TRANSCRIPT
You’re listening to Red River Radio News.
Good morning, I’m Jeff Ferrell.
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INTRO:
Diesel prices are reaching record highs in Texas, squeezing trucking companies and raising costs throughout the supply chain.
Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies reports:
SOT:
“John Esparza, president and CEO of the Texas Trucking Association, says fuel is now one of the industry’s largest expenses—and small operators are especially vulnerable. “The most vulnerable are the smaller carriers, the individual truck drivers. They will feel that in their pockets more directly, and it’s much harder to recover that price most immediately.” Esparza said higher diesel costs will quickly reach consumers because trucks carry nearly everything Americans buy—including merchandise now being shipped for the holiday season. “Anything you can think of comes to you via truck. And almost exclusively, about 85 percent of our communities rely on trucking exclusively.” Esparza says diesel prices have nearly doubled from a year ago and the industry has yet to see how high they may climb.”
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INTRO:
Louisiana still has the highest percentage of residents living in poverty.
As Mel Bridges explains, this comes as the national poverty rate has declined over the past three years:
SOT:
“According to data released by the U-S Census Bureau, Louisiana’s rate of poverty was just over 19-percent for the most recent two years on record. That’s almost double the national rate. Louisianans poverty rate went up by point-two percent (0.2%); the national rate declined during that time. The report doesn’t take into account some notable economic initiatives announced this year, like the planned Meta data center in Richland Parish, or SpaceX hub in Vermillion Parish. It also doesn’t include impacts from cuts to SNAP or Medicaid as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
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INTRO:
In Arkansas, while the state’s number one industry, Agriculture, continues to struggle, there are bright spots.
That’s the word from economist Mervin Jebaraj.
He’s the Director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Arkansas.
But Jebaraj also pointed to several positive developments while speaking Sunday on This week’s edition of “Talk Business & Politics.”
SOT:
“Certainly on the positive side, our unemployment rate has remained fairly low. The labor force participation rate, which has long been an issue of concern here in the state of Arkansas, is actually moving in the right direction. So, our labor participation rate continues to improve slowly but surely. But overall, you know, we don’t see a high unemployment rate, but we also don’t see a lot of employment growth on payroll side. If you look at the payroll survey within the last year, you’re looking at statewide at least a small job loss, a little over a thousand jobs.”
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INTRO:
Texas is limiting the expansion of Flock license plate cameras, amid a growing national backlash over privacy and misuse concerns.
In 2023, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a law that charges car insurance policy holders a dollar per vehicle.
Much of that money was used to install Flock cameras.
Now Abbott is blocking state funding for new cameras.
And, at his direction, no more permits will be issued for automated license plate readers along state roads.
Lindsey Hendren is a senior researcher at ReconMR polling:
SOT:
“Fifty-five percent of Texans are saying that they really don't want these in their area.”
<**** FORECAST ****>
The National Weather Service in Shreveport is calling for:
- A 20% chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Still, mostly sunny, a high near 97 and heat index values as high as 103.
- Tomorrow: Fall 2026 may officially arrive at 7:05 p.m., but you’ll be hard pressed to tell, with a high near 96.
- Then the mercury does begin to drop, first to 94 Wednesday, then 92 Thursday & 91 Friday.
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