FEMA leader is out, amid questions over future of the agency
The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cameron Hamilton, has been replaced. The shake up comes weeks before the start of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Cops Hand Out Lottery Tickets Along with Citations
Along with the usual traffic citations, police in Melbourne, Fla., gave out scratch-off lottery tickets. The cops themselves paid for them — in the spirit of the season, they said. No word of any big winners, just yet.
Deer Wanders Into Pa. Sporting Goods Store
After making its way into Dick's Sporting Goods in Spring Township, Pa., the hapless creature promptly slipped on the floor.
NBA Trailblazers Continue Their Surprising Season
With the NBA season a third of the way through, the Portland Trailblazers are having a very good year. But they'll be tested when they meet defending champions the Miami Heat on Saturday.
Obama's Position On Free Trade Marks Subtle Evolution
Two decades after NAFTA created a giant North American free trade zone, the U.S. is negotiating more big trade deals that would span the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. President Obama has embraced the potential agreements as a way to improve the U.S. economy.
The Secret Protectionism Buried Inside NAFTA
In order to get the North American Free Trade Agreement signed 20 years ago, a specific trade-off was made. The trade-off would not protect U.S. jobs from moving overseas.
Honest Taxi Driver Named Cabbie Of The Year
We told you on Wednesday about a Las Vegas cab driver who found $300,000 in the back seat. He gave the cash to his dispatcher, and it was returned to the passenger. As Cabbie of the Year, he'll get a $1,000 prize and dinner for two at a swank restaurant.
Illinois Man Tries To Profit Off Fake 'Star Trek' Device
An Illinois man was accused of soliciting $25 million from investors for a fictitious device. Named after Dr. McCoy in the science-fiction series, it supposedly delivered medical data like the tricorder on the TV show. Prosecutors said his actions were valid only in another dimension.
School Testing Systems Should Be Examined In 2014
Our series on the future continues with a discussion about education. Morning Edition co-host Steve Inskeep talks to Linda Darling-Hammond, a former adviser to President Obama, who is dismayed to see his administration build on the high-stakes testing requirements introduced by the Bush administration.
Milwaukee Hopes Cheese Brine Is Cheap Road De-Icer
Wisconsin knows this well: When you make more than 2 billion pounds of cheese a year it creates the salty byproduct cheese brine. Normally you discard it but folks in Milwaukee had an idea. Why not use that salty stuff to de-ice roads? It might also be better for the environment.
Fans Keep Jimmy Stewart Museum From Closing
The 1946 Christmas Classic It's a Wonderful Life starring Jimmy Stewart has a miracle ending. An angel named Clarence saves Stewart's character, George Bailey, from suicide. Now, the Jimmy Stewart Museum in Pennsylvania has gotten a reprieve. With few visitors, its doors were about to shut.
Number Of States Allowing Gay Marriage Expected To Grow
More than 38 percent of the U.S. population lives in a state in which same-sex marriage is legal. That's a much more revealing number than the figure usually discussed: 18 states plus Washington D.C. In the coming years, that number is expected to increase dramatically.