WRVO Public Media

IRS Official's Silence Riles House Committee Members

Peter Overby — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:38:00 +0000

On Wednesday, Lois Lerner, the IRS official overseeing the tax-exempt organizations office, refused to testify during a hearing on Capitol Hill, and was attacked by some Republicans on the House committee. Her brief appearance was the beginning of a five-hour session marked by angry outbursts and allegations of political motives.

Goldman Sachs Is Doing Well, So Is Its CEO lloyd Bankfein

editor — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:38:00 +0000

Big bank Goldman Sachs holds its annual shareholder meeting Thursday. Five years ago, during the financial crisis, Goldman's CEO Lloyd Blankfein was a poster boy for overpaid executives. To find out how much he is making now, Renee Montagne talks Neil Weinberg, editor in chief of American Banker.

Same-Sex Couples Upset Over Removal Of Immigration Amendment

Richard Gonzales — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:38:00 +0000

One of the provisions removed from the immigration overhaul bill would have allowed U.S. citizens to sponsor same-sex partners in the green card process. But senators removed that item in order to get conservative support.

Sick Inmates Dying Behind Bars Despite Release Program

Carrie Johnson — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:38:00 +0000

Prison is a tough place, but Congress made an exception nearly 30 years ago, giving terminally ill inmates and prisoners with extraordinary family circumstances an early way out. It's called compassionate release.

But a recent investigation found that many federal inmates actually die while their requests drift through the system.

One of them was Clarence Allen Rice.

Rice operated a leasing company in Iowa for decades.

Living In Two Worlds, But With Just One Language

Michele Norris — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:38:00 +0000

NPR continues its conversations about The Race Card Project, where NPR Host/Special Correspondent Michele Norris asks people to send in six-word stories about race and culture.

Obama Group's Climate Push Puts President Under Scrutiny

Ari Shapiro — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:38:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biUc0D6_UPA

Obama Speech Expected To Touch On Drones, Guantanamo

Dina Temple-Raston — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:38:00 +0000
On Thursday, President Obama is expected to explain how the fight against al-Qaida has changed, and how the U.S. will adapt its counter-terrorism policies to the evolving threat. The president will speak at the National Defense University.

Scientific Tooth Fairies Investigate Neanderthal Breast-Feeding

Adam Cole — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:47:00 +0000
When it comes to weaning, humans are weird.
Our closest relatives, chimpanzees and gorillas, breast-feed their offspring for several years. Some baby orangutans nurse until they are 7 years old.
But modern humans wean much earlier. In preindustrial societies, babies stop nursing after about two years. Which raises the question: How did we get that way?

Think Obama's In Trouble? That Depends On Your Party

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:30:00 +0000
Public opinion about the scandals plaguing the Obama administration is decidedly mixed.
Republicans believe that the trio of controversies — concerning Benghazi, the IRS, and the Justice Department snooping on media phone records — are evidence enough that President Obama is either running a government motivated by partisan politics, or is badly out of touch.
Democrats, however, are proving to be much more forgiving.
"These things are being used for political purposes," says Lois Yatzeck, a retired minister in St. Louis.

Teachers In Moore Gather For 'Sharing And Healing'

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:28:00 +0000
What was billed as an informational meeting for teachers turned into a session of sharing and healing.
"A lot of people in this district will need grief counseling, including myself," said Susan Pierce, the superintendent of public schools in Moore, Okla.
She teared up when greeted with a standing ovation on Wednesday from the hundreds of teachers who filled Southern Hills Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.

Lois Lerner's Brief And Awful Day On Capitol Hill

Frank James — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:25:00 +0000
The public got its first look Thursday at Lois Lerner, who has gone from faceless IRS bureaucrat to the face that launched what feels like 1,000 congressional hearings and conspiracy theories.
But it was only a brief sighting since she didn't stay long at a House hearing to further probe her role in how some IRS workers came to target conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status.
The night before the hearing Lerner, who heads the IRS tax-exempt operation at the scandal's heart, made it known through her lawyer that she would invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and

North Korean Sends Special Envoy To China Amid Tensions

Scott Neuman — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:15:00 +0000
North Korea has sent a special enjoy to China, hoping to patch up relations between the two countries that have been on rocky ground over Pyongyang's nuclear program and its recent seizure of a crew of Chinese fishermen.
North Korea's Vice Marshal Choe Ryong Hae, the head of the army's political bureau, is reportedly in Beijing.
As

Holder Acknowledges U.S. Citizens Killed In Drone Strikes

Carrie Johnson — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:12:00 +0000
For the first time, the U.S. government has acknowledged killing four American citizens in lethal drone strikes far outside traditional battlefields, confirming information that had been widely known but has only recently been unclassified under orders of the president.
Attorney General Eric Holder sent a letter to Congress on Wednesday explaining that only one of the four dead U.S. citizens was explicitly targeted.

Letters: