JD Carrere
A safe-Ish for Public officials, City Stakeholders, and Community Leaders. We will discuss, debate and argue if we have to. All with the sole purpose of making sure that the people of New Orleans have true, verifiable information to equip them to make properly informed decisions when it comes to the issues that affect us all the most. This is our running public record of the truth.
JD defends himself against claims that he was paid to support and spin narratives for political figures in New Orleans. A pair of hosts from the Black-owned radio station WBOK made the claim that they saw JD's name appear in campaign finance reports. To prove them wrong, he walks you through how to find this information, along with any information involving political campaign finance reports.
What happens when the youth themselves get the mic? On Monday, September 28, 2026, the New Orleans City Council's Criminal Justice Committee heard directly from young people being held at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center (JJIC), along with JJIC Executive Director Dichelle Williams. Williams walked the committee through how the facility works. The JJIC provides pre-trial detention for youth charged with a delinquent offense, and it currently houses 51 young people with a capacity of 76. Then the youth spoke. Speaking anonymously, several of them shared their lived experiences: what their lives look like and the circumstances that led them to the JJIC. Councilmembers thanked them for their courage and asked residents to support the JJIC and the young people in their own communities however they can. This episode features audio from the City Council's public meeting video. Before you scroll past the headlines about youth crime, listen to the young people at the center of them.
Gov. Jeff Landry took to X to say the Advocate is distracting Louisiana with "a tiger in Oregon," and that the real story is the Liz Murrill texts. On this episode of B4U SCROLL, JD Carrere makes the case that it looks like a Governor who feels the walls closing in. A former LSU provost testifying under oath that the Governor's live tiger push ended with yelling in his office. Questions over secret NDAs on the SpaceX and Meta deals. A standoff with Mayor Helena Moreno that has him going around City Hall through Councilmember Eugene Green. Instead of answering any of it, he points everyone toward the one fight where he thinks he's on offense. When you're comfortable, you don't have to tell people what the biggest news is... you just let them read it.
Despite the best efforts of a vocal minority in the City of New Orleans to create distrust, New Orleans elected officials gear up to head into the 2027 City Budget Sessions. City officials have done their best to balance a budget with a $220 million deficit left by the last administration, unfortunatly the city is still $100 million in the hole. They absolutely have their work cut out for them, especially considering the massive amount of misinformation that will need to be combated by bad actors like Blake Arcuri and Laura Cannizarro Rodrigue, a pair of MAGA trolls who hate that Black people in New Orleans have the power to control their own community, void of MAGA influence.
Deputy Mayor of External Affairs Renee Lapeyrolerie sits down to talk about the city's latest community engagement meetings on the 2026 budget. We dig into what residents are actually asking for—blight removal, lot abatement, answers on the sanitation fee hike—and whether the city will actually act on that feedback. Plus, her expanded role leading New Orleans East development and the latest on Essence Fest. Is community engagement real or theater? Listen in.
New Orleans just approved a historic first: Black Education History Week. JD sits down with Adrinda "Drin" Kelly of BE NOLA to talk about the journey that led to this win, why this moment matters right now, and what students, teachers, and families can actually expect during the inaugural celebration. They dig into the representation gap in our schools and explore how celebrating Black education as a living legacy changes everything: from belonging in the classroom to what it means for Black educators to have their excellence officially recognized by the city. This conversation goes deep on the work, the vision, and what's coming on September 15th at the press conference.
New Orleans City Councilman Freddie King reflects on Jerome Big Duck Smith's impact on New Orleans... the void his passing left in the community. We talk about the historic opening of Morris Jeff Stadium, what it means for the city, and what's still needed. Freddie also breaks down his on-the-ground work meeting with vendors under the Claiborne Bridge... getting their voices heard and their needs on the table. Plus: upcoming initiatives through JJIC and the work of building the New Orleans we need.
Dichelle Williams has dedicated her life to being the chief caregiver of some of New Orleans youth that some would consider hardest to love. Her role as executive director of the New Orleans Juvenile Justice Intervention Center was more of a calling than a job she was appointed to. We discussed some of the difficulties she faces trying to manage the JJIC along with some of the more recent triumphs that have come from community partnerships.
Why are Louisiana's top officials signing confidentiality agreements that prevent them from telling the public what they know? In this episode, Dustin Granger breaks down the $50 billion Meta data center project, the NDAs that are silencing state employees, and what it means when elected officials profit from corporate mega-projects while signing gag orders. From Julia Letlow's undisclosed stock trades to Jay Morris's mysterious land purchases, we're asking the hard questions about who's really calling the shots in Louisiana politics.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris sat down with LA Democrats Dadrius Lanus and Gian Durand for an exclusive fireside chat on voting rights, democratic leadership, and what's at stake for the South. Harris made it clear: Louisiana is ground zero. This is the full conversation... unfiltered, direct, and everything the national media didn't capture. Tune in as Harris talks about the future of voting access, the Supreme Court's Callais decision, and what kind of ruthlessness the Democratic Party needs right now. B4U SCROLL exclusive.
Will Snowden from the Juror Project joins us to discuss a critical issue: Grand Jury Members under investigation by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill—and why they need legal protection. We dive into the Calvin Duncan case that sparked it all, where indictments were filed against those who supported him, including attempts to remove the Mayor, multiple City Council members, and revoke the DA's law license. Now, the Juror Project has partnered with the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers to provide free legal consultation for jurors caught in the crosshairs.
