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.

Lawmakers have two more weeks in this year's legislative session.

We'll look at some of their progress so far.

And food waste is a big problem in the United States.

I'll check out an app that hopes to keep food from ending up in the trash.

And Louisiana hopes to level the playing field in college sports with changes to nil deals.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon.

A look back at the somber history.

Let's get started.

Stuart.

Hello, everyone.

I'm Karen Lichtblau.

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, with just a few weeks left in this year's legislative session, state lawmakers are grappling with a long list of bills still to decide.

Earlier this week, an effort to end the fluoridation of public water systems in Louisiana failed in a House committee.

The bill by Republican Representative Mike Vesey mirrored national efforts to end fluoridation.

Supporters of the ban argue that fluoride can lead to negative impacts on thyroid health, and can lower children's IQ.

Louisiana Surgeon General Doctor Ralph Abraham also supported the bill.

He said residents should have a say on what they consume.

There are other ways to get that fluoride other than through drinking water.

And that's that's my point, I guess.

Give the people the choice if they want their children to have fluoride, you know, to help tooth health and, for that for many reasons.

Let that happen.

But don't mandate that that population has to drink water with fluoride in it.

Several dentists and doctors argued against the ban.

They say decades of science proves that fluoride is safe and is proven to reduce cavities and tooth decay.

there's been studies to show tha if children grow up with optimally fluoridated water and they received their sealants which is another preventive, to what we can use in dentistry, you can prevent 85% of the cavities in those ind And someone who grows up in a co that doesn't have fluoridated wa and they don't get supplements in some form, they're at higher risk for their entire lives.

26 Republicans joined five Democrats on the health, health and Welfare Committee to kill the fluoride ban.

So far, only two states, Florida and Utah, have successfully banned fluoride in drinking water.

Also at the Capitol, Governor Jeff Landry has signed a group of bills he says will help lower Louisiana's car insurance rates.

Let me be clear.

I believe both trial lawyers and insurance companies are resp and in order to blame for the pa our families are doing in their each and every month.

One measure will block plaintiffs from collecting damages if they're found to be at least 51% at fault for a wreck.

Another prevents undocumented immigrants from collecting general damages if they're hurt in a wreck.

The most controversial bill will give the state's insurance commissioner the power to reject rate increases.

Commissioner Tim Temple argued against the plan, saying it will drive companies out of the state and reduce competition.

The governor claims the new laws will lower rates by as much as 10%.

A bill that would ban the herbal substance kratom is headed to Governor Jeff Landry for his signature.

Kratom is derived from a Southeast Asian tree.

Supporters claim it helps treat chronic pain, addiction and mental health issues.

Those against the product, including some health professionals, argue kratom is addictive and can cause a range of health problems.

From hashtags to headlines.

Here's what's trending this week.

Sunday marks the start of the 2025 hurricane season.

And boy, it's going to be one, isn't it.

Oh it is Karen.

And I'm nervous about this one.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predict it'll be an above average season.

Now 13 to 19 named storms, 6 to 10 expected to become hurricanes and 3 to 5 of them category three or higher.

Very active.

NOAA also says that new technology in place this year will allow for more accurate forecasting and earlier watches and warnings, which is good.

Sounds like we're going to need it, right?

Yes, yes we do.

There are concerns, though.

Last week, FEMA rescinded its strategic plan outlining how it responds to disasters.

President Trump has eliminated a third of FEMA staff and has proposed eliminating the agency altogether.

A lot of people are questioning the timing of that.

Okay, onto other news about what's trending.

The U.S. Treasury Department is following through on plans to stop making pennies.

It made the last purchase of penny blanks, which are those flat metal discs that the U.S. mint turns into coins the last purchase just made?

The last batch is expected to run out early next year.

Now it costs nearly $0.04 to make and distribute one penny.

Really, really interesting economics.

So the $0.01 coin was one of the first coins made by the U.S. mint after its establishment in 1792, and I suspect there'll be a lot of penny hoarders out there.

Yes, but it might.

Be one I.

Don't know.

Well, Louisiana's talent is back in the national spotlight, this time on America's Got Talent.

Yes, and that's exciting.

Another Louisiana guy.

Now, New Orleans street performer Jordan Blue made it through auditions this week, locking in his spot on this show's 20th season.

Judges and the audience was wowed by Blue's version of the song Break Even.

Yeah, I know, Jordan says.

He got into trouble as a kid and had to live with his grandpa, who inspired him Wow, what a sweet little story.

I love that.

Care.

Yeah, and I'm sure he's making grandpa very proud.

He sure is.

Now, something else to be proud of.

As much as 40% of food in the United States ends up in landfills.

Now, the two Good to Go app hopes to cut down on food waste while offering users big discounts from restaurants and stores.

And now it's expanding in Louisiana.

Here's a look at how it works.

No.

a lot of people don't come into the city just to eat anymore because it's expensive.

You know.

we really want to help people.

And this is one of the ways we were able to do that is reduced price on meals.

And they can come in as a surprise with a gift.

We.

That was Severin Jones from the original Italian Pie restaurant in New Orleans, been.

one of the 275 Louisiana restaurants participating in the two Good to Go program.

Founded in 2016, in Copenhagen, Denmark, the app has saved over 22 million meals from going to waste across 45 cities and works by connecting customers with local businesses, selling unsold food at discounted prices.

Jones says his restaurant has been around since 1992, and he's seen his fair share of meals go to waste through the years.

We We get customers that will actually order online or on an app or call in.

And they just they might call the wrong restaurant and they might call here instead of calling another Italian pi.

And then they realizing after they've already bought the food.

Yeah.

So we don't want that food to go to waste.

Yeah.

That typically in the past we've compiled it and given it to the homeless at the end of the night.

But giving it away to the homeless didn't quite work out like he'd hoped.

Leaving the meals out would contribute to trash in the walkways and distract guests from dining inside of the restaurant, ultimately affecting the restaurant's bottom line.

we would set it outside and we'd have 20 or 30, things of food out there, and they'd come get it and take it to wherever they were going.

The city's trying to hold back and really control some of the areas.

And, and, and the city stepped up with giving food to the, you know, the homeless.

Okay.

So we needed another avenue to food because they weren't coming to get it anymore.

Yeah.

So this company actually came and talked to us and said, hey, we have an opportunity.

It's it's a price reduction of food to help people, and it's to reduce your waste.

You're not throwing in the trash on filling up the, trash place.

And it allows us to capture a couple more dollars on an item.

And, we just started it, and it's it's going great.

Ali Den Berg, director at two Good to Go, shares that the app benefits everyone involved.

Restaurants boost their profits by selling meals at what otherwise go to waste, while consumers enjoy high quality products at discounted prices.

But most of all, it contributes positively to the environment.

too good to go can be a great way for stores to recoup, you know, excess revenue from food that would have otherwise been thrown out and for people to save money.

But it is also a really great way to, contribute to the fight against climate change.

40% of food is wasted each year.

And food waste actually contributes to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

So reducing food waste is the number one thing that individuals can do to help fight climate change.

And it feels really good that even while you're saving money and, you know, supporting a local business and getting that good food, you're also doing something to help the planet.

Adli proudly boasts then through working with a variety of restaurants around the state, but their goal is to expand and get as many places onboard as possible.

A couple of partners that we're working with, in Baton Rouge are Nino's and have gourmet popcorn.

In New Orleans, we're working with the original Italian pie and tasty cream donuts, as well as a lot of other stores.

And then across the state, we're working with these large national chains like Whole Foods and Krispy Kreme.

So kind of there's lots of variety of types of food that you can get.

no matter what you what you get, you know that it's going to be a way to help reduce food waste and also save some money.

Having.

Jones expressed his enthusiasm for the inclusion of new restaurants in the app.

Viewing it as a significant benefit for the state.

He emphasizes that the process is as simple as making a phone call.

ha ha!

it was very easy to set this up with my restaurant.

Yeah.

Yeah, I liked it.

I'm getting all this attention because there's very few restaurants on there, but that needs to get more restaurants.

So it was literally one phone call, one meeting, and they had me set up and it was started within two days.

So any restaurant that's out there looking to do something like this, they need to call.

Oh!

Name, image and likeness deals have changed the landscape in college sports.

Governor Jeff Landry has issued an executive order seeking to keep Louisiana schools competitive and protected.

LPB sports correspondent Victor Howell has more It is a fascinating world indeed.

The side of nil and athletics.

And to try to help us understand it all.

The CEO from LSU Athletics.

Kelly's in who was all in and I.

All right now and Kelly I appreciate you joining me to discuss this.

So it's just over a week ago.

Governor Landry sends out an executive order.

And for those who tried to read it, if you try to understand it, it had the phrases of protecting our athletes, ensuring that schools in the state of Louisiana remain competitive.

On the easy layman's term, I wanted to ask you to come in to explain.

For those who are interested and don't know about Nil, what exactly does the executive order do?

Yeah.

So essentially what the executive order does is, is and you reference name, image and likeness, which was an opportunity that were that was presented to student athletes across the country a number of years ago that in exchange for the use of their name, image and likeness, they can be compensated for that.

And up to this point, that's primarily occurred, through collectives across the country, corporate sponsorships, individuals who see a marketing value with those athletes, well, over the past year primarily.

