Louisiana

Inside a Louisiana NPR station threatened by federal cuts:

Published

5 months ago

June 24, 2025

Press Room

Inside a Louisiana NPR station threatened by federal cuts:

Karen Hua

June 23, 2025 / 8:29 PM EDT
/ CBS News

Before the sun comes up in Shreveport, Louisiana, Jeff Ferrell arrives at the city’s National Public Radio station and turns on the lights.

Ferrell is the news director of Red River Radio and its only full-time news employee. He’s also the on-air host, field reporter, writer and sound editor. Everything that happens in KDAQ’s control room, he does it solo.

From the time he wakes up at 4 a.m., Ferrell spends 15-hour days covering the news in three states. The radio station is part of a network that serves East Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.

Recently, the House approved President Trump’s request to cut funding to NPR.

Jeff Ferrell of Red River Radio, a public radio station in Shreveport, Louisiana.

CBS News
Advertisement

NPR stations like KDAQ are some of the few sources of news left in the rural region. Often referred to as “news deserts” because of the lack of local news organizations, they would suffer the brunt of the Trump administration’s planned federal funding cuts to public television and radio.

“There are a couple of parishes in Louisiana that have nothing, not even any kind of newspapers,” Ferrell told CBS News. “They’re empty completely. And it’s just like a food desert in an urban area where people can’t get fresh fruit — with us, they can’t get the news.”

Ferrell and Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith say these cuts could have a vital impact on rural communities, especially during the hurricane season when residents rely on public radio broadcasts for life-saving information.

About 19% of Louisiana residents live in poverty, according to the U.S. Census, and 15% don’t have access to the internet. Ferrell said public radio is how many Shreveport residents stay connected to the world. If his station’s funding is cut, there will be less local news service in their area.

“You can’t afford satellite TV, you can’t buy cable, and they’re alone. And so it is a lifeline. And what’s great about this is that they feel connected,” Ferrell said. “Public radio saves lives. The Emergency Broadcast System, without it, people would die.”

Red River Radio General Manager Kermit Poling said the network gets about $160,000 each year from the government. It’s about 15% of their $1 million budget.

“It’s kind of like any nonprofit. You’re always in one form or another asking for donations,” Poling said.

The federal money that Red River Radio receives is part of the $1.1 billion total in proposed cuts for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds to NPR and PBS. NPR and three local stations have joined a lawsuit against the Trump administration over these cuts. A rescissions package to claw back funding for NPR, PBS and international aid approved by the House earlier this month is now headed to the Senate.

The cuts to public broadcasting have been touted by the Trump administration and Republicans as an effort to slash taxpayer funding for news media outlets they accuse of being “liberal” or politically biased in their content. But according to a congressional report obtained by CBS News from Senate Democrats, approximately 60% of the hundreds of radio and television stations that could suffer funding cuts are in Trump-won states.

Rural broadcasters have a harder time raising private funds, and it makes them more vulnerable to the proposed federal funding cuts, the co-chairs of the Public Broadcasting Caucus said earlier this month.

“Public broadcasting represents less than 0.01% of the federal budget, yet its impact reaches every congressional district,” Nevada Republican Rep. Mark Amodei and New York Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman said in a joint statement. “Cutting this funding will not meaningfully reduce the deficit, but it will dismantle a trusted source of information for millions of Americans.”

Source link

Louisiana

Louisiana leaders in Washington release statements on vote to end government shutdown

Published

17 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Press Room

Louisiana leaders in Washington release statements on vote to end government shutdown

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Washington has officially voted to reopen the government after the longest shutdown in history.

TALLY

Yea: 222, including 6 Democrats
Nay: 209, including 2 Republicans

Speaker Mike Johnson, Leader Steve Scalise, Whip Tom Emmer, and Chairwoman Lisa McClain released a joint statement after the vote:

“The Democrat Shutdown is finally over, thanks to House and Senate Republicans. There is absolutely no question now that Democrats are responsible for millions of American families going hungry, millions of travelers left stranded in airports, and our troops left wondering if they would receive their next paycheck. It was the Democratic Party that voted 15 times to keep the government closed and force the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

“All of it was pointless and utterly foolish. Democrats admitted they used the American people as ‘leverage’ and hurt their constituents on purpose — but they got nothing for their selfish political stunt. Voters will remember which party played political games in an attempt to ‘look tough’ to their base, while real people suffered.

“Now that Republicans have succeeded in ending the Democrat Shutdown, we look forward to continuing our important legislative work, delivering results for the American people.”

U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), released the following statement:

“After weeks of pain for working American families, Democrats finally agreed to end their unnecessary shutdown,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Now that the government is open, it’s time to work together to address the health care affordability crisis.”

The Senate has already passed the measure.

This legislation will reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) retroactive to October 1^st, fully fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), pay our federal workers and troops, and get our airport operations back to normal.

The measure now heads to President Donald Trump for his signature.

Click here to report a typo. Please include the headline.

Click here to subscribe to our WAFB 9 News daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.

Watch the latest WAFB news and weather now.

Source link

Louisiana

Louisiana Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Nov. 11, 2025

Published

1 day ago

November 12, 2025

Press Room

The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Nov. 11, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Nov. 11 drawing

10-13-40-42-46, Mega Ball: 01

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Nov. 11 drawing

4-6-5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Nov. 11 drawing

6-4-7-9

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Nov. 11 drawing

2-3-8-7-8

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.

By mail, follow these instructions:

Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.

Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:

Louisiana Lottery Headquarters

555 Laurel Street

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:

555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.

When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link

Louisiana

Sunpie Barnes and his Hot Spots will play in Covington

Published

2 days ago

November 11, 2025

Press Room

Sunpie Barnes and his Hot Spots will play in Covington

Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and his Louisiana Sunspots band will fill Christ Episcopal Church with their distinctive fusion of zydeco, blues, gospel, jazz, Afro-Caribbean and African music on Nov. 16 as the Third Sunday Concert series continues in Covington.

Barnes’ powerful voice and the group’s distinctive sound are part of the rich soundtrack that defines New Orleans. It’s also a sound heard yearly at the city’s most significant music venues, including Jazz & Heritage Festival, as well as Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival and other major music events inside and outside of Louisiana.

But Barnes (born Bruce Barnes) and his band will curate and present a special hour of music for their 5 p.m. concert audience in Covington, and there’s plenty to choose from, having released six albums and played in more than 50 countries across Africa, Europe, Central America and South America.

Selections at Christ Episcopal are expected to include “Bunny Bread,” “Irene,” “Trouble In Mind” and “Island Man,” with Barnes on his accordion and harmonica; Matt Hampsey on guitar; Leroy Etienne on drums; and Kerry Lewis on bass.

In addition to the music, Barnes (who plays more than a half-dozen instruments) was a college All-American and NFL player; a book author and photographer who currently leads an iconic Mardi Gras Indian tribe in New Orleans and continues his longtime National Park Service employment as a ranger.

Come to the show for the music — this concert is just the latest concert in the church’s decades-long music ministry — and then meet Barnes and his band members in a reception immediately following the show.

Source link