Calvin Duncan won his election for Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Clerk with 68% of the vote. But before he could take office, the state legislature eliminated the position. What followed was a legal and political battle involving court decisions, threats against elected officials, an indictment of the state Attorney General, and more. Host JD Carrere sits down with legal analyst Dr. Robert Collins to break down what happened and what it means for government accountability and separation of powers. Can a legislature eliminate an office after voters fill it? Is it legal for an Attorney General to threaten elected officials? Why were charges indicted and then dismissed? Dr. Collins answers these questions and more.
When Gov. Jeff Landry says New Orleans "thinks they're so special," veteran conservative columnist Quin Hillyer has a different take. Political strategist James Carville weighs in on what's really happening. Mayor Helena Moreno hits back with billions in economic impact. Dirty Coast turns the insult into a t-shirt. And the World Monuments Fund just designated this city "Irreplaceable." JD Carrere goes story for story through the timeline of a governor trying to erase a city, and everyone—including his own party—who showed up to say: Yes, New Orleans is that special.
What happens when a state government decides to overturn a democratic election ... and then punish city leaders who push back? JD Carrere breaks down the escalating political war between Louisiana's Republican leadership and New Orleans' Democratic officials. From Calvin Duncan's landslide win as Criminal Court Clerk to the AG's intimidation letters to the indictment that shook the state ... this is the story of how power really works in Louisiana. We talk about the clerk fight, the threats, the grand jury indictment of Attorney General Liz Murrill, and how the state is now trying to financially starve the city through bond commission blocks.
Marian Gbaiwon is now leading the recall against Jeff Landry solo after she and the other recall chair decided to go their separate ways. In this EXCLUSIVE interview, Marian and JD discuss some of the challenges she's faced thus far, what led to the split and most importantly, what are the next steps people can take if they want to sign their name to get Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry recalled.
I got to sit down with Michael Hecht — the guy who spent 18 years selling New Orleans to the world as President & CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc. We're talking about someone who helped shape the economic landscape of this entire region, from bringing major investments to our doorstep to playing a key role in getting the city ready for the Super Bowl. And now? He's stepping into a new chapter...and we got to talk about it before pretty much anybody else. We broke down what GNO Inc. actually does for us as New Orleanians, the initiatives that mean the most to him personally, and what he's looking forward to in this transition. We even got into the OMNI Hotel project and what developments like that mean for the growth and future of our city. This wasn't just a business conversation...it was a real talk about New Orleans, who we're becoming, and the people behind the scenes making it happen. If you love this city, you need to hear this one.
Nearly five years after Hurricane Ida left millions without power across Louisiana, the legal battle against Entergy is entering a critical new phase. In this episode of B4U Scroll, JD Carrere sits down with attorneys involved in the Hurricane Ida class action lawsuit to break down the latest developments, including Entergy's agreement to turn over key grid data that plaintiffs have been seeking for years. What did Entergy know before Ida made landfall? Were vulnerabilities in the power grid identified but left unaddressed? And how could newly released documents and technical data impact the future of this case? We unpack the legal arguments, the discovery battle, the fight over infrastructure accountability, and what this lawsuit could mean for Entergy customers throughout Southeast Louisiana. Whether you're following the case closely or just want to understand why this lawsuit matters, this conversation helps separate the headlines from the facts.
Real talk on mental health with Congressman Troy Carter...discussed why so many men struggle in silence instead of seeking help. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Men's Health Caucus, Congressman Carter breaks down what he's seeing on the ground...from the stigma that keeps men from getting care, to the work he's doing through the Mental Health Workforce Act to get more culturally competent providers from HBCUs and MSIs into our communities. We also get into the RAYS Act, putting the 988 Lifeline right on student ID cards so people have access before things become a crisis...plus a powerful conversation on sickle cell disease and how mental and physical health have to be treated together for the patients carrying that burden. And for the man listening right now who's never told anyone what he's going through...this one's for you.
A community garden on Frenchmen Street has been feeding 7th Ward residents ... including some of the neighborhood's most vulnerable elders ... for years. Now, a land sale is threatening to erase it. Ashley Schneider, one of the garden's core organizers, sits down with us to break down how the sale happened, who's connected to it, and what residents are doing to fight back. With ties to State Rep. Delisha Boyd surfacing in the deal, the story goes deeper than a garden ... it's a question of who gets to decide what happens to community-built spaces in New Orleans.
Part 2 of our Vision 2035 series focuses on the proposed Omni Hotel project and the PILOT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) agreement that has generated significant discussion across New Orleans. Supporters argue the project is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to attract larger conventions, create jobs, increase tourism spending, and strengthen the city's economy. Critics question whether the tax incentives being offered are too generous and whether the benefits will outweigh the costs for residents. In this episode, we break down what a PILOT agreement is, why the Omni Hotel is considered a key component of New Orleans' long-term growth strategy, and what questions residents should be asking as the project moves forward. Whether you support the deal, oppose it, or are still trying to understand it, this conversation is designed to provide context, clarity, and insight into one of the most important economic development discussions currently facing New Orleans.