1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:02,402 Support for Louisiana. 2 00:00:02,402 --> 00:00:06,139 The state we're in is provided by Entergy. 3 00:00:06,139 --> 00:00:09,142 Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state. 4 00:00:09,843 --> 00:00:13,646 We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, 5 00:00:14,114 --> 00:00:17,650 reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us. 6 00:00:17,751 --> 00:00:20,520 Because together we power lights. 7 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:24,324 Additional support provided by the Fred B and Ruth B Ziegler Foundation 8 00:00:24,324 --> 00:00:27,761 and the Ziegler Art Museum, located in Jennings City Hall. 9 00:00:27,761 --> 00:00:31,197 The museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists 10 00:00:31,197 --> 00:00:34,901 and is a historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana. 11 00:00:35,468 --> 00:00:38,838 And the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting 12 00:00:38,838 --> 00:00:40,507 and viewers like you. 13 00:00:40,507 --> 00:00:42,842 Thank you. 14 00:00:42,842 --> 00:00:44,978 Misinformation in times of disaster 15 00:00:44,978 --> 00:00:48,581 can cause major problems for people needing help and those providing it. 16 00:00:48,848 --> 00:00:52,252 We'll hear from FEMA about the risks caused by conspiracy theories. 17 00:00:52,552 --> 00:00:57,552 Louisiana born and bred Olympian and world record holder Mondo Duplantis 18 00:00:57,757 --> 00:01:01,594 shares what's next in his pole vaulting career and personal life, 19 00:01:01,594 --> 00:01:04,497 and in November is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. 20 00:01:04,497 --> 00:01:07,734 We'll look at recent breakthroughs that could give families more time 21 00:01:07,734 --> 00:01:10,103 with their loved ones suffering from the disease. 22 00:01:10,103 --> 00:01:12,872 Erath, known as one of Louisiana's 23 00:01:12,872 --> 00:01:16,743 most Cajun communities, has its heritage on display 24 00:01:16,943 --> 00:01:20,680 at the Acadian Museum with big plans to boost business. 25 00:01:21,081 --> 00:01:22,048 Let's get started. 26 00:01:33,126 --> 00:01:33,960 Hello everyone. 27 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:36,796 I'm Karen Lichtblau and I'm Dorothea Wilson. 28 00:01:36,796 --> 00:01:39,165 Much more on those top stories in a moment. 29 00:01:39,165 --> 00:01:42,235 On this week's edition of Louisiana, the State We're In. 30 00:01:42,402 --> 00:01:44,604 But first 31 00:01:44,604 --> 00:01:47,774 hurricane season is winding down, and FEMA officials faced 32 00:01:47,941 --> 00:01:51,544 new challenges this year after Hurricanes Helene and Milton. 33 00:01:51,744 --> 00:01:55,782 Conspiracies were all over social media, leading to tense moments 34 00:01:55,782 --> 00:01:58,184 and direct threats against first responders. 35 00:01:58,184 --> 00:02:02,455 I talked to FEMA to learn more about how those falsehoods put lives at risk, 36 00:02:02,455 --> 00:02:06,192 and how they plan to confront those conspiracies going forward. 37 00:02:07,927 --> 00:02:10,230 Misinformation affects us all, 38 00:02:10,230 --> 00:02:12,999 especially in times of disaster. 39 00:02:12,999 --> 00:02:15,135 The rate at which misinformation spreads 40 00:02:15,135 --> 00:02:18,638 can be overwhelming for even the most prepared people. 41 00:02:19,072 --> 00:02:22,775 And often times, FEMA takes the brunt of it. 42 00:02:23,476 --> 00:02:27,480 We've seen over the past several years that rumors and misinformation 43 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,750 has had an impact on our ability to deliver for survivors. 44 00:02:31,451 --> 00:02:35,788 FEMA Director of Public Affairs Jacqueline Rothenberg says misinformation 45 00:02:36,055 --> 00:02:40,059 interferes with response efforts, undermines public trust, 46 00:02:40,260 --> 00:02:43,696 and can escalate an already dire situation. 47 00:02:44,330 --> 00:02:47,867 We really saw that during the wildfires in Maui, 48 00:02:47,867 --> 00:02:50,970 that misinformation was having an impact on our ability 49 00:02:50,970 --> 00:02:54,374 to deliver services to people and their trust in government. 50 00:02:55,108 --> 00:02:58,111 But it was after Hurricane Helene in North Carolina 51 00:02:58,311 --> 00:03:02,215 that misinformation and rumors took a life of their own, causing 52 00:03:02,215 --> 00:03:05,818 many people to become lost, frustrated and confused. 53 00:03:06,152 --> 00:03:10,823 Some even showed aggression and resistance to FEMA instructions. 54 00:03:11,591 --> 00:03:16,062 So one of the rumors that we heard during Hurricane Helene was that the 55 00:03:16,062 --> 00:03:20,733 that people were required to pay back, that our $750 was a loan. 56 00:03:21,034 --> 00:03:23,536 But that is absolutely false. 57 00:03:23,536 --> 00:03:28,536 We have given over $1.5 billion to survivors of Helene and Milton. 58 00:03:28,608 --> 00:03:33,608 So far, that's over 892,000 households and over $1.27 billion 59 00:03:34,948 --> 00:03:39,752 in public assistance to help repair roads, bridges, schools and infrastructure. 60 00:03:39,752 --> 00:03:43,656 That is so critical while people are recovering from a disaster. 61 00:03:43,656 --> 00:03:47,961 And so we really wanted to make sure that despite all the information 62 00:03:47,961 --> 00:03:51,531 that we were making sure that money was getting into the pockets of survivors, 63 00:03:51,798 --> 00:03:54,901 and they were helping these communities rebuild as quickly as possible. 64 00:03:55,835 --> 00:03:58,838 Now, whether it's false information about evacuation routes, 65 00:03:59,138 --> 00:04:03,209 unverified reports of disaster impacts, available shelters, 66 00:04:03,409 --> 00:04:07,247 or the path of the disaster, misinformation can cause people 67 00:04:07,247 --> 00:04:11,751 to take unnecessary risks, endangering themselves and others. 68 00:04:11,985 --> 00:04:14,220 But where does it start? 69 00:04:14,220 --> 00:04:17,190 Sometimes we've found that it's a game of telephone. 70 00:04:17,190 --> 00:04:20,159 Someone heard a rumor and they tell someone else, 71 00:04:20,159 --> 00:04:23,296 and then it just, you know, percolates throughout the community, right? 72 00:04:23,630 --> 00:04:27,300 In some cases, I think people spread misinformation to spread fear. 73 00:04:27,467 --> 00:04:30,637 And I think in areas where people aren't as accustomed to FEMA 74 00:04:30,637 --> 00:04:33,373 or they don't understand what FEMA does entirely, 75 00:04:33,373 --> 00:04:36,142 because it can be very confusing, admittedly, 76 00:04:36,142 --> 00:04:39,012 that that's where we have a lot of work to do to to make sure that 77 00:04:39,012 --> 00:04:42,181 people understand what our role is and where we can be helpful, 78 00:04:43,082 --> 00:04:47,654 and how do we counter it and eliminate fear, chaos and confusion. 79 00:04:48,087 --> 00:04:50,723 Professor Becky Rouse from Tulane's Emergency 80 00:04:50,723 --> 00:04:54,060 Security Studies Program says the solution is simple. 81 00:04:54,227 --> 00:04:57,230 We've got to debunk the myths by checking the facts 82 00:04:57,330 --> 00:05:01,768 and cleaving to reliable sources like FEMA to guide us through. 83 00:05:06,172 --> 00:05:08,608 Have a steady 84 00:05:08,608 --> 00:05:10,910 flow of accurate information 85 00:05:10,910 --> 00:05:14,347 and places the person can go to to verify it. 86 00:05:14,647 --> 00:05:18,685 In Louisiana was the Red cross that had kind of become the conduit 87 00:05:18,918 --> 00:05:23,323 for that good, viable information that people became dependent upon. 88 00:05:23,589 --> 00:05:25,224 And that's a good thing. 89 00:05:25,224 --> 00:05:27,593 Ultimately, getting the right information starts 90 00:05:27,593 --> 00:05:30,196 with looking to the right resources for answers. 91 00:05:30,196 --> 00:05:34,033 FEMA wants to be a reliable source for people and to help them navigate 92 00:05:34,033 --> 00:05:37,036 through everything they need to know in times of disaster. 93 00:05:37,737 --> 00:05:41,841 I want the American people to know that the FEMA workforce is here to help you. 94 00:05:41,874 --> 00:05:43,643 I have been lucky to be a part of the FEMA 95 00:05:43,643 --> 00:05:47,580 workforce for almost four years, and I, the people I work alongside, 96 00:05:47,580 --> 00:05:51,451 are so committed to helping you rebuild and recover post-disaster. 97 00:05:51,851 --> 00:05:53,586 And I know that it's hard sometimes 98 00:05:53,586 --> 00:05:57,390 based on historical inequities, to not have a trust in government. 99 00:05:57,390 --> 00:06:02,295 But I can assure you that the people of Sema that work here, they are committed 100 00:06:02,295 --> 00:06:05,732 to doing everything they can to help you jumpstart your recovery. 101 00:06:05,732 --> 00:06:08,568 And so I just want people to know that we are here to help you. 102 00:06:08,568 --> 00:06:11,137 And if you are seeking help, to please do so from us. 103 00:06:13,072 --> 00:06:16,843 So. From hashtags to headlines. 104 00:06:16,943 --> 00:06:19,078 Here's what's trending this week. 105 00:06:19,078 --> 00:06:22,782 Some bad news for LSU Tiger fans, who are already probably 106 00:06:22,782 --> 00:06:26,452 a little down in the dumps with this not so stellar season. 107 00:06:26,819 --> 00:06:30,056 That's right Karen, the five star recruit 108 00:06:30,256 --> 00:06:34,160 Bryce Underwood, he flipped his commitment from LSU, 109 00:06:34,260 --> 00:06:36,662 the number one player in the country, by the way, 110 00:06:36,662 --> 00:06:40,733 and he flipped his commitment and decided to stay in Michigan. 111 00:06:40,767 --> 00:06:42,235 What a heartbreak. 112 00:06:42,235 --> 00:06:45,037 You know goodness, Dorothy. We can't blame him. 113 00:06:45,037 --> 00:06:50,037 I mean, they which was motivated by a more lucrative Nil deal with Michigan. 114 00:06:50,276 --> 00:06:53,913 I think LSU was going to offer him about $1.5 million. 115 00:06:54,213 --> 00:06:58,985 Michigan's Nil deal would clock in at around $12 million. 116 00:06:58,985 --> 00:07:03,256 So the business decision may be questionable, but athletic decision? 117 00:07:03,456 --> 00:07:04,123 That's right. 118 00:07:04,123 --> 00:07:08,194 Now talking about athletic, let's talk about this escape artist 119 00:07:08,194 --> 00:07:10,663 that is on the run in New Orleans now. 120 00:07:10,663 --> 00:07:11,998 He's a little scrappy. 121 00:07:11,998 --> 00:07:13,299 He has four legs. 122 00:07:13,299 --> 00:07:16,669 Earlier this week, he chewed through a screen 123 00:07:16,669 --> 00:07:20,573 and jumped off of the second floor, 13ft. 124 00:07:20,573 --> 00:07:22,608 Insane for the little guy. 125 00:07:22,608 --> 00:07:27,213 He escaped from his adoptive family and he was on the run for about six months. 