Local News From Red River Radio with Jeffrey Ferrell
6:04 am, 7:04 am, 8:04 am
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, and a graduate of the University of Washington, Jeff began his on-air broadcasting career 33 years ago in the Black Hills of South Dakota as a general assignment reporter.
Jeff has worked in several regions of the country, from the Great Plains to the Midwest… and from the northeast to the southwest, before coming to Shreveport back in 2000 with his wife and four kids, where they have lived ever since.
Throughout his more than three decades of news reporting, Jeff has covered everything from the crack cocaine epidemic of the early ‘90s outside Chicago, to prolonged droughts in Oklahoma and paralyzing blizzards in Pennsylvania… and from devastating gulf coast hurricanes to severe flooding. Jeff graduated with a master’s degree in history from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston in March, and had just entered into a doctoral program until Red River Radio came calling, with a great opportunity to serve as news director at the public radio network.
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- The largest hospital system in Louisiana has announced it will lay off close to 800 staffers after sustaining millions of dollars in losses.- DeSoto Parish officials say an early tornado warning from the National Weather Service in Shreveport likely prevented injury or worse as severe storms swept through the area Thursday morning. -
- Louisiana's House Criminal Justice Committee has killed a bill that would've provided incest and rape exceptions to the state's abortion restrictions.- Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has formally signed into law SB458 which would allow uniformed service personnel to apply for school vouchers under the LEARNS Act.- A Texas man who fatally shot an armed protester at a Black Lives Matter march was sentenced to 25 years after prosecutors presented his texts and social media posts including racist images and indicated he may commit violence again.-
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- A NW Louisiana lawmaker is critical of LSU administrators regarding LSUS campus receiving a budget that's $2 million less than last year's.- U.S. Census annual estimates shows Louisiana placed 4th in the nation with the largest population decrease from 2020-2022.- Population growth in Texas is expected to stress water infrastructure and resources even more in the years ahead.
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- For his final year in office Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards would like to see bills passed that improve early childhood education, increase teacher pay, and raise the minimum wage but so far Republican led legislative committees have killed most of his wish-list items.- Texas lawmakers in both houses show bi-partisan support to give retired teachers their first cost of living increase in several years.
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- Officials in cities and towns across Texas are tracking bills in the state legislature that could limit local governments.- Gov. John Bel Edwards announced this week that the application period is now open for the Restore Louisiana Small Business Loan Program.- Louisiana is the latest to join a growing list of states pushing to ban gender-affirming medical care to minors.
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- A new report by a well-known financial website says: Louisiana is the worst state in America for working mothers.- A campaign has been launched to offer cash to people who relocate to central Arkansas for work.- Texas lawmakers debated a bill to limit transgender athletes participation in collegiate sports.- The 24-hour online giving challenge "Give For Good Day" led by Community Foundation of North Louisiana is today.
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- A bill is pending a hearing before Louisiana's Senate Judicial Committee that if approved would raise the age to 21 for anyone to enter or work in a bar.- There's a lot of misinformation about childhood vaccines and a Bossier pediatrician wants to help parents explore the reasons why they should have their children vaccinated against potentially deadly disease.
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- Reports of large hail, flooded streets, and downed trees and powerlines from severe storms that swept through East Texas, South Arkansas, and Northern Louisiana Wednesday night.- Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson announces his bid for the Republican nomination for President.- A video game design camp is being offered for kids aged 13-17 this summer at LSUS.
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- Louisiana lawmakers killed an effort to legalize recreational marijuana, leaving the state's medical cannabis program as the only legal way to secure the drug.- The publisher of daily newspapers in New Orleans and Baton Rouge is launching a digital news service in northwest Louisiana.- An non-profit group promoting free expression says Texas still leads the nation in the number of books it bans.- The Community Foundation of North Louisiana announced it will award $3 million in grants for 2023.
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- Louisiana's lucrative film tax credit program may get extended for another decade.- A school security bill passed a major milestone in the Texas House Monday after extensive debate.- Employees for the State of Arkansas are now eligible to receive 12 weeks paid maternity leave.
