TRANSCRIPT
You’re listening to Red River Radio News.
Good morning, I’m Jeff Ferrell.
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INTRO:
Texas was supposed to have released its latest maternal mortality report this month.
But the report is now expected after the midterm election.
The report is expected to provide new information about maternal deaths after Texas enacted its strict abortion ban.
Kari White is a non-resident fellow in maternal & reproductive health at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
She says the delay raises concerns about transparency and whether policymakers have enough time to respond to the Findings:
SOT:
“The report is being released after many legislatures will begin filing bills for the next legislative session, so there isn't going to be a lot of time for lawmakers to examine the report, interpret its findings, and start to identify solutions that they want to propose in the legislative session.”
TAG:
The state's 2026 maternal mortality report is now expected by December 1st, 3 months later than officials had previously planned.
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INTRO:
Fewer Louisiana students were chronically absent last school year than in years prior.
Misty Davis with the Louisiana Department of Education says last year the state launched a campaign for schools to take proactive measures to reduce the absenteeism and truancy rate.
Davis says it’s not about punishing students who keep missing school.
They’ve found it to be more beneficial if you reward students for good attendance:
SOT:
“How can we incentivize attendance at school? How can we highlight the importance of attendance? How can we recognize and reward good attendance?”
TAG:
According to the state department of Education, nearly 22% of public-school students were counted as chronically absent during the last school year.
Davis says that’s down from 28% in 2021, but it is still four percentage points higher than it was before the COVID pandemic.
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INTRO:
In Arkansas… construction has begun on two data center projects in the last year with another three projects announced.
But concerns about noise levels, water usage and air pollution has led to a surge in backlash to data centers across the country and in states like Arkansas.
A poll this month by “Talk Business & Politics” and Hendrix College found that 71% of likely voters in Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District opposed building A.I. data centers in their areas, with only 19% in favor.
Facing such opposition, Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce CEO Randy Zook made an appearance on Sunday’s edition of “Talk Business and Politics,” to clear the air and make the case about the importance of data centers.
Zook said it’s important to remember that some people don’t want anything in their lives to change – comparing A.I. Data centers to the railroads ushering in the industrial revolution:
SOT:
“And A.I. is ushering in the intelligence revolution. It’s a wonderful capability that’s going to help us save lives and reduce disease and cure diseases. It’s going to be incredible. And productivity will and is increasing as a result of this implementation. But it, it’s, you know, there’s a lot of noise and building going on around it. The construction process is always disruptive in a given community, in a given area. But that’s just part of life. That’s part of progress. That’s part of change.”
<**** FORECAST ****>The National Weather Service in Shreveport is calling for:
- A slight chance of showers & thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 98, and heat index values as high as 106.
- Tomorrow: the ‘feels like temperature’ drops to 104, with a high of 97.
- Then 98 Friday, Saturday & Sunday.
- by Monday, a chance for showers and thunderstorms returns, with a high near 96.
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