126 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,818 That little dog shook off tranquilizers and dark, so it's no surprise 127 00:07:31,818 --> 00:07:36,422 that scrim has inspired a lot of memes on social media, 128 00:07:36,422 --> 00:07:40,726 and some advocates cheering him on and others worried about his safety. 129 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:42,795 Where is this little Houdini? 130 00:07:42,795 --> 00:07:45,064 Like where's Waldo? Where is he? 131 00:07:45,064 --> 00:07:47,333 All right, well, big news in country music. 132 00:07:47,333 --> 00:07:50,970 Lainey Wilson turned out big at the CMAs, but she also turned up 133 00:07:50,970 --> 00:07:54,173 in Louisiana, in her hometown of Baskin. 134 00:07:54,507 --> 00:07:58,878 She was honored with a marker on the Northeast Shelby Zana music trail. 135 00:07:59,011 --> 00:08:02,682 And also, she had a stretch of state highway named after her. 136 00:08:02,715 --> 00:08:03,216 Wilson. 137 00:08:03,216 --> 00:08:07,053 She was Wednesday night at the Country Music Awards, where she won 138 00:08:07,053 --> 00:08:10,623 Female Vocalist of the Year and Music Video of the year. 139 00:08:10,957 --> 00:08:14,093 Speaking of good news and good things happening in Louisiana. 140 00:08:14,126 --> 00:08:16,462 November is Alzheimer's Awareness Month. 141 00:08:16,462 --> 00:08:20,466 Now it's a time to recognize families affected by the devastating disease 142 00:08:20,700 --> 00:08:23,536 as they confront daily challenges of Alzheimer's. 143 00:08:23,536 --> 00:08:28,241 New developments are offering hope in the form of early diagnosis 144 00:08:28,241 --> 00:08:29,342 and new treatments. 145 00:08:29,342 --> 00:08:31,644 I spoke with two experts leading the way. 146 00:08:31,644 --> 00:08:33,880 And for both, the mission is personal 147 00:08:34,981 --> 00:08:36,883 and with the therapy. 148 00:08:36,883 --> 00:08:40,019 Over 41 years ago, former President 149 00:08:40,019 --> 00:08:43,789 Ronald Reagan proclaimed November as Alzheimer's Awareness Month. 150 00:08:44,123 --> 00:08:47,593 In 1994, he shared his struggles with the disease 151 00:08:47,593 --> 00:08:51,631 and was joined by 2 million Americans who were also suffering. 152 00:08:51,898 --> 00:08:55,501 Since then, the number of Americans stricken by Alzheimer's 153 00:08:55,501 --> 00:09:00,501 has more than tripled, with over 95,000 confirmed cases coming from Louisiana. 154 00:09:01,507 --> 00:09:05,044 But thanks to people like Professor Owen Carmichael from Pennington 155 00:09:05,044 --> 00:09:08,447 Biomedical Research Center, there is hope. 156 00:09:09,081 --> 00:09:12,552 Alzheimer's disease is a very common disease among older adults. 157 00:09:13,252 --> 00:09:16,622 It is a progressive brain disease 158 00:09:16,923 --> 00:09:21,761 that causes memory loss, that progresses over time to such a degree that towards 159 00:09:21,761 --> 00:09:25,831 the end of the disease, people become completely dependent on nursing care. 160 00:09:26,666 --> 00:09:29,669 And ultimately they die of the disease. 161 00:09:30,436 --> 00:09:32,138 Doctor Carmichael dedicated 162 00:09:32,138 --> 00:09:35,408 nearly two decades of his career to Alzheimer's research. 163 00:09:35,942 --> 00:09:39,312 After experiencing the heartbreak of losing both his father 164 00:09:39,312 --> 00:09:43,082 and grandfather to the disease, he's made it his life's mission 165 00:09:43,082 --> 00:09:48,054 to answer the questions of why and how to prevent as many people 166 00:09:48,054 --> 00:09:51,857 as possible from experiencing the same pain that he did. 167 00:09:52,725 --> 00:09:56,562 So I started studying Alzheimer's disease for the first time 168 00:09:57,029 --> 00:10:00,266 right after I got out of graduate school into 2003. 169 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,403 And at that point, it became very obvious that this is what 170 00:10:04,570 --> 00:10:06,339 I was kind of meant to do. 171 00:10:06,339 --> 00:10:11,339 And I found myself just working on it all hours for after 172 00:10:11,911 --> 00:10:14,914 I should have been doing other things and relaxing. 173 00:10:15,047 --> 00:10:17,183 I found myself working kind of obsessively on it, 174 00:10:17,183 --> 00:10:19,819 and that's kind of taken me to where I am today. 175 00:10:19,819 --> 00:10:22,922 He and his team are responsible for major breakthroughs as a result 176 00:10:22,922 --> 00:10:26,325 of his research and two groundbreaking discoveries. 177 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:29,962 One being a drug that works to slow down the process 178 00:10:29,962 --> 00:10:32,965 of Alzheimer's if caught at the right time. 179 00:10:33,099 --> 00:10:36,102 The people who take these new drugs 180 00:10:36,802 --> 00:10:40,106 appear to just have a few more months, 181 00:10:40,106 --> 00:10:44,744 or maybe even a couple of more years of intact thinking skills. 182 00:10:46,646 --> 00:10:47,580 And so 183 00:10:47,580 --> 00:10:50,583 that's really tantalizing and promising. 184 00:10:50,616 --> 00:10:54,720 The second discovery blood tests that can reveal whether or not a person 185 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:56,522 is susceptible to Alzheimer's. 186 00:10:56,522 --> 00:11:00,159 Based on the results, the patient can begin early treatment. 