TRANSCRIPT
You’re listening to Red River Radio News.
Good morning, I’m Jeff Ferrell.
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INTRO:
The federal government will restore $12 billion in Medicaid funding to Texas Hospitals.
As KERA’s Abigail Ruhman reports, Governor Greg Abbott says the change comes after months of negotiations:
SOT:
“The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stopped providing supplemental funding to Texas hospitals at the beginning of the state’s fiscal year in September – for the first time since funding began in 2014. It’s unclear when the funding will come through. The Texas Tribune reports Texas hospitals were slated to lose $27 million a day. The dispute over funding began late last year over questions about how Texas raises the more than $4 billion dollars in taxes to access the federal funds. Abbott’s office sent a letter to federal officials last month that said withholding the funding was a quote “economic gun to the head.”
<**** NEW STORY ****>
INTRO:
Outgoing U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has announced he will not endorse a candidate in the U-S Senate race. Capitol Access reporter Brooke Thorington has more:
SOT:
“Cassidy finished third in the May U-S Senate Republican Primary, after President Donald Trump endorsed Congresswoman Julia Letlow. Trump and MAGA faithfuls never forgave Cassidy who was among the seven Republicans who voted to convict Trump in his 2021 impeachment trial. The state’s senior senator says Letlow doesn’t need his endorsement to beat Democrat Jamie Davis. “She has not asked me for the endorsement, she does not need my endorsement. She has President Trump’s endorsement, and that’s what’s going to matter in our state.” Cassidy says he expects Letlow will carry the state in the November election.”
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INTRO:
Fire crews are making progress containing a wildfire that’s already scorched thousands of acres of land in southern arkansas.
Little Rock Public Radio’s Nathan Treece Reports:
SOT:
“State forestry officials say the wildfire near Camden was about 65% contained as of Wednesday morning. They estimated it would be about 80% contained by the evening. The blaze in Calhoun County has already burned more than 28-hundred acres prompting evacuations. The cause of that fire is still under investigation.”
TAG:
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders mobilized two Arkansas National Guard Black Hawk helicopters to the scene near a Camden industrial park where several defense contractors are located.
The helicopters have already dropped more than 48-hundred gallons of water on the wildfire, according to the Arkansas National Guard.
All of Arkansas’ 75 counties remain at a high risk of wildfires.
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INTRO:
Record-high seat belt use led to a record-low number of crash injuries in 2025.
That’s the word from The Louisiana Highway Safety Commission.
But not all the numbers are positive.
The state recorded 766 motor vehicle deaths last year.
That’s up from 753 the previous year.
Greg Fischer with the Highway Safety Commission says that increase coincides with an 11% rise in drunk driving related deaths:
SOT:
“To see an 11% increase in DWI fatalities, you know, there’s just no question that when you get behind the wheel under the influence that you are putting yourself in danger and other people, as well.”
TAG:
Fischer says more needs to be done to educate drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving.
<**** FORECAST ****>
The National Weather Service in Shreveport is calling for:
- Searing heat to stay just below triple digits up to the first day of fall in 4-days, with today’s high near 98 degrees.
- For the weekend, the forecast calls for the same high both days, then 97 Monday and back to 98 Tuesday, when summer 2026 officially comes to an end…
- with no mention of any chance of showers or thunderstorms.
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