More than 3,000 years ago, a Native American community in what is now Northeast Louisiana built monumental earthworks - such as mounds, ridges, and a vast plaza - at Poverty Point, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For nearly two decades, Dr. Diana Greenlee, station archaeologist at Poverty Point, has worked to uncover what life was like for the people who lived there so many years ago.

Hear Diana talk about:

• How the massive earthworks at Poverty Point were constructed
• Evidence of art, craftsmanship, and daily life at the site
• The enduring mysteries of the mounds and ridges
• How modern tools like ground-penetrating radar reveal insights without excavation
• The moment she discovered a previously undocumented mound

Mentioned in this episode:

• Read more about Dr. Diana Greenlee
• Poverty Point World Heritage Site
• UNESCO World Heritage listing for Poverty Point
• University of Louisiana at Monroe

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• Follow in your favorite podcast app
• Leave a rating and review
• Share on social media and tag @rainemediaco

In Part 1, Bill Gerhart shared his son Connor’s story and discussed the dangers of fentanyl. In Part 2, Bill shares more about the fentanyl crisis, why he feels prosecuting those who sell it is necessary, and what he’s doing to raise awareness. He also reflects on his belief that there’s opportunity in every event, and how he moves forward with that perspective.

Hear Bill talk about:

• Giving away Narcan at Connor’s memorial service so others might be saved
• Why awareness and access to treatment matter more than ever
• The role of cartels, supply chains, and prosecution in the fentanyl epidemic
• His hopes for developing a new, non-opioid addiction treatment
• How this tragedy has made him appreciate his friends and family even more

Mentioned in this episode and references:

• If someone you care about is battling opioid addiction, find resources here
• Learn more about Naloxone (Narcan), the reversal drug Bill and his family gave out at Connor's Celebration of Life
• Read more about the crisis and the DEA's "One Pill Can Kill" awareness campaign

This week's music is by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay.

In 2023, nearly 80,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses. Bill Gerhart's son Connor was one of those people. In this first part of a two-part conversation, Bill shares who Connor was, from his childhood and football days to his career as a civil engineer, and how a series of surgeries and pain prescriptions led to an opioid addiction that few around him knew about. He also reflects on when he realized what was happening with Connor, and why awareness is so important.

Hear Bill talk about:

• Connor’s childhood, football years, and what made him “every dad’s dream”
• The challenges of college and how he found his way forward
• Rebuilding confidence after setbacks and starting a successful career
• The injuries and surgeries that introduced opioids into his life
• How his family discovered his addiction, and what Bill has since learned about awareness and prevention

Mentioned in this episode and references:

• See Bill's tribute to his son Conner at Connor's Celebration of Life
• If someone you love is battling opioid addiction, find resources here
• Read more about Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid addiction
• Learn more about Naloxone (Narcan), an opioid overdose reversal drug
• Find out more about Fentanyl test strips, a tool to detect fentanyl in recreational drugs

Closing music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay.