WHEN MORNING CAME TO LOUISIANA WE WERE HOPEFUL, NOT HIBERNATING, WE WERE STRONGER, READY FOR WHAT'S NEXT AND TOGETHER AS WE BUILD A NEW, BLUE CROSS STANDS READY TO SUPPORT HI.

I'M PATRICK, EMPLOYEE AT EXXON MOBIL AND PASTOR OF LOUISIANA ASSEMBLY.

I'M SO GLAD THEY ARE SPONSORING THE LOUISIANA BLACK CHURCH ON LPB 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 LOUISIANA'S BEEN TREATED LIKE THE STEPCHILD OF THE COUNTRY.

BEING LEFT OUT IN THE COLD.

IT'S A WILDFIRE, IT'S HARD TO SEE IT SPREAD LIKE BOOM, BOOM, A DOMINO EFFECT.

THAT'S SEVEN PEOPLE.

ONE MAN GRAPPLING WITH COVID'S TOLL ON HIS FAMILY.

EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY HAS TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.

THE CAPITAL REGION'S PLAN FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS.

IT'S A WHOLE FLOOD OF EMOTIONS THAT COME OUT JUST COMING HERE.

CHANGES IN THE BLACK CHURCH TRADITION.

HI, EVERYONE.

I'M KARA ST. CYR.

AND I'M ANDRE MOREAU.

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

DEATHS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TO DECLINE, BUT TO DATE, ALMOST 9,600 DEATHS AND ALMOST 430,000 TOTAL CASES OF THE VIRUS.

MORE VACCINES EXPECTED TO COME INTO THE STATE NEXT WEEK MEANING THE OPPORTUNITY IS INCREASING.

HERE'S WHAT THE GOVERNOR SAID IN HIS THURSDAY BRIEFING.

WE CAN ABSOLUTELY DISPEL SOME OF THE CONCERN THAT WAS OUT THERE AT THE OUTSET THAT PEOPLE WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATE AND SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTIONS IN CONSIDERABLE NUMBERS.

WE ARE JUST NOT SEEING THAT.

THEY ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

IF THE FDA ISSUE EMERGENCY OPERATION OF JOHNSON & JOHNSON IT IS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EARLIER OPPORTUNITY IF YOU ARE ABLE TO DO SO TO GET VACCINATED.

NOW AND CHECK ON OTHER NEWS MAKING HEADLINES ACROSS THE STATE.

THE SENATE THIS WEEK CONFIRMED LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, APPOINTED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN AS THE NEXT U.S.

AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS.

SHE'S FROM BAKER, LOUISIANA, JUST NORTH OF BATON ROUGE AND GRADUATED FROM LSU.

THE 35-YEAR VETERAN OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE WILL USE HER GUMBO DIPLOMACY IN TACKLING GLOBAL PEACE AND SECURITY ISSUES WITH RUSSIA, CHINA, AND OTHERS.

HER POINT, YOU CAN'T HELP BUT WARM TOWARD SOMEONE WHO HAS LABORED OVER THE FRAGRANT, DARK SOUP AND IS SERVING YOU SOME.

SHE WAS HONORED AS AN LPB LOUISIANA LEGEND IN 2012.

EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY I HAVE EVER BEEN IN, I HAVE MET SOMEONE FROM LOUISIANA.

SO I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF US OUT THERE LIKE MYSELF WHO HAVE REACHED OUT AND MOVED AWAY FROM LOUISIANA TO TAKE WHAT LOUISIANA GAVE US AND SHARE IT WITH THE WORLD.

THE PRESIDENT THIS WEEK NOTIFIED THE GOVERNOR THAT FEMA WOULD PICK UP MOST OF THE TAB TO FIX ROADS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND CLEAN UP FROM HURRICANE LAURA.

GUIDELINES NORMALLY CALL FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PAY FOR 25% OF DISASTER COSTS, BUT BIDEN ORDERED THE INCREASE, SO THE STATE WILL ONLY HAVE TO PAY 10%.

THE STATE HAS RENEWED AN AGREEMENT WITH FRANCE TO COLLABORATE ON EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL INITIATIVES LIKE FRENCH IMMERSION PROGRAMS IN LOUISIANA.

WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BILLY NUNGESSER SAID SO MUCH OF OUR APPEAL AS A TRAVEL DESTINATION IS OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND FRENCH CULTURE IS A BIG PART OF OUR HISTORY.

WITH DATA SHOWING MORE THAN TWICE AS MANY BLACK STUDENTS ARE SUSPENDED THAN WHITE, STATE EDUCATORS ARE LAUNCHING A PROGRAM AIMED AT SHRINKING THOSE SUSPENSIONS BY GIVING K-12 TEACHERS AND LEADERS MORE TRAINING TO MEET THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS.

THE BELIEF IS THAT BETTER UNDERSTANDING WILL LEAD TO BETTER OUTCOMES.

AN LSU AG CENTER SPECIALIST IS OPTIMISTIC THE STATE'S SUGAR CANE CROP WILL SURVIVE MORE THAN 60 HOURS OF SUB FREEZING TEMPERATURES FROM THIS PAST WEEK.

THE DAMAGE WON'T BE THAT BAD.

A COMPLETE ASSESSMENT MAY NEED WEEKS, BUT CROPS SURVIVED A 2018 FREEZE WHEN CONSECUTIVE NIGHT TIME LOWS HIT 14 AND 17 DEGREES.

IT'S BEEN IN THE 70s THIS WEEK, BUT DAMAGE FROM THE CRIPPLING COLD OF LAST WEEK LINGERS.

LOWS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS AND LOW TEENS EXPOSED FRAGILE INFRASTRUCTURES.

THE BASICS OF POWER AND WATER BECOMING A LUXURY FOR NEARLY A FOURTH OF LOUISIANA'S POPULATION WITH THE SHREVEPORT AREA BEING THE HARDEST HIT.

JUST REPAIRING THE BREAKS IS ESSENTIALLY A BAND-AID.

WE NEED TO REALLY MAKE SURE WE MAKE OUR WATER SYSTEM MORE RESILIENT TO EXTREME WEATHER.

SHREVEPORT MAYOR ADRIAN PERKINS SAYS THE CITY HAS MADE THE EMERGENCY FIXES TO BROKEN WATER MAINS AND VALVES THAT DELIVER CLEAN WATER TO THE PEOPLE OF SHREVEPORT, BUT THE WATER CRISIS CONTINUES FOR THE MANY UNABLE TO GET OR AFFORD REPAIRS AT THEIR HOMES OR APARTMENTS.

THERE IS A CRY OUT FOR JUST PLUMBERS THAT CAN GO TO HOMES AND FIX.

AMANDA BYRD IS A SENIOR COUNSELOR AT BYRD HIGH SCHOOL IN SHREVEPORT AND HER HUSBAND, JERRY, IS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL THERE.

THEY FOLLOWED THEIR SCHOOL TO BATON ROUGE TO WATCH TRACK AND SOCCER EVENTS, BUT PROBLEMS BACK HOME IN NORTHWEST LOUISIANA DOMINATED THEIR THOUGHTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE TOWN OF VIVIAN, NORTH OF SHREVEPORT.

I PUT A POST ON FACEBOOK, I WANT TO RAISE $250 THROUGH VENMO TO RENT A U-HAUL.

I WANTED TO HAVE PEOPLE DONATE WATER TO THEBIRD CATHOLIC SOCCER GAME.

I REACHED OUT TO A FRIEND OF MINE.

HE GOT ME IN TOUCH WITH THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, THEY JUMPED ON IT.

I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT 2 JOB THEY DID.

AND THE POST WENT VIRAL.

FRIENDS STARTED DELIVERING WATER, STRANGERS, TOO.

THE LSU CENTER DID.

I GOT A MESSAGE FROM THE MANAGER AT HOME DEPOT.

I DIDN'T REACH OUT TO HIM.

HE SAID HE HAD TWO PALLETS FOR ME.

THERE ARE 80 CASES OF WATER ON EACH PALLET.

160 CASES OF WATER.

PEOPLE FROM AS FAR AS AS IBERVILLE, THE IBERVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT DIDN'T JUST FILL UP THE TRUCK, THEY BROUGHT A LONG TRAILER AND THEY HAD SO MUCH WATER THEY HAD TO PUT IT UNDER THE CARGO AREA OF THE CHARTER BUS BECAUSE OUR U-HAUL WAS GETTING SO FULL.

I HAD MODEST GOALS, BUT GOD HAD BIGGER PLANS THAN I DID.

HE TOUCHED ME.

HE TOUCHED THE PEOPLE.

I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY.

JERRY STARTED A # NORTHLOUISIANAWATERCRISIS.

THE SHREVEPORT VOLUNTEER NETWORK IS ANOTHER GROUP DOING GOOD FOR THOSE IN NEEDS.

MAYOR PERKINS IS GRATEFUL.

BUT -- LOUISIANA HAS BEEN TREATED LIKE THE STEPCHILD OF THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.

THE MEDIA ATTENTION ON TEXAS, THERE ARE MILLIONS UNDER BOIL ADVISER IN LOUISIANA AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS GOING WITHOUT WATER.

THE FEAR OF BEING FORGOTTEN WORRIED LAKE CHARLES MAYOR NIC HUNTER AFTER HURRICANE LAURA DELIVERED A CAT 4 KNOCKOUT SIX MONTHS AGO.

BOIL ALERTS AND CITY WATER REPAIRS FOLLOWED LAURA, THEN HURRICANE DELTA AND NOW THE FEBRUARY HARD FREEZE.

AUTHORITIES LIFTED THE LATEST ALERT EARLY IN THE WEEK WITH WATER BACK ONLINE, BUT PIPE REPAIRS IN HOMES AND BUSINESSES REMAIN.

WE DID HAVE A FEW CITY PIPES THAT BURST, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY, AND I MEAN IN THE THOUSANDS, WERE PIPES ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, PRIVATE LINES, LINES THE CITY DOES NOT OWN OR MAINTAIN.

I DON'T THINK THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE HAS WORDS ANY MORE TO DESCRIBE WHAT LAKE CHARLES HAS BEEN THROUGH OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS THE CITY OF LAKE CHARLES HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN 10 FEDERALLY DECLARED DISASTERS.

FOUR OF THOSE 10 HAVE BEEN IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

LATE WORD FROM SHREVEPORT'S MAYOR'S OFFICE.

THEY EXPECT THE BOIL ALERT TO BE LIFTED SATURDAY.

THE UNITED STATES HAS REACHED A NEW MILESTONE, THOUGH THIS ONE IS NOTHING TO CELEBRATE.

COVID-19 HAS OFFICIALLY TAKEN THE LIVES OF 500,000 AMERICANS.

THOUGH VACCINE DISTRIBUTION APPEARS TO BE A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL, THE TOLL THIS VIRUS HAS TAKEN ON AMERICAN CITIZENS STILL HURTS.

ONE MAN SAYS HE LOST SEVEN FAMILY MEMBERS OVER A THREE-MONTH PERIOD.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW THIS PANDEMIC HAS BEEN FOR YOU.

WE WENT TO THE FUNERAL AND THAT'S WHERE THE FAMILY REALLY CONTRACTED IT.

ANOTHER BROTHER AND SISTER THEN IN TURN CONTRACTED THE VIRUS AND IT JUST KIND OF WENT WILDFIRE FROM HERE AND IT WAS JUST VERY HARD TO SEE THAT BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, A DOMINO EFFECT OR SEVEN PEOPLE FROM ONE FUNERAL AND HOW MANY OTHER FUNERALS BEGIN TO HAPPEN.

THE UNITED STATES HAS JUST REACHED A MILESTONE AND NOT A GOOD ONE.

FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DEATHS, THAT'S HALF A MILLION AMERICANS THAT DIED FROM COVID-19.

BEING SOMEONE THAT HAS HAD SO MANY FAMILY MEMBERS DIE, WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE SEEING THE DEATH TOLL CONTINUE TO RISE?

THAT REALLY BROUGHT IT HOME FOR ME AND THEN TO HEAR THE NUMBERS RECENTLY ABOUT 500,000 PEOPLE.

WOW.

THIS THING IS MASSIVE.

IT'S ONE THING TO SEE IT ON TV, IT'S ANOTHER TO SEE IT IN PERSON.

DOES THE COVID VACCINE BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD, DOES THAT GIVE YOU ANY RELIEF?

MY CONCERN IS KNOWING THAT IT'S EVOLVING.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW SUSTAINED IT WILL BE.

I'M GOING TO GET MINE.

SHOT.

JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.

BECAUSE, AGAIN, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T IMPACT OTHER INDIVIDUALS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

BRISBON'S FAMILY IS DEVASTATED BY THE LOSS.

HE SAYS HE HOPES HIS STORY CAN ACT AS A CAUTIONARY TALE TO THOSE STILL NOT CONVINCED OF THE VIRUS' ABILITY TO KILL.

IT'S UPDATED EVERY FOUR YEARS.

THE CAPITAL REGION'S METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION PLAN.

THIS FEDERALLY FUNDED REQUIRED VISION FOR EAST AND WEST BATON ROUGE, ASCENSION, LIVINGSTON AND IBERVILLE PARISHES DEVELOPS STRATEGIES AND PROJECTS FOR THE NEXT 25 YEARS.

I TALKED WITH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JAMIE SETZE OF MOVE 2046.

IT COULD BE AS ANYTHING AS BIG AS A NEW BRIDGE.

CERTAIN I WILL TALK ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE FOR US.

ONE OF THE CONSTRAINTS WE HAVE IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T ALLOW US TO PUT PROJECTS IN HERE THAT WE CAN'T REASONABLY EXPECT TO HAVE FUNDING FOR OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS.

AND SO WE ADD THE FACT OF OUR PLAN TO SEE THIS IS WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE A MUCH SMALLER LIST, MAYBE 20, SOMETIMES ONLY 10% OF THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, OF WHAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO AFFORD THROUGH YOUR CURRENT TAXING STRUCTURE.

WITH PARISHES OF LOW POPULATIONS GET MORE PROJECTS OR HOW DOES THAT WORK OUT?

WE LOOK AT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO FOR INSTANCE, YOU MIGHT THINK EAST BATON ROUGE NEEDS A LOT OF PROJECTS, BUT THE WORKERS ARE COMING FROM LIVINGSTON AND ASCENSION AND OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, SO THEY NEED ACCESS TO GET TO THESE FACTSRIES, TO GET TO THESE JOBS.

PEOPLE DRIVE ACROSS BOUNDARIES EVERY DAY TO GET TO WORK AND GET BACK HOME.

WE'LL START GETTING PEOPLE RANKINGS OF THE PROBLEMS.

IS SAFETY THE BIGGEST PROBLEM?

IS CONGESTION THE BIGGEST PROBLEM?

IS TRANSPORTATION AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF LIFE?

ARE YOU A DRIVER AND HAVE TROUBLE MAKING YOUR DELIVERIES?

EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY HAS TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.

THIS IS THE PLACE WE BRING THEM ALL TOGETHER AND RESOLVE AS MANY AS AVAILABLE WITH THE FUNDS AVAILABLE.

SOME OCHL THE ONES WE ARE WORKING ON WE'LL SEE UNDER CONSTRUCTION BEFORE TOO LONG, WEST BATON ROUGE, A NEW BRIDGE, OVER 415, THE CONNECTOR.

THROUGH THERE ASCENSION PROJECT, THEY ARE LOOKING AT A NEW INTERCHANGE IN ASCENSION.

JUST LIKE YOU SEE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE P2 INTERCHANGE IN BATON ROUGE, YOU SHOULD SEE SOMETHING SIMILAR LIKE THAT IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS IN ASCENSION.

THE FIRST INTERCHANGE BETWEEN BATON ROUGE AND NEW ORLEANS WHEN THE INTERSTATE IS BUILT.

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT IS COVID HAVING ON YOUR PLANNING?

WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE GUESSING HOW FAR TRAFFIC WENT DOWN, BUT WE NEED TO KNOW THAT TO KIND OF START TO BASELINE HOW FAST IS IT GOING TO GO BACK UP.

THERE ARE PROBABLY RIGHT NOW, ANDRE, DON'T FEEL LIKE THERE IS A LOT OF -- DON'T SEE THE CONGESTION.

WE ARE DOING A BICYCLE AND WALKING PLAN AND A FERRY FEASIBLE STUDY FROM FOUR YEARS AGO.

THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN WEST BATON ROUGE ON HOW TO GET OVER THE RIVER AND AVOID THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION ON THE BRIDGES.

AN LSU PROFESSOR HAS IDENTIFIED A NEW CLASS OF LITTER GENERATED DUE TO COVID-19.

DR. MARK BENFIELD IS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF OCEANOGRAPHY AND COASTAL SCIENCES.

HE IS NOW RESEARCHING AND GLOBALLY TRACKING WHAT HE CALLS PPE TRASH.

DR. BENFIELD WAS ONE OF THE PANELISTS ON THIS MONTH'S "LOUISIANA PUBLIC SQUARE," WHICH EXPLORED THE STATE'S LITTER PROBLEM AND HOW THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE TRASH CANS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A READY PLACE TO DISPOSE OF THIS STUFF, IT IS GOING TO ACCUMULATE.

PEOPLE SEE IT ON THE GROUND, THEY ARE GOING TO THINK, WELL, SOMEONE ELSE DID IT, SO I CAN PUT IT OUT THERE, TOO.

A MEGACITY IN SOUTHERN CHINA, ONE OF OUR DATA SITES IS FROM A SUBURB CALLED UNIVERSITY TOWN THERE, IT IS ABOUT SIX CAMPUSES ALL TOGETHER.

I ASKED MY COLLEAGUE TO DO A SURVEY THERE.

SHE CAME BACK AND SAID SHE DIDN'T FIND ANY PPE WASTE.

I SAID WHY.

SHE SAID OUTSIDE EVERY BUILDING ON THE CAMPUS AND REGULARLY LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE GROUNDS ARE DEDICATED PPE DISPOSAL BINS.

PEOPLE USE THEM.

NOT TO SAY THERE ISN'T OTHER TRASH THERE, BUT THEY CERTAINLY ARE USING THE DISPOSAL BINS.

THAT IS A MODEL FOR US.

EVERY MEGAMALL, BOX STORE, STRIP MALL, SHOULD HAVE DISPOSAL SITES LOCATED OUTSIDE SO CUSTOMERS HAVE A READY PLACE TO DISPOSE OF THIS STUFF.

WE DON'T HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE LITTER ABATEMENT STRATEGY.

WE DON'T HAVE A CULTURE IN LOUISIANA, CERTAINLY NOT IN BATON ROUGE, WHERE LITTER HAS BEEN A PRIORITY OR SOMETHING IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE PUBLIC MIND.

WE DON'T HAVE ENFORCEMENT, CERTAINLY IN BATON ROUGE AND CITY LEADERS HAVE SAID IT IS DIFFICULT TO CATCH DUTCH -- DUMPERS OR LITTERERS IN THE ACT, BUT THIS IS NO EXCUSE.

OTHER PLACES THEY DO IT.

PEOPLE HERE DON'T RECYCLE IN GREAT ENOUGH NUMBERS OR DON'T BAG THEIR TRASH PROPERLY.

THAT CREATES AND ADDS TO THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLE REASON, BUT ADDS TO THE PROBLEM.

THE LITTER THAT DOES GET INTO THE WATERSHED, WE DON'T HAVE THE ADEQUATE EQUIPMENT TO CATCH IT.

THERE ARE 250 CANAL OUTFALLS THAT DUMP INTO THE WATERSHED IN BATON ROUGE.

WE ONLY HAVE BOONS OR LITTER CATCHING EQUIPMENT AT THREE OF THEM AND THEY ARE ALL PRETTY NEAR LSU.

"LITTER IN LOUISIANA" REAIRS TONIGHT AT 8:00 P.M. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW AS WELL AS THE OTHER PANELISTS PARTICIPATING, VISIT LPB.ORG/PUBLICSQUARE.

LPB IS ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR THE 26th ANNUAL YOUNG HEROES PROGRAM.

NOMINEES MUST BE LOUISIANA STUDENTS IN GRADES 9-12, ENROLLED IN AN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION OR HOMESCHOOL PROGRAM.

TO LEARN MORE OR TO SUBMIT A NOMINATION, GO TO LPB.ORG/HEROES.

BUT KEEP IN MIND, THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS MONDAY, MARCH 15.

BLACK CHURCHES HAVE BEEN THERE WITH ITS COMMUNITY THROUGH THE MOST DIFFICULT PARTS OF BLACK HISTORY, BUT NOW THE COMMUNITY IS WATCHING A CENTURIES OLD TRADITION SHIFT, AS MORE PEOPLE ARE CHANGING THE WAY THEY GO TO CHURCH AND IF THEY EVEN ATTEND AT ALL.

