Lou Ottens, Inventor Of The Cassette Tape, Has Died
"Next time you make that perfect playlist on Spotify or send a link to share a song, you can thank Lou Ottens," documentary filmmaker Zack Taylor told NPR.
Business
Biden's $1.9 Trillion Rescue Plan Set To Turbocharge U.S. Economy
Economists expect the additional federal spending, coupled with an improving public health picture, will jumpstart economic growth this year.
Iowa Reporter Found Not Guilty By Jury After Arrest At Black Lives Matter Protest
Des Moines Register reporter Andrea Sahouri was arrested by police as she was covering a Black Lives Matter protest. She was charged with failing to disperse and interfering with official acts.
Texas Lifts Its State-Wide Mask Mandate, Some Businesses Disagree
Business may now operate at full capacity. NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Sarah Self-Walbrick of Texas Tech Public Media and Arnoldo Richards, a restaurant owner in Houston, about mandates being lifted.
Young Farmers Face A Barrier Their Parents Didn't: Student Loan Debt
The average age of farmers in the U.S. is nearly 60 years old. That means younger farmers are urgently needed. A third of U.S. farmland is expected to change hands by 2035.
Biden Administration Gears Up For A Showdown With Big Tech
President Biden is expected to add prominent tech critics to his administration. Some have advocated for breaking up major companies like Facebook.
Performance Venues Wait For Aid From Earlier COVID-19 Relief Measure
A bailout for live music and other event venues passed in the last relief bill. But one month after applications were scheduled to launch, they have not, and many venues are barely hanging on.
News Brief: Relief Measure, Texas Mask Mandate, Big-Tech Critics
The House is expected to approve the COVID-19 relief bill. Texans are no longer required to wear masks in public. Biden is expected to hire two critics of big tech for roles in his administration.
House Democrats Pass Bill That Would Protect Worker Organizing Efforts
The PRO Act would provide protections to workers trying to organize, limiting what companies can do to disrupt union membership campaigns. The bill is unlikely to advance in the Senate.
Pandemic Aid Package Includes Some Relief From High Health Plan Premiums
If passed, Biden's relief bill would significantly expand the number of people eligible for federal help in paying their health plan premiums, and would boost the size of those subsidies.