187 00:11:00,393 --> 00:11:03,963 So what we've got now is a very, very exciting time. 188 00:11:04,263 --> 00:11:08,200 We're coming closer and closer to the day where we can tell 189 00:11:08,668 --> 00:11:11,671 that Alzheimer's disease has started in the brain 190 00:11:11,837 --> 00:11:15,775 before you, the patient, show any signs or symptoms. 191 00:11:16,275 --> 00:11:19,145 So again, it's a little bit like for, for example, 192 00:11:19,145 --> 00:11:23,049 getting a mammogram when you feel perfectly fine. 193 00:11:23,115 --> 00:11:26,652 And it shows that there's breast cancer there so that we can nip it 194 00:11:26,652 --> 00:11:30,523 in the bud before it becomes something that's really life threatening. 195 00:11:31,290 --> 00:11:35,194 Barbara Alton, executive director of Alzheimer's services at the capital, 196 00:11:35,327 --> 00:11:38,998 is also working to help families defy the Alzheimer's odds. 197 00:11:39,231 --> 00:11:43,035 She and her organization work to help make Alzheimer's research possible 198 00:11:43,235 --> 00:11:46,672 by hosting fundraising events and providing resources to families 199 00:11:46,839 --> 00:11:49,709 with the loved ones suffering from the disease. 200 00:11:49,709 --> 00:11:51,077 We're here. 201 00:11:51,077 --> 00:11:53,145 People need to know there is help, 202 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:55,414 and there 203 00:11:55,414 --> 00:11:58,417 that you shouldn't fear this disease. 204 00:11:59,418 --> 00:12:02,855 It is the most feared disease because it's more of the unknown. 205 00:12:03,489 --> 00:12:07,460 Because when you lose your memory, there's a very vast unknown of. 206 00:12:07,460 --> 00:12:10,463 How am I going to handle this? 207 00:12:10,496 --> 00:12:12,331 But there is hope. 208 00:12:12,331 --> 00:12:15,968 And that is really what we need to, to look at, is that 209 00:12:16,335 --> 00:12:19,438 there's so much research going on now that we have hope. 210 00:12:20,306 --> 00:12:23,309 There may not be a cure, but there will be some interventions, 211 00:12:23,843 --> 00:12:25,644 much like Doctor Carmichael. 212 00:12:25,644 --> 00:12:28,647 Barbara has a history of Alzheimer's disease in her family. 213 00:12:28,714 --> 00:12:31,617 But that's not the only place her passion comes from. 214 00:12:31,617 --> 00:12:34,353 Providing hope to families is what drives her. 215 00:12:34,353 --> 00:12:38,124 We're here as a one stop shop for the caregiver 216 00:12:38,124 --> 00:12:42,294 or the person who is diagnosed, but we provide all kinds 217 00:12:42,294 --> 00:12:45,898 of education programs to learn about what you can do 218 00:12:46,198 --> 00:12:51,198 for proper care, for risk reduction, for handling the finances. 219 00:12:51,837 --> 00:12:54,273 That's a very long lived disease. 220 00:12:54,273 --> 00:12:56,208 It's very hard on the caregivers. 221 00:12:56,208 --> 00:12:59,211 You're saying goodbye for a long time. 222 00:12:59,211 --> 00:13:01,647 The good news love conquers all. 223 00:13:01,647 --> 00:13:05,384 It was the love that Doctor Carmichael felt for his father and grandfather 224 00:13:05,551 --> 00:13:09,522 that drove him to research possible solutions to the Alzheimer's epidemic. 225 00:13:09,889 --> 00:13:12,491 It was Barbara's love for her mother and eight aunts 226 00:13:12,491 --> 00:13:16,061 that drove her to lead an organization to help raise money for research 227 00:13:16,195 --> 00:13:21,066 and provide aid and educational resources to families walking through the process. 228 00:13:21,300 --> 00:13:24,937 Lastly, it was President Reagan's love for his country 229 00:13:25,137 --> 00:13:28,474 that prompted him to set a month aside to raise awareness, 230 00:13:28,474 --> 00:13:32,044 to provoke people to fight the good fight for their families. 231 00:13:33,946 --> 00:13:34,513 He's a 232 00:13:34,513 --> 00:13:37,683 world record holder, Olympic gold medalist 233 00:13:37,683 --> 00:13:41,487 and one of the most exciting athletes in track and field history. 234 00:13:41,854 --> 00:13:43,923 Louisiana's own Mondo de plaintiff 235 00:13:43,923 --> 00:13:47,259 has soared to new heights to capture the world's attention. 236 00:13:47,693 --> 00:13:51,630 I sat down with Mondo to learn more about his passion for pole vaulting 237 00:13:51,931 --> 00:13:54,934 and his plans for the future. 238 00:13:56,402 --> 00:13:56,869 Hey everyone! 239 00:13:56,869 --> 00:14:01,073 I am super excited to bring you Mondo de plantas! 240 00:14:01,807 --> 00:14:05,444 For those of you who watch the Olympics, you know this is a gold medalist 241 00:14:05,444 --> 00:14:08,447 who set and broke several of his own records. 242 00:14:08,447 --> 00:14:11,450 Arguably the world's greatest pole 243 00:14:11,517 --> 00:14:15,287 vaulter and a beloved Louisiana sun. 244 00:14:15,287 --> 00:14:17,890 So thank you for joining us. Thank you for having me. 245 00:14:17,890 --> 00:14:18,390 Are you be here. 246 00:14:18,390 --> 00:14:19,024 Thank you. 247 00:14:19,024 --> 00:14:23,696 So first of all, a big congrats to your Olympic gold medal wins 248 00:14:23,863 --> 00:14:28,167 and the fact that you broke your own records. 249 00:14:28,701 --> 00:14:31,237 As a pole vault vaulter. 250 00:14:31,237 --> 00:14:33,272 Were you anticipating that to happen? 251 00:14:34,974 --> 00:14:36,141 Yes I was. 252 00:14:36,141 --> 00:14:37,109 You are. 253 00:14:37,109 --> 00:14:38,844 Well it wasn't, it wasn't my first Olympics. 254 00:14:38,844 --> 00:14:40,145 I was at the Tokyo Olympics, 255 00:14:40,145 --> 00:14:43,983 but it was a completely different experience because you know, the pandemic 256 00:14:43,983 --> 00:14:46,352 and everything. And so we weren't able to have spectators. 257 00:14:46,352 --> 00:14:48,721 I didn't have any of my family there, whatnot. 258 00:14:48,721 --> 00:14:50,823 And then, 259 00:14:50,823 --> 00:14:53,792 also like for track and field athlete, it's really your only 260 00:14:53,959 --> 00:14:57,396 opportunity that you have to make like a global impact and do something 261 00:14:57,396 --> 00:14:58,797 that's a lot bigger than your sport. 262 00:14:58,797 --> 00:15:01,867 It's like really like the only stage that we have, 263 00:15:01,867 --> 00:15:04,870 I guess, in a way. So, 264 00:15:05,004 --> 00:15:07,673 I knew that it was like, now or never, this is the time I have to do it 265 00:15:07,673 --> 00:15:09,475 if I'm going to do something really special. 266 00:15:09,475 --> 00:15:13,245 And so I've never been more locked in in my life than the year 267 00:15:13,245 --> 00:15:18,245 pretty much prior to, the games this past summer and, yeah. 268 00:15:18,751 --> 00:15:21,987 No, I had all the confidence in the world that I was going to do what I was. 269 00:15:22,254 --> 00:15:22,621 Yeah, what 270 00:15:22,621 --> 00:15:26,392 I did the whole time I was going in there, I wasn't focused on the gold, really. 271 00:15:26,392 --> 00:15:28,127 I was just focused on breaking the world record. 272 00:15:28,127 --> 00:15:31,130 So a lot of people are wondering, why did you choose 273 00:15:31,597 --> 00:15:34,934 to compete on behalf of Sweden as opposed the United States? 274 00:15:34,934 --> 00:15:37,937 And I know your mother is from Sweden. 275 00:15:38,237 --> 00:15:41,907 But you were born and raised, and your collegiate athletic career 276 00:15:41,907 --> 00:15:45,110 has been here in the States in particular Louisiana. 277 00:15:45,110 --> 00:15:47,413 So, yeah, no, it's a fair question. 278 00:15:47,413 --> 00:15:48,647 I'm a Lafayette native, 279 00:15:49,682 --> 00:15:52,151 born, born and raised. 280 00:15:52,151 --> 00:15:55,688 And really, my time that I would spend in Sweden was really just the summers, 281 00:15:55,688 --> 00:15:58,023 I mean, in the United States as a whole, but also in Louisiana. 282 00:15:58,023 --> 00:16:01,560 It was very tough for me growing up as far as finding competitions and whatnot. 283 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:03,529 I mean, 284 00:16:03,529 --> 00:16:05,764 you know, picture yourself as an eight year old 285 00:16:05,764 --> 00:16:08,767 trying to find pole vaulting competitions and Louisiana doesn't. 286 00:16:09,034 --> 00:16:11,670 And it wasn't really anything that was possible, honestly. 287 00:16:11,670 --> 00:16:16,175 And so, in the summers, we would we would go to Sweden for a month or so 288 00:16:16,175 --> 00:16:19,345 and we'd have a string of competitions that I would be able to do because, 289 00:16:19,979 --> 00:16:21,880 the track and field culture is a lot bigger there 290 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:24,116 in Sweden, where my mother's from, I just kind of had to do 291 00:16:24,116 --> 00:16:25,951 what was best for me, what was best for me and my family, 292 00:16:25,951 --> 00:16:29,722 and what I thought was the best for me to achieve what I knew 293 00:16:29,722 --> 00:16:31,991 that I was capable of, which is to be the best poets in the world 294 00:16:31,991 --> 00:16:34,293 and compete at the highest level all the time. 295 00:16:34,293 --> 00:16:39,293 So as a child growing up in Lafayette, Louisiana, as you said, there weren't 296 00:16:39,498 --> 00:16:44,498 a lot of pole vaulting competitions or or avenues for you to practice your sport. 297 00:16:45,204 --> 00:16:47,940 What drew you to that sport as opposed to soccer or 298 00:16:47,940 --> 00:16:50,943 footballer baseball or something more mainstream? 299 00:16:51,243 --> 00:16:52,411 Well, I did all the sports, really. 300 00:16:52,411 --> 00:16:54,079 I mean, I played a lot of baseball. 301 00:16:54,079 --> 00:16:55,748 My brother was a great baseball player, 302 00:16:55,748 --> 00:16:58,050 captain of the LSU team, drafted by the New York Mets. 303 00:16:58,050 --> 00:16:59,852 All the whole the whole thing. 304 00:17:01,186 --> 00:17:02,888 And so I did a lot of baseball, played a lot of soccer. 305 00:17:02,888 --> 00:17:04,890 But my father was a pole vaulter. 306 00:17:04,890 --> 00:17:06,825 He built the entire set up in the backyard. 307 00:17:06,825 --> 00:17:10,863 And, which is like kind of the way that it has to happen, 308 00:17:10,863 --> 00:17:12,498 I guess, in a way, if you want to get into poverty 309 00:17:12,498 --> 00:17:15,501 at an early age, you have to have like that kind of in, 310 00:17:15,901 --> 00:17:17,403 and so. Yeah. 311 00:17:17,403 --> 00:17:17,770 Yeah. 312 00:17:17,770 --> 00:17:20,305 Father, he was a professional pole vaulter. 313 00:17:20,305 --> 00:17:22,708 He, he, he toured around Europe back in his day, 314 00:17:22,708 --> 00:17:25,577 and then he built the whole set up. And he's been my coach. 315 00:17:25,577 --> 00:17:27,146 It's just it's a family operation. 316 00:17:27,146 --> 00:17:28,981 Just my mother and my father. 317 00:17:28,981 --> 00:17:33,218 So you currently live in Baton Rouge and you live in Sweden as well. 318 00:17:33,218 --> 00:17:36,288 So you split your time back and forth, and it's like the same place. 