U.S.

National

Port Arthur Residents Remain Stranded, Holed Up In Bowling Alley Amid Floods

4:31pm August 31, 2017

by Jason Beaubien

People in Port Arthur, Texas, are trying to find relief after flood waters from tropical storm Harvey swallowed much of the town. Some are trapped on roof tops while others sought shelter at a bowling alley.

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Trump Plans To Announce Decision On Future Of DACA Program

4:31pm August 31, 2017

by Geoff Bennett

President Trump could make a decision soon on whether to extend or scrap DACA, the Obama-era program for people who were brought into the country illegally as children that protects them from deportation.

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National

Houston's Flooding Problem Reflects Shortfalls In City Planning

4:31pm August 31, 2017

Lack of proper drainage, no real zoning code and rapid unregulated growth had a hand in damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston. Coupled with climate change, it was a recipe for disaster. NPR's Kelly McEvers talks with Bloomberg Businessweek economics editor Peter Coy who recently published a feature called "Harvey Wasn't Just Bad Weather. It Was Bad City Planning."

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Chemical Plant Fire Raises Environmental Concerns In Wake Of Harvey

4:31pm August 31, 2017

by Geoff Brumfiel

A fire at a chemical plant near Houston has raised concerns about the environmental consequences of the storm.

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San Francisco Journalists Examine Black Identity In The U.S. On 'The Stoop'

4:31pm August 31, 2017

NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks with journalists Leila Day and Hana Baba about their podcast on black identity and race in America, The Stoop.

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Hunter S. Thompson's Widow Opens Doors To His 'War Room'

4:31pm August 31, 2017

by Claire Woodcock

Years after his death, gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson's legend lives on. His widow takes Aspen Public Radio's Claire Woodcock on a visit to The War Room in his home, where Thompson spent 16 hours a day locked in, writing such pieces as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

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Russia's consulate general in San Francisco, as seen at the end of last year.

In 'Spirit Of Parity,' U.S. Orders Russia To Close Consulate, 2 Annexes

3:54pm August 31, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

The State Department declaration requires closures in San Francisco, New York and Washington, D.C., in retaliation for a Kremlin order expelling 755 U.S. diplomatic staff. The deadline is Saturday.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center had 528 patients in the hospital as Harvey hit. A team of about 1,000 people tended to them and their families until reinforcements arrived Monday.

An 'Army Of People' Helps Houston Cancer Patients Get Treatment

3:53pm August 31, 2017

by Andrea Hsu

During Harvey, doctors, nurses, technicians and facilities staff tended to inpatients at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Now the hospital is working to get outpatients back for care as well.

We might all feel a lot better if we saw a view like this, from the North Shore of Oahu, every day.

Live In Hawaii, And Odds Are You'll Need Fewer Prescription Meds

3:05pm August 31, 2017

People who live in the Aloha State are less likely to use opioid painkillers or be prescribed antibiotics than are mainland dwellers. Healthy lifestyles have a lot to do with that.

The Arkema plant in Crosby, Texas, is northeast of Houston. The company says it received reports of two explosions at the plant in the early hours of Thursday.

National

Chemical Fire Burns At Flooded Arkema Plant In Crosby, Texas

2:30pm August 31, 2017

by Bill Chappell

Because of floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey, the plant lost power — and the ability to keep containers of flammable organic peroxides from bursting and burning, according to Harris County officials.