TRANSCRIPT
You’re listening to Red River Radio News.
Good morning, I’m Jeff Ferrell.
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INTRO:
With early voting well underway in Texas, President Trump is making two campaign stops in the state later today to help stump for Republicans.
Dr. Paul Gottemoller, a political science professor at Del mar College in Corpus Christi, says the president’s visit highlights the importance of Latino voters for the Republican Party:
SOT:
“There was a hope that the 2024 election results was signifying a permanent partisan shift among Latino voters in South Texas. The evidence, as of right now, shows that it was not a permanent shift, and that they are still very much up for grabs.”
TAG:
Early voting runs through Friday in Texas.
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INTRO:
In Louisiana, early voting wraps up today.
And pollsters are focusing on how much Democratic and no-party voters have turned out ahead of the November 3rd general election.
John Couvillon with JMC Analytics says Republicans may be starting to sound the alarm, with 62,000 ballots from no-party voters in an environment with low approval of President Trump:
SOT:
“If the republicans are to be concerned which I think they should to, then today they absolutely need to be doing all they can to turn out the voters. And we'll know the answer to that for sure tomorrow morning.”
TAG:
Couvillon says he expects the Democratic lead to increase on this final day of voting.
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INTRO:
Louisiana election officials are urging voters to thoroughly review their ballot, ahead of casting their vote.
Several Registrar of voters across the state worry that voters may find the ballot overwhelming with a senate race, 10 constitutional amendments and a number of local elections, including congressional races. That includes Orleans Parish Registrar Lisa Manning Bridges:
SOT:
“It's a lot of things on the ballot, and we don't want people rushing, just make ha- making haphazard, um, decisions, so we would like them to be informed.”
TAG:
Louisiana’s Geaux Vote Mobile app allows voters to see what’s on the ballot, where to vote and to get election results.
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INTRO:
Louisiana has the second-highest rate of flu cases in the country.
That’s according to recent data from the CDC.
Louisiana is NOW at a “Moderate” flu activity level.
As Adam Vos WITH Louisiana Public Radio explains, data from the Louisiana Health Department shows the majority of children who went to the ER last week, did so for the flu:
SOT:
“Last week, one in every 10 children aged 2 to 11 visited for the flu. That’s compared to one in every hundred people aged 65. Both of those are an increase from the previous week.”
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INTRO:
In Arkansas, planning is already underway for the 2030 U.S. Census.
Arkansas officials are looking at ways to ensure every resident is counted.
As Little Rock Public Radio reports, the state had the highest undercount in the country for the 2020 Census.
Rebecca Zimmerman is the Community Engagement director with the non-profit agency “Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families.”
She says the census helps guide the distribution of about $10 billion in federal funding in Arkansas each year:
SOT:
“Programs like the children’s health insurance program, school lunches, school breakfast, the childcare and development block grant, that funds early childhood.”
<**** FORECAST ****>
The National Weather Service in Shreveport is calling for:
* Increasing clouds today, with a high near 81.
* Tomorrow: gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 84.
* Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 83 then dropping to 79 Friday, under cloudy conditions, before the chance of showers and thunderstorms returns Saturday.
* Rain chances are increasing for the weekend which includes Halloween Night. It remains uncertain that our entire region will have impacts from wet weather for trick or treaters.
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