319 00:17:36,522 --> 00:17:41,460 Do you do you have plans to to remain in Louisiana and stay connected? 320 00:17:41,460 --> 00:17:46,131 And if so, what are those plans as they relate to your ties to Louisiana? 321 00:17:47,032 --> 00:17:47,299 Yeah. 322 00:17:47,299 --> 00:17:50,402 Well, I mean, I'm always going to be in Louisiana to some, to some extent. 323 00:17:50,402 --> 00:17:51,203 I mean, I think I can't 324 00:17:52,504 --> 00:17:54,206 I can't live without it. 325 00:17:54,206 --> 00:17:57,209 I mean, it's always going to have that home, home feeling to me. 326 00:17:57,709 --> 00:18:02,281 And so, I love I love my time being able to come back here to Baton Rouge. 327 00:18:02,281 --> 00:18:03,649 I spend the entire falls here. 328 00:18:03,649 --> 00:18:06,652 Spend the spring here, too. 329 00:18:06,685 --> 00:18:09,688 I mean, as far as the future, I don't really know what's going to happen. 330 00:18:10,389 --> 00:18:14,927 It just depends on how everything happens in my career and poverty. 331 00:18:14,927 --> 00:18:16,995 And and when I stop and what I'm going to do after poverty, 332 00:18:16,995 --> 00:18:19,998 in which I don't know what I'm going to do, really, I don't really, 333 00:18:20,899 --> 00:18:23,902 I don't really care to think about it almost. 334 00:18:25,771 --> 00:18:26,972 Congratulations 335 00:18:26,972 --> 00:18:29,942 are in order, by the way, Desiree Englander. 336 00:18:29,942 --> 00:18:32,478 And so and you're saying you dated for several years 337 00:18:32,478 --> 00:18:35,848 and popped the question in a big way like surprised your honor folks. 338 00:18:35,848 --> 00:18:37,583 Scandinavia photo shoot. 339 00:18:37,583 --> 00:18:39,852 Wow. Yeah. 340 00:18:39,852 --> 00:18:41,353 Well play my thanks. 341 00:18:41,353 --> 00:18:45,390 Yeah I mean yeah well I wanted it to be a surprise. 342 00:18:46,024 --> 00:18:50,028 And I knew that I felt like she doesn't think 343 00:18:50,028 --> 00:18:53,031 I'm very good of a planner, which I'm probably not, actually. 344 00:18:53,031 --> 00:18:56,034 But I thought that it would be a really good way to show 345 00:18:56,101 --> 00:18:59,505 that I don't know, some type of sacrifice and commitment to where 346 00:18:59,505 --> 00:19:02,508 the most hectic time of my life, which is right after the Olympics. 347 00:19:02,674 --> 00:19:05,677 So we're playing something as you as as an engagement. 348 00:19:05,811 --> 00:19:07,946 You nervous? Yeah, for sure. 349 00:19:07,946 --> 00:19:08,780 It's very vulnerable. 350 00:19:08,780 --> 00:19:10,349 I think that's really the main thing is 351 00:19:10,349 --> 00:19:12,484 it's like the most vulnerable you can ever be. 352 00:19:12,484 --> 00:19:16,021 And you're asking somebody, you know, take your hand for a lifetime. 353 00:19:16,021 --> 00:19:16,622 And so, 354 00:19:18,023 --> 00:19:19,925 which is, you know, beautiful and really special. 355 00:19:19,925 --> 00:19:22,928 And so, you know, I can't, do a date set. 356 00:19:23,462 --> 00:19:26,732 No, haven't there's there's still some logistics 357 00:19:26,732 --> 00:19:28,300 we have to figure out because it was a surprise 358 00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:29,635 and it wasn't like it was one of these things 359 00:19:29,635 --> 00:19:31,370 to where she knew it was going to happen. 360 00:19:31,370 --> 00:19:33,906 And we already planned the wedding before I even engaged or anything like that. 361 00:19:33,906 --> 00:19:35,707 It was a real surprise. Surprise. 362 00:19:35,707 --> 00:19:38,844 Do you plan to compete in the next Olympics? 363 00:19:38,844 --> 00:19:40,112 Do you want a coach? 364 00:19:40,112 --> 00:19:42,181 Of course. Next Olympics easily. 365 00:19:42,181 --> 00:19:43,849 That that shouldn't be a problem. 366 00:19:43,849 --> 00:19:46,852 Probably the next even two, I guess. 367 00:19:46,952 --> 00:19:49,688 I mean, as far as just the way 368 00:19:49,688 --> 00:19:52,257 that I'm jumping right now and the level that I'm jumping 369 00:19:52,257 --> 00:19:55,160 at compared to all the other guys, I think that I should be able to, 370 00:19:56,361 --> 00:19:59,031 to stay stay on the top for a little while. 371 00:19:59,031 --> 00:20:00,933 I don't think that far into the future, honestly. 372 00:20:00,933 --> 00:20:03,135 I feel like I'm I live in the present. 373 00:20:03,135 --> 00:20:05,604 I try to enjoy as much as I can what I'm doing now. 374 00:20:05,604 --> 00:20:08,307 I know that being an athlete goes super quick. 375 00:20:08,307 --> 00:20:12,211 I mean, I've been jumping professionally since 2019 376 00:20:12,778 --> 00:20:16,148 and which is like weird to think about because it's like five years 377 00:20:16,148 --> 00:20:19,151 just goes so fast trying to just soak in 378 00:20:20,052 --> 00:20:23,055 how amazing it was really to be able to win the Olympics, win 379 00:20:23,055 --> 00:20:25,257 it twice, break the world record at the Olympics 380 00:20:25,257 --> 00:20:27,859 like my biggest childhood dream ever, and I was able to accomplish 381 00:20:27,859 --> 00:20:30,862 like all of that at all, my family and everything. So, 382 00:20:31,997 --> 00:20:35,000 but definitely still motivated to still have a lot of fire. 383 00:20:35,033 --> 00:20:37,369 Still want to keep jumping Monday to play this. 384 00:20:37,369 --> 00:20:39,271 We are glad to have you back home. 385 00:20:39,271 --> 00:20:42,975 You have made Louisiana so, so proud. 