ON TONIGHT'S SPECIAL OF LOUISIANA BLACK CHURCHES, I SPOKE WITH CONGREGANTS AND CHURCH LEADERS ABOUT THE CHURCH'S FIGHT TO STAY RELEVANT.

THIS IS WHAT IS LEFT OF THEIR CHURCH.

WE HAVE TO GET IT BACK.

I MEAN, ALL OUR MEMORIES ARE IN THAT CHURCH.

IN 2019, SHERYL'S CHURCH WAS SECOND IN A STRING OF CHURCH ARSONS IN ST. MARY MISSION.

TEN DAYS LATER, SHERYL'S CHURCH, GREATER UNION BAPTIST, WENT UP IN SMOKE.

TWO DAYS LATER, MOUNT PLEASANT BAPTIST WAS HIT.

WE HAD WEDDINGS.

WE HAD FUNERALS.

WE JUST GOT TO GET IT BACK.

ALL OUR THOUGHT AND ALL OUR MEMORY WAS IN THAT CHURCH.

COLLECTIVELY, THAT'S MORE THAN 300 YEARS OF BLACK HISTORY IN THOSE ASHES.

IT'S A WHOLE FLOOD OF EMOTIONS THAT COME OUT JUST COMING OUT HERE, WALKING OUT HERE.

THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH WAS OUT THIS THIS WAY.

YOU ENTER THE CHURCH FROM THE HIGHWAY AND YOU START IMAGINING WHAT WAS.

HE SANG A LOT ABOUT THE CHURCH AND HIS DISTASTE FOR IT ON HIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

IT'S KIND OF HARD NOT TO SEE IT AS A HATE CRIME EVEN THOUGH WE WERE TOLD THAT UPON DISCOVERY AND RESEARCH OF WHAT HE HAD DONE, THERE WAS ANOTHER CHURCH THAT HE HAD PLANNED ON BURNING DOWN AND IT WASN'T A BLACK CHURCH.

BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT EACH CHURCH HE SUCCESSFULLY BURNED DOWN WAS BLACK.

BURNING CROSSES, CHURCHES, IT ALL MEANS THE SAME THING.

IN 1996, PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON SIGNED THE CHURCH ARSON ACT INTO LAW OVER GROWING CONCERN OVER BLACK CHURCHES GETTING BURNED DOWN.

THE TRENDS AREN'T EXACTLY ON THE RISE, BUT THEY STILL HAPPEN, A LOT MORE THAN PEOPLE MIGHT REALIZE.

IN 1996, THREE BLACK CHURCHES WERE BURNED DOWN IN BATON ROUGE.

IN 2016, A MISSISSIPPI MAN BURNED DOWN A BLACK CHURCH IN NEW ORLEANS AND, OF COURSE, IN 2019 THESE THREE IN ST. MARY PARISH WERE DESTROYED.

DOMESTIC TERRORISM LIKE THIS ISN'T THE ONLY CHALLENGE LOUISIANA'S BLACK CHURCHES FACE TODAY.

AN EVEN GREATER THREAT IS THE LOSS OF INTEREST.

THAT'S ONE OF THE WRESTLINGS THAT WE WRESTLE ABOUT WHEN YOU SIT DOWN AND THINK ABOUT THE TENSION BETWEEN THE OLDER GENERATIONS AND THIS GENERATION THE NUMBER OF YOUNG CONGREGANTS IS STARTING TO DROP AT BLACK CHURCHES ACROSS THE NATION.

IN 2019, PEW RESEARCH FOUND THAT NEARLY 46% OF GEN Z DID NOT ATTEND CHURCH AT ALL, WHILE MILLENIALS WERE EVEN LESS LIKELY TO ATTEND AT 49%.

THE FOOTBALL FIELDS, THE SOCCER FIELDS, DANCE, THEY HAVE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE THAN THE CHURCH.

THE QUESTION IS THEN HAS THE CHURCH BEEN INTENTIONAL WITH CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE CONNECTED?

TODAY'S GENERATION OFTEN REJECTS THE OLD WAY THAT BLACK CHURCHES WORSHIPPED.

KIDS ASK MORE QUESTIONS.

THE OLD RESPECTABILITY POLITICS DOESN'T APPEAL TO THEM.

