATION.

I LIKE TO STUDY TOLKIEN'S WRITING, ABOUT WHAT FAIRYTALES ARE, HIS PHILOSOPHY, AND HIS OTHER WORK, HOW THEY THOUGHT CHILDREN SHOULD BE APPROACHED, ADDRESSED, WRITTEN TO, WRITTEN ABOUT.

WHAT THIS MEANS.

HOW THIS CONNECTS TO SORT OF THEIR APOLOGETIC OR FAITH, IT'S VERY INTERESTING THINGS THEY WROTE ABOUT.

I STUDIED THAT, I THINK IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

BUT THAT'S SORT OF THE ONLY BRANCH OF LITERATURE I LIKE TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO.

EVERYTHING ELSE GOES OVER MY HEAD.

BUT THAT CLEARLY DOESN'T GO ABOVE YOUR HEAD, AND YOU HAVE TAKEN SOME MORE OF A DIVE INTO IT, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IT ON A PRETTY DEEP LEVEL WITH PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING ELSE.

I THINK SHE WOULD BE A GREAT TEACHER.

SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BE A TEACHER.

SHE WOULD BE A GREAT TEACHER AT THE UNIVERSITY, OF YOUNG CHILDREN, I'VE SEEN HER TEACH IN CHURCH AND SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES AND BIBLE SCHOOLS AND THINGS.

I THINK SHE WOULD BE A GREAT TEACHER.

I THINK STORYTELLING IS AN INCREDIBLY POWERFUL TOOL THAT WE HAVE, AND I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOLS WE HAVE.

IT'S HOW WE COMMUNICATE.

WE COMMUNICATE THROUGH THINKING, THROUGH TELLING STORIES, AND I THINK IT'S VERY POWERFUL.

SO WHATEVER I DO WITH MY LIFE, WITH MY CAREER, I WANT TO BE TELLING PEOPLE THE STORIES OF MY FRIENDS, STORIES OF WHAT THEY'VE GONE THROUGH IN THEIR LIVES, STORIES OF HOW THEY'VE OVERCOME THINGS, STORIES OF WHAT CULTURES FROM THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO MEANT TO US.

I THINK IT'S SUCH A POWERFUL THING.

I WANT TO USE MY PASSION TO PUT SMILES ON PEOPLE'S FACES.

WHETHER I DO THAT THROUGH TELLING STORIES, WHETHER I DO THAT THROUGH BUILDING THINGS, WHETHER I DO THAT THROUGH VOLUNTEER WORK, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, AND I THINK A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THIS YEAR'S LOUISIANA LPB YOUNG HEROES.

THE NAME JIMMY FITSMORRIS WAS PROMINENT ON THE LOUISIANA POLITICAL SCENE FROM THE 1960s TO THE 1980s.

HE DIED THIS WEEK WITH FAMILY AT HIS SIDE.

IN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS WITH LPB, FITZMORRIS REMEMBERED THE POLITICAL SIDE OF HIS LIFE AND WHAT IT STOOD FOR.

JAMES FITZMORRIS, JUNIOR WAS BORN IN 1921.

HE GREW UP DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION WHEN HUEY LONG CAPTURED THE IMAGINATION OF LOUISIANA.

I REMEMBER PARTICULARLY ON SUNDAY NIGHT, THE RADIO WE DIDN'T HAVE TELEVISION IN THOSE DAYS, AND RADIO WAS VERY PROMINENT, AND HUGHIE LONG WOULD COME ON THE RADIO AND SAY, I'M GOING TO PLAY SOME MUSIC, AND I WANT YOU TO GET ON TELEPHONE AND CALL YOUR FRIENDS.

AND TELL THEM I'M ON.

AND I'M GOING TO GIVE ABOUT YOU 10 OR 15 MINUTES TO DO THAT.

AND YOU WOULD BE AMAZED AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE MY DAD INCLUDED, THAT WOULD IMMEDIATELY GET UP AND GET ON THE TELEPHONE AND START CALLING HIS FRIENDS AND OTHER PEOPLE WOULD CALL THEIR FRIENDS TO TELL THEM TO GET ON THE -- TURN ON THE RADIO AND LISTEN TO HUEY LONG.

HE GRADUATED FROM JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL, AND ATTENDED LOYOLA UNIVERSITY BEFORE JOINING THE ARMY.

IT'S THERE HE DEVELOPED AN INTEREST IN POLITICS.

WHEN I WENT IN THE ARMY, THEY WOULD TEASE ME BECAUSE I WAS FROM LOUISIANA, AND THEY WOULD WANT TO KNOW ABOUT LOUISIANA POLITICS.

AND CONSEQUENTLY, THAT WHET MY APPETITE ON THAT.

AND THEN I JUST DECIDED ONE DAY THAT I WOULD TRY TO RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.

AND MY MOTHER ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT POLITICS WAS A TERRIBLE BUSINESS, AND I NEVER SHALL FORGET WHEN I TOLD MY MOTHER I WAS GOING TO RUN, SHE SAID, SON, PLEASE DON'T RUN FOR POLITICS.

SHE SAID, IT'S A DIRTY, ROTTEN, FILTHY BUSINESS, AND AFTER I FINISHED SOME 30 YEARS OF BEING IN POLITICS, SOMEBODY ASKED ME WHAT DID I THINK, AND I SAID, I THOUGHT MY MOTHER WAS RIGHT.

FITZMORRIS HAD SEVERAL HIGH-PROFILE POLITICAL LOSSES, INCLUDING THE NEW ORLEANS MAYORAL RACE OF 1969.

HOWEVER, IN 1971, HE WAS ELECTED AS LOUISIANA'S FIRST FULL-TIME LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

YOU MUST REMEMBER THAT IN MY FIRST FOUR YEARS OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR I WAS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF PARDONS, AND PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.

SO I HAD FOUR MAJOR JOBS WRAPPED INTO ONE.

FITZMORRIS FORGED A NEW PATH WITH THE ROLE, BUILDING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOVERNOR EDWARD EDWARDS AND WITH BUSINESSES AROUND THE STATE.

ONE THING ANY PERSON RUNS FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR HAS TO UNDERSTAND, HE HAS TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOVERNOR.

A GOOD, BAD, OR INDIFFERENT.

BUT AFTER ALL, THE GOVERNOR IS THE GOVERNOR.

AND I MADE IT VERY PLAIN TO THE GOVERNOR THAT I WAS THERE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA.

I WASN'T THERE TO SERVE JIMMY FITZMORRIS, OR TO THINK ABOUT THE NEXT ELECTION.

I WAS THERE TO TRY TO DO A JOB FOR THE STATE.

AND I VIEWED MY ROLE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, PERHAPS THAN OTHERS WHO VIEWED IT.

FIRST I STARTED FROM SCRATCH, GROUND ZERO, I HAD NOTHING TO GO BY.

AND I ALWAYS PRIDED MYSELF AT BEING A PRETTY GOOD SALESMAN, AND I FELT I COULD HELP THE STATE TREMENDOUSLY BY TRAVELING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND MEETING WITH COMPANIES THAT WERE A DOMICILE OF LOUISIANA, AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THEIR BEING HERE.

AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, IF THEY EVER HAD ANY PROBLEM, I WOULD SAY CONTACT, DON'T WORRY ABOUT CALLING THE DEPARTMENT, THE DIRECTOR, CALL ME.

HIS TACTICS PAID OFF.

PRIOR TO THE FACT THAT WHEN I LEFT OFFICE IN 1979 AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, THE LOUISIANA LED THE NATION IN INDUSTRIAL GROWTH.

VERY PROUD OF THAT.

IT'S NOT WHAT I SAID, IT'S WHAT THE "WALL STREET JOURNAL" SAID.

IN SPITE OF THE ACCOLADES, HONORS, AND SUCCESSES HE EXPERIENCED OVER HIS LONG LIFE, FITZMORRIS BELIEVES HIS LEGACY IS SIMPLY ABOUT SERVICE.

IT'S NOT A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT I DID, IT'S A QUESTION OF WHAT WE DID.

WE DID.

I ALWAYS BELIEVE IN BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND MAKING PEOPLE PART OF THE TEAM.

IF YOU TRY TO TAKE SUCCESS FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS, YOU'RE GOING TO BE A COMPLETE FAILURE.

IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY.

IT CAN'T BE BIG ME, LITTLE YOU.

IT'S GOT TO BE US.

PEOPLE GO IN PUBLIC LIFE FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS.

SOME PEOPLE GO IN FOR POWER, SOME PEOPLE GO IN FOR MONEY.

SOME PEOPLE GO IN FOR SELF-GLORY.

OTHER PEOPLE GO IN TO SERVE.

THAT'S WHAT I TELL YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY.

SERVING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WORD IN GOVERNMENT.

HOW WELL CAN YOU SERVE?

HOW MUCH CAN YOU DO IN THE INTEREST OF OTHER PEOPLE?

JIMMY FITZMORRIS WAS 99 YEARS OLD.

EVERYONE, THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS WEEK.

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

THE DOWNLOAD IS FREE FROM THE APP STORE.

YOU CAN CATCH LPB NEWS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SHOWS AS WELL AS OTHER LOUISIANA PROGRAMS YOU HAVE COME TO ENJOY OVER THE YEARS.

AND PLEASE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND INSTAGRAM J WE LEAVE YOU WITH PICTURES OF ST. MARY PARISH.

IF YOU'RE VACCINATED YOU CAN VISIT ALL OF THE STATE PARKS FOR FREE.

FOR EVERYONE AT LPB, I'M ANDRE' MOREAU.

AND I'M KARA ST. CYR.

THANKS FOR WATCHING, THAT'S "THE STATE WE'RE IN."

Captioning Performed By LNS Captioning www.LNScaptioning.com SUPPORT FOR LPB'S 2021 LOUISIANA YOUNG HEROES IS PROVIDED BY -- AT AMERIHEALTH CARITAS LOUISIANA, WE HELP PEOPLE GET CARE, STAY WELL, AND BUILD HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.

CARE IS THE HEART OF OUR WORK.

AT AMERIHEALTH CARITAS LOUISIANA.

AND BY THE U.S. ARMY.

BATON ROUGE RECRUITING BATTALION.

COMMUNITY COFFEE.

AND THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARY.

WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM HOTEL INDIGO.

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

THE GOAL OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE 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.