386 00:20:42,975 --> 00:20:46,111 So thank you for stopping by LPB and giving us an update 387 00:20:46,111 --> 00:20:48,680 on what's next for you. Thanks for having me. Absolutely. 388 00:20:51,250 --> 00:20:53,652 That was just part of my interview with Mondo. 389 00:20:53,652 --> 00:20:56,555 Now you can watch the full version on our YouTube page. 390 00:20:56,555 --> 00:20:59,558 And I encourage you because he is adorable and so authentic. 391 00:21:00,392 --> 00:21:02,828 Now, Mondo, he continues to rack up 392 00:21:02,828 --> 00:21:05,831 accolades during his recent designation 393 00:21:05,831 --> 00:21:09,334 as a Living Legend by the Acadian Museum in Iraq. 394 00:21:09,368 --> 00:21:13,672 Now the museum hopes to raise funds for a complex downtown 395 00:21:13,905 --> 00:21:17,709 to replace vacant storefronts and attract visitors and local businesses. 396 00:21:18,076 --> 00:21:22,014 Here's a look at the museum's rare collection of Acadian artifacts, 397 00:21:22,180 --> 00:21:25,817 which could foster Iraq's economic future. 398 00:21:27,019 --> 00:21:31,356 The railroad, no longer in service, runs through downtown Erath. 399 00:21:31,556 --> 00:21:34,593 It's a reminder of this once thriving business district. 400 00:21:34,860 --> 00:21:38,263 This town was founded in 1890 when the railroad came through. 401 00:21:38,964 --> 00:21:42,601 Most of the people lived on outlying areas along the bayous. 402 00:21:42,734 --> 00:21:46,038 They just flocked here to be where the action was. 403 00:21:46,038 --> 00:21:48,173 And the businesses started at one time. 404 00:21:48,173 --> 00:21:51,910 There was a small grocery store on every block of the town of Erath. 405 00:21:52,110 --> 00:21:55,914 Population has never been any larger than around 3000 people. 406 00:21:55,914 --> 00:21:59,751 So this was the heart of a thriving community and slowly 407 00:21:59,751 --> 00:22:02,754 people have migrated to other areas. 408 00:22:03,055 --> 00:22:06,124 It's very difficult to obtain flood insurance. 409 00:22:06,558 --> 00:22:10,329 Many of the houses or elevated, you're almost at sea level. 410 00:22:10,595 --> 00:22:13,565 The Acadian Museum is one of the few occupied 411 00:22:13,565 --> 00:22:16,935 buildings along this stretch of vacant storefronts. 412 00:22:17,102 --> 00:22:20,005 It stands as the memory keeper of Iraq's 413 00:22:20,005 --> 00:22:23,008 famous residents and cultural contributions. 414 00:22:23,141 --> 00:22:26,311 Welcome to the Erath Museum. 415 00:22:26,745 --> 00:22:29,681 Beautiful downtown Erath. 416 00:22:29,681 --> 00:22:33,618 Known as the most Cajun place on Earth, Walter Perrin, 417 00:22:33,618 --> 00:22:37,589 author and historian, serves as chairman of the Acadian Museum, 418 00:22:37,622 --> 00:22:42,060 a nonprofit grassroots museum borne from community contributions. 419 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:47,032 He believes these rooms filled with more than 6000 objects and artifacts, 420 00:22:47,199 --> 00:22:51,169 can serve as a collective economic catalyst for Erath. 421 00:22:51,403 --> 00:22:54,539 We would hopefully be able to create five 422 00:22:54,539 --> 00:22:58,176 satellite museums in walking distance of this museum. 423 00:22:58,443 --> 00:23:02,547 It's a dream that we have to try to use our culture 424 00:23:02,547 --> 00:23:06,051 and our history for economic benefits of all the citizens, 425 00:23:06,351 --> 00:23:09,888 and I think that would be a worthy goal to pursue. 426 00:23:10,322 --> 00:23:12,424 The museum started with this photo. 427 00:23:12,424 --> 00:23:13,458 Warren received it 428 00:23:13,458 --> 00:23:16,762 while practicing law in the building that would later become the Museum. 429 00:23:17,095 --> 00:23:20,098 A client of mine, Miss Reba Duggan, Aaron, 430 00:23:20,365 --> 00:23:24,536 walked in one day carrying this beautiful oval frame. 431 00:23:24,803 --> 00:23:26,638 It's a picture of a young boy. 432 00:23:26,638 --> 00:23:30,642 I said, Miss Nair, tell me about this picture. 433 00:23:31,410 --> 00:23:35,347 Oh, she says, that's one of my cousins, said Richard. 434 00:23:36,114 --> 00:23:37,749 He was about 12. 435 00:23:37,749 --> 00:23:41,386 They were playing one summer hot afternoon, and they dumped 436 00:23:41,653 --> 00:23:45,657 as a joke ice water on his head, and he died of a brain hemorrhage. 437 00:23:45,991 --> 00:23:48,093 And this is all we know about it. 438 00:23:48,093 --> 00:23:51,897 I simply typed, which she told me, and I'll put that in my waiting room. 439 00:23:52,798 --> 00:23:55,801 And everybody wanted to bring me a story and a picture. 440 00:23:55,967 --> 00:23:57,936 That's what started this museum. 441 00:23:57,936 --> 00:24:02,936 The museum's only purchased item comes from Warren, a rare Acadian boy's cape. 442 00:24:03,408 --> 00:24:07,512 It's part of the museum's extensive textile collection, including eight 443 00:24:07,512 --> 00:24:12,512 spinning wheels and 50 blankets woven from brown cotton unique to Louisiana. 444 00:24:12,984 --> 00:24:16,621 Erath was known for its skilled brown cotton weavers. 445 00:24:16,955 --> 00:24:18,690 Cotton was king in Louisiana. 446 00:24:19,658 --> 00:24:22,661 Everybody wanted cotton to make clothes. 447 00:24:23,061 --> 00:24:26,965 It was a market for brown cotton had no market 448 00:24:27,499 --> 00:24:30,836 because the filament is shorter, it's harder to work with. 449 00:24:31,169 --> 00:24:32,003 And it's ugly. 450 00:24:32,003 --> 00:24:35,073 It's not as pretty as beautiful white cotton sheets and bedspread. 