Latest news with #HanktheCowdog
Boston Globe
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Public broadcasting, RIP?
At my public middle school in Arizona, I was taught Intelligent Design, which is a pseudoscientific alternative to evolution more akin to creationism. I was told that humans did not 'come from monkeys,' and that to think so was insulting. An entrance to the Arizona PBS offices in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in Phoenix. Katie Oyan/Associated Press PBS was the only educational channel I could watch at home, and while I was mostly interested in the kids' shows, I also tuned in to the National Geographic specials, where I watched experts discuss things like animal biology and evolutionary theory. I realized that PBS was making a better case than my teachers. Advertisement At the end of the school year, I moved to a rural ranch in the Pacific Northwest. At 13, I was fully in charge of my own education. I had one American history textbook and access to a shared desktop where I visited Khan Academy — and where I watched PBS. Without these resources, I would have resorted to scrounging for answers on Google or various social media sites. I had no digital media literacy, and doubt I would have been able to distinguish science and analysis from conspiracy and misinformation. I had few adults to guide me. My brother was listening to Joe Rogan. I lived with relatives who were climate-change deniers, one of whom was a state representative. They owned every National Geographic going back to the '60s, but told me to disregard most of what was written inside them. Advertisement The other reading material was the 'Left Behind' series about the biblical End Times and 'Hank the Cowdog.' Without PBS, I probably wouldn't have found trustworthy, or easily digestible, educational materials at all. The Trump Administration's latest efforts to cut federal funding for broadcasters like PBS and NPR would have jeopardized my ability to learn on my own, and for free. My story isn't unique. Sixty percent of all PBS viewers are in rural America, and roughly the same portion are low-income. When I was a child with limited resources, PBS was the only reliable education I had, especially as the adults around me failed. Good riddance, CPB By There have been plenty of loud protests about the Trump administration's efforts to cut spending on health care, scientific research, and public schools, and some of these are legitimate. But the outcry over its attempts to Public broadcasters like NPR and PBS are no longer the kind of necessary public goods President Lyndon Baines Johnson Moreover, public funding makes up only a fraction of NPR and PBS's budgets. Federal funding makes up Advertisement The headquarters for National Public Radio in Washington, D.C. Charles Dharapak/Associated Press If they're so essential, people are likely to pay for them through memberships or donations, allowing them to survive on their own. Trump's executive order directed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and all executive agencies to cease funding NPR and PBS. Congress has already allocated $535 million to CPB for this fiscal year. These cuts are fundamentally different from the Trump administration's attacks on basic scientific research, which And why should the government fund highly politicized media, anyway? Johnson promised a public broadcasting that would be 'free, and it will be independent and it will belong to all of our people.' But outlets like NPR belong to liberals. Don't take my word for it — take NPR's. The outlet's former senior editor Uri Berliner If NPR wants to be a liberal outlet, better do so on its own dime. So don't let the other misguided Trump cuts mislead you about this one. It's a win on many fronts. Less government spending. Less taxpayer-supported news poorly masked as unbiased public broadcasting. And a step toward restoring trust in the media. This column first appeared in , Globe Opinion's free weekly newsletter about local and national politics. If you'd like to receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up . Advertisement Rebecca Spiess can be reached at
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Multiple pet birds die after Eustace house fire
EUSTACE, Texas (KETK)– Multiple pet birds are dead after a mobile home caught on fire in Eustace on Monday afternoon. At around 3:40 p.m., the Payne Spring Fire Rescue Department was alerted of a double wide mobile home on fire with smoke being seen from the SH 198 bridge over Cedar Creek Lake. Payne Springs firefighters respond to house fire that leaves one dog dead Firefighters discovered heavy fire coming from the front door, windows, rear porch and a pickup truck on the property. 'This was a challenging wind driven fire with a heavy fuel load inside,' PSFR said. Officials said all people inside the home were able to escape before firefighters arrived but multiple pet birds died in the fire. Photos courtesy of Payne Springs Fire Rescue The following agencies helped on scene: Eustace Fire PSFR Gun Barrel City Fire Mabank Fire South Van Zandt Fire Henderson County Fire Marshal UT Health EMS American Red Cross Smith County ESD2 helps save home of award-winning 'Hank the Cowdog' author 'I would also like to recognize that the Superintendent of Eustace ISD and that staff came to the fire to support the family who have children that attend Eustace schools,' PSFR said. 'This was our second fire of the day that involved Eustace ISD families.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Payne Springs firefighters respond to house fire that leaves one dog dead
PAYNE SPRINGS, Texas (KETK)– Payne Springs Fire Rescue responded to a house fire on Monday morning that had 11 people inside and left one dog dead. According to PSFR, around 3:49 a.m. firefighters responded to FM 316 near Payne Springs where they found a heavy fire on the back exterior of the home. Smith County ESD2 helps save home of award-winning 'Hank the Cowdog' author 'PSFR Engine 1 responded with six and pulled two lines to attack the fire, one to the rear for the exterior fire and to protect a vehicle and one to the front door for an interior attack,' PSFR said. 'Interior crews faced heavy fire and a confusing interior layout due to multiple additions to the structure and the garage having been converted to a living space.' Photos courtesy of Payne Spring Fire Rescue Officials said that there was five adults and six children inside the home at the time of the fire but all escaped before firefighters arrived. Several of the people suffered from smoke inhalation and one with minor burns but one dog did not survive the fire. PSFR was assisted by the following: Gun Barrel City Fire Eustace Fire Log Cabin Fire UT Health EMS Marshall family uninjured after fire burns home 'Please ensure that you have working smoke detectors in your house,' PSFR said. 'The last five structure fires that we have responded to have not had any working smoke detectors installed.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Smith County ESD2 helps save home of award-winning ‘Hank the Cowdog' author
PERRYTON, Texas (KETK)– Smith County ESD2 strike team helped save the home of award-winning Hank the Cowdog author on Saturday night in Perryton. Marshall family uninjured after fire burns home According to Smith County ESD, their firefighters were apart of the strike team that saved the home of John R. Ericksom who is the author of children's series, Hank the Cowdog. Photos courtesy of Smith County ESD2 'Last night we defended the Erickson Ranch, home of Hank the Cowdog author John Erickson and his family,' Strike Team Leader Josh Bardwell said. 'They were incredibly kind and supportive' Smith County ESD2 firefighters headed to fight fires in West Texas on March 12 due to the National Weather Service being concerned the strong wind and dry conditions added to an already dry landscape may cause any spark into a fire. PHOTOS: Payne Springs firefighters respond to lake house fire Erikson is a Texas native that has written and published 75 books, best known as the author of the Hank the Cowdog series of books, audio-books and stage plays. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