But, even more specifically, in recent months, you're seeing where various states across the country, many of those that we compete with have have adopted, similar to the executive order opportunities where those institutions can enter into to name, image and likeness opportunities directly with their student athletes.

Again, up to this point, that has all been precluded.

And it has to go through a separate entity.

And so what Governor Landry did, and we're super appreciative of, along with some other schools within the state, imagine, is allow us to remain competitive, both in the recruiting landscape and retention of our student athletes here in Louisiana schools, that currently exist, say, for example, in the state of Georgia, the state of Texas, they are able to do what now we are permitted to do within that executive order.

And it's certainly grabbed the attention that if you're taking this level of sports and it's going to the governor's office for an executive order, it really shows how this is becoming.

Like you mentioned, Louisiana wasn't the first, but you don't want to be the last to get something like this in.

Absolutely.

Roman Banks from southern, had a thank you comment.

Your athletic director, Scott.

What?

He had a comment about it.

I know other universities felt the same.

I know you can't speak for all the universities, but maybe in general what it means for schools now that this executive order has been signed, what did that can allow you to do?

Yeah.

Well, you know, similar to the position it puts, LSU and the that I just talked about, it does the same thing with those institutions.

And while, they may not have the same level of resources that an LSU does or a University of Georgia or University of Texas, oftentimes within the world of college sports, it it's it's somewhat relative, right, to your competitors.

And so those, that Southern University and other schools within the state are competing against it would level that same playing field for them as well.

For those who are trying to keep track, there's also pending litigation that would have a national effect on Nil.

What should we be looking for with that litigation as it move forward.

Yeah.

So that surrounds the House versus NCAA case, which is essentially and there's a lot of layers to that.

As you can imagine.

But it allows institutions that provided that gets, approved and it's, it's currently pending, allows universities and colleges across the country to directly share revenue with their student athletes.

There's a percentage of revenue that's calculated based upon things like ticket sales, multimedia rights, TV viewership, it's 22% of that, which right now and effective July 1st, if it passes as much as $20.5 million, can go directly to your student athletes.

So LSU, along with every other school in the country who opts into that agreement, would be able to provide $20.5 million in new resources directly with their athletes.

You were at West Virginia before you made your way to Baton Rouge.

And can you imagine that we have developed to where I'm.

I was joking with you before we started, when I was playing ball, if you had a family member unfortunately passed away, you had to negotiate just to try to help a student get home to be family.

Now we're talking about 20 plus million dollars in losses.

The way this business has gone.

Are you worried about the future of sports?

As fast as Nil is developing over, there will be a way to get.

Can it be controlled?

Yeah.

You know, I think in order to, you know, quote unquote control it.

It does have to be governed better.

And, and I think what you're seeing across the country right now are some efforts to do that and to try and get it right.

Look, you know, college sports has forever been such a significant fabric of our country.

Everybody here knows, you know, how important it is to the state of Louisiana in particular.

And we need to make sure that that continues to be something, that that young men and young women have the opportunity, and, and fans and people and everybody can celebrate and feel good about it.

And so while it's a little chaotic at the moment, and you're certainly seeing here in recent years where it's become challenging, to navigate some of that landscape and some of the things that we're seeing, I am hopeful, that will see that improve.

You know, in particular, with the House case that you noted, I do think that it's pretty critical.

That something like that gets passed.

And then I think from there, you currently have the attention of a lot of people, in positions of authority who have the capability and hopefully the willingness, to bring a governance structure to college sports that we can all feel good about.

Well, it definitely impacts the young men and the young women who are college athletes, and it is very tough to keep up with, which is why we're glad we have somebody like you.

I'm sure it's probably changed twice as we've talked here in five minutes, but thank you for keeping up.

And as it continues to develop, we'd love to have you come back.

Absolutely.

And thank you so much for having me.

Go, Tigers.

Thanks, Kelly.

50 years ago, on April 30th, 1975, the North Vietnamese army captured Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, bringing an end to the Vietnam War.

Louisiana is home to one of the nation's largest populations of Vietnamese refugees who fled war ravaged South Vietnam.

The children of the Vietnam War are the last generation of memory keepers, navigating a complex legacy of family and political divisions and cultural assimilation.

Here's how the anniversary is opening up conversations once considered unspeakable.

You.

Buddhist monk Thich Dao Quang.

That's his spiritual name.

Invites me to reflect on the ashes of Vietnamese ancestors that line the walls of the appreciation tower on the grounds of Tam Bao temple.

Many took their experiences in the Vietnam War to their graves as a child during the Vietnam War.

Thich Dao Quang belongs to the generation that serves as the last memory keepers of real life accounts.

In the meditation temple, we sit barefoot and cross-legged as a sign of respect to talk about how the Vietnam War shaped the lives and experiences of Vietnamese immigrants.

We was born during the Vietnam War.

We grew up after Vietnam War ended.

So we have to deal with so many social issue.

That's a discrimination between, also the people who belong to the old government, new government.

And we have to deal with the poverty.

My generation have a lot of impact from the war in terms of where Confucian.

We don't know how to, adapt into the new environment.

And we also receive the information only one side, but not the other side.

Thich Dao Quang serves as the abbot of the Buddhist temple in Baton Rouge, and holds a Ph.D. in psychology that informs his mental wellness teachings and counseling.

He is a Vietnamese American success story.

Born in 1968, in a small village in the center of Vietnam.

His dad was a police officer working with South Vietnamese fighters and the CIA right up to Vietnam ended up.

I was seven years old.

I remember, my mom, told me that, my father's was, invited to go into the reeducation camp to stay there to learn something new from the government.

It could be a few weeks, a few months, but unfortunately, later is become seven and half years.

And the reeducation camp was a nice word for prison, right?

Yeah.

His father was released from prison in 1982 and returned to his village.

Tyquan was only one of two villagers selected by the Communist government to attend high school.

In 1989, he applied on behalf of his entire family, his parents and eight siblings to immigrate to the United States.

And the Vietnam War left many Vietnamese families divided, dislocated and distrustful of each other and the outside world.

When we first spoke, I asked if you could reach out to, your congregation to see if anybody else would share their stories.

And the response was apprehension for number one, the language barrier.

But number two, fear, because they have family members in Vietnam.

Fear of retribution, fear of, political turmoil.

Tell me about that.

This is a very complicated, issue.

Most Vietnamese people in my generation, they still have a contact relationship with, people in Vietnam.

This could be the person's immediate family members or friends.

They don't want to share their true feelings because they do not want to create the conflict, even within the family.

Different people in in the same family, they have a different perspective because they received the different information.

This is also the complicated issue within the Vietnamese, community.

As of 2020, nearly 33,000 people of Vietnamese descent resided in Louisiana, making them one of the largest Asian-American communities in the state.

Many made their homes in the New Orleans area, concentrating in New Orleans East and the West Bank.

Welcome, Karen, to making it home from Vietnam to New Orleans.

The historic New Orleans Collection is honoring the fall of Saigon 50th anniversary with an exhibit chronicling New Orleans Vietnamese communities.

Many of the people that we interviewed served in the South Vietnamese military and they lent their, military uniforms to us to include in the exhibition.

Many people don't realize that the first public announcement that we were finished with the war in Vietnam came here in New Orleans when, President Ford gave a commencement address at Tulane University.

And so he announced just a week before the fall of Saigon that the United States was done with the war in Vietnam.

It was devastating to the South Vietnamese.

It was, an end to their war, an end to their cause.

And it triggered, huge humanitarian crisis as people fled the country on April 30th, 1975, the North Vietnamese army captured the capital of South Vietnam, marking the end of the Vietnam War.

In the final days, the U.S. airlifted more than 7000 people, both Americans and South Vietnamese, from rooftops in Saigon, including the U.S. embassy.

Thousands more fled by boat, becoming part of the wave of the boat people.

When the fall of Saigon happened, we had a really well-developed system for the intake of refugees, and then also a lot of, Cuban refugees who were anxious to help the Vietnamese.

They saw something in their experience that was connected to their own that they were fleeing a communist country and finding refuge here in the United States.

The majority of New Orleans Vietnamese population practiced Catholicism and founded the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church as a community pillar.

I think a large percentage of those who got out of the country were fishermen, because they needed a boat to escape, of course.

But when they got here, I think there was, a desire to recreate the lives they had back in Vietnam.

And so, of course, fishing was, something they gravitated to, and they knew boat building skills.

And they were also very much into agriculture.

And so around the apartment complex, they initially just started planting gardens and every available piece of land.

The fall of Saigon created one of the largest diasporas in modern history.

The United States formally normalized diplomatic relationships with Vietnam in 1995, 20 years after the fall of Saigon.

I think this exhibit is a tribute to that first generation of what they built here, like what they had gone through in their lives, what they came here to do, and then building a community and a home for their children and grandchildren.

It's been 50 years since the fall of Saigon.

What do you want people to understand about the Vietnamese experience?

I wish, and I hope, for Vietnamese people in Vietnam or Vietnamese American people in America.

Just, sit down like this.

Just open up and share your experience.

We cannot change the past.

We cannot change history.

But we.

If we open our mind, open our heart to learn from each other, to learn from history so that we can learn so many valuable lessons for a better future.

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 Karen.

LeBlanc.

And I'm Dorothea Wilson.

Until next time.

That's the state we're in.

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 Ziegler Foundation and the Ziegler 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 Visit Baton Rouge.

And the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting and viewers like you.

Thank you.