I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE AROUND WEARING A HAT INSIDE A BUILDING.

AND IT COMES BACK TO CULTURE.

ONE THING MY GRANDFATHER USED TO SAY IS JUST BECAUSE YOU PLANTED IN YOUR GARDEN AND THESE FLOWERS GROW IN YOUR GARDEN DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE PLANTED IN SOMEONE ELSE'S GARDEN.

SO HOW THEN DO WE GO ABOUT IT?

HOW DO WE BE INTENTIONAL?

WHO AM I TO TELL THIS INDIVIDUAL YOU ARE NOT USED BY GOD.

WE COME WITH OUR OWN POLITICS.

I KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS.

OKAY.

AT THE END OF THE DAY HE SAYS, GRACE ABOUNDS MUCH.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU?

BRISBON SAYS THAT THE ONLY WAY TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF PULLING AWAY FROM THE CHURCH IS TO MEET PEOPLE HALLWAY.

COVID-19 IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T GO TO CHURCH ANYMORE AND SIT IN THE PEWS LIKE THEY TRADITIONALLY DID.

WHEN RICHARD ALLEN FORMED THE AME CHURCH, THINK ABOUT IT.

IT'S STILL NOT THE SAME CONTEXT.

YOU GOT SOME OF THE ESSENCE OF THE BEAR BONES, BUT THE BASIC GOSPEL IS STILL GOING TO BE THERE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S A HOUSE CHURCH OR AN ACTUAL CHURCH.

THEY DONATED OVER A MILLION DOLLARS, EACH CHURCH THAT WAS BURNED RECEIVE A LITTLE OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS IN ORDER TO HELP WITH THE REBUILDING PROJECT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EDIFICE OF AT LEAST A 200 CAPACITY.

WE'RE GOING TO STILL HAVE THAT FELLOWSHIP HALL.

A FEW MONTHS AGO HOLDEN MATTHEWS WAS SENTENCED TO MORE THAN 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR BURNING THOSE CHURCHES IN ST. MARY PARISH.

THE FIELDS WHERE THE BUILDINGS ONCE STOOD ARE NOW EMPTY, BUT THE SPIRIT OF THE CONGREGATIONS THAT ONCE GATHERED HERE IS FULL.

LIKE THE GENERATIONS OF CHURCH GOERS BEFORE THEM THAT HAVE WITHSTOOD TRIALS, THEY BELIEVE THEY CAN CREATE A NEW FIRE, A SPIRITUAL ONE.

GREATER UNION MEMBERS, ALTHOUGH WE MAY SEEM AS THOUGH WE'RE SCATTERED, WE STARTED OFF IN A BUILDING, WE ENDED UP OUTSIDE.

STAY STRONG, CONTINUE IN THE FAITH, CONTINUE TO BELIEVE WE WILL GATHER AGAIN BECAUSE WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER.

THAT WAS OUR FINAL SEGMENT ON THE LOUISIANA BLACK CHURCHES SPECIAL.

BUT ON TUESDAY, MARCH 9th, AT 7:00 P.M., LPB WILL SHOW THE DOCUMENTARY "LOUISIANA'S BLACK CHURCH: THE POLITICS OF PERSEVERANCE" WHERE WE'LL DIVE EVEN DEEPER INTO THIS TOPIC.

ALSO, IF YOU MISSED THE PBS SERIES "THE BLACK CHURCH: THIS IS OUR STORY, THIS IS OUR SONG" FROM HENRY LOUIS GATES JR., LPB WILL BE REAIRING THAT IN MARCH.

PART ONE REAIRS ON TUESDAY, MARCH 2 AT 7:00 P.M. PART TWO AIRS THE FOLLOWING WEEK ON MARCH 9 AT 8:00 P.M. 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'S NEXT AND TOGETHER AS WE BUILD ANEW, BLUE CROSS STANDS READY TO SUPPORT YOU.

HI.

I'M PATRICK, EMPLOYEE AT EXXON MOBIL AND PASTOR OF LOUISIANA ASSEMBLY OF BATON ROUGE.

I'M SO GLAD THEY ARE SPONSORING THE LOUISIANA BLACK CHURCH ON LPB AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY WATCHING.

AND BY CSRX, BUILDING STRONGER, SMARTER COMMUNITIES