451 00:24:35,106 --> 00:24:39,110 So the Cajuns, not wanting to waste anything, decided 452 00:24:39,110 --> 00:24:42,113 to use the brown cotton to make their blankets. 453 00:24:43,548 --> 00:24:46,551 Karen, center of this large room, 454 00:24:46,785 --> 00:24:49,588 an exhibit that people come from all over the world to see. 455 00:24:49,588 --> 00:24:53,191 The renowned, twice nominated Grammy winner, Mr. 456 00:24:53,191 --> 00:24:56,194 Dale miner, was in the Hall of Fame. 457 00:24:56,461 --> 00:25:01,461 Dia was a resident of Erath, and he made a living making chairs in a chair factory. 458 00:25:02,100 --> 00:25:05,971 So music was a sideline, but he became so popular 459 00:25:06,171 --> 00:25:09,274 as a result of one song, la parte de nada. 460 00:25:09,274 --> 00:25:11,610 The Back Door is a classic. 461 00:25:11,610 --> 00:25:14,613 You cannot go to a Cajun dance where they don't play it at least twice. 462 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:19,050 Louisiana politician Dudley LeBlanc, who grew up in Iraq, invented 463 00:25:19,050 --> 00:25:23,321 how to call a concoction that claimed to cure whatever ailed you. 464 00:25:23,455 --> 00:25:28,226 The former state senator is lauded as a marketing genius of his day. 465 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:31,997 He would get 18 wheelers, have had a call, and to get into the show 466 00:25:31,997 --> 00:25:34,533 to see these big stars, you had to have two box 467 00:25:34,533 --> 00:25:37,502 tops of how to call created a demand that didn't exist. 468 00:25:37,502 --> 00:25:40,772 Warren was instrumental in authoring a petition hand-delivered 469 00:25:40,772 --> 00:25:44,075 to the British Crown, seeking a formal apology 470 00:25:44,075 --> 00:25:48,747 for the illegal deportation of 15,000 Acadians from Nova Scotia. 471 00:25:48,947 --> 00:25:53,251 A copy of the Queen's Royal Proclamation Apology hangs in the museum. 472 00:25:53,318 --> 00:25:57,022 It establishes a day of commemoration, July 28th, 473 00:25:57,055 --> 00:26:00,725 to honor Acadians who lost their lives in the Ground Zero hours. 474 00:26:01,426 --> 00:26:05,163 It's the sixth time apology was extended 475 00:26:05,530 --> 00:26:08,466 in the 1200 years of the British Empire, 476 00:26:09,768 --> 00:26:12,037 and it's a recognition 477 00:26:12,037 --> 00:26:15,974 that the deportation was done against British laws 478 00:26:16,274 --> 00:26:20,111 leading to the deaths and sufferings of thousands of Acadian people. 479 00:26:20,478 --> 00:26:23,481 A third of the people perished, 480 00:26:23,548 --> 00:26:26,551 and it was our ethnic cleansing, 481 00:26:26,585 --> 00:26:29,588 genocide from those ancestral hardships. 482 00:26:29,588 --> 00:26:32,991 Cajuns emerged as resilient, resourceful people. 483 00:26:33,258 --> 00:26:37,495 Erath is one of Louisiana's few remaining communities, a predominantly 484 00:26:37,495 --> 00:26:42,495 French speaking people, a legacy the town seeks to preserve for future generations. 485 00:26:43,034 --> 00:26:47,372 Erath is a microcosm of what Louisiana is, the way I see it. 486 00:26:47,739 --> 00:26:51,209 We can walk into many of these still existing stores 487 00:26:51,409 --> 00:26:55,113 and they will talk Cajun, French to us if we we start speaking French. 488 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:59,250 So we're trying to save a lot of the things that makes us unique. 489 00:27:00,485 --> 00:27:01,953 That's our show for this week. 490 00:27:01,953 --> 00:27:06,953 Remember you can watch anything LPB, any time, wherever you are with our LPB app. 491 00:27:07,826 --> 00:27:08,259 That's right. 492 00:27:08,259 --> 00:27:11,496 And you can catch LPB news and public affairs shows, as well 493 00:27:11,496 --> 00:27:15,300 as other Louisiana programs you've come to enjoy over the years. 494 00:27:15,300 --> 00:27:19,170 And please like us on Facebook and Instagram 495 00:27:19,170 --> 00:27:22,273 for everyone at Louisiana Public Broadcasting. 496 00:27:22,474 --> 00:27:23,575 I'm Karen LeBlanc. 497 00:27:23,575 --> 00:27:25,110 And I'm Dorothea Wilson. 498 00:27:25,110 --> 00:27:27,612 Until next time. That's the state we're in. 499 00:27:40,392 --> 00:27:42,027 Support for Louisiana. 500 00:27:42,027 --> 00:27:45,864 The state we're in is provided by Entergy. 501 00:27:45,864 --> 00:27:48,867 Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state. 502 00:27:49,567 --> 00:27:53,371 We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, 503 00:27:53,838 --> 00:27:57,375 reduce outages, and respond quicker when you do need us. 504 00:27:57,475 --> 00:28:00,111 Because together, we power life. 505 00:28:00,111 --> 00:28:02,347 Additional support provided by the Fred B 506 00:28:02,347 --> 00:28:05,617 and Ruth B Ziegler Foundation and the Ziegler Art Museum. 507 00:28:05,617 --> 00:28:10,617 Located in Jennings City Hall, the museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists 508 00:28:10,789 --> 00:28:14,492 and is a historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana 509 00:28:14,893 --> 00:28:17,896 and by Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. 510 00:28:18,096 --> 00:28:21,700 Visit Baton Rouge and the Foundation for Excellence 511 00:28:21,700 --> 00:28:24,736 in Louisiana Public Broadcasting and viewers like you. 512 00:28:25,070 --> 00:28:25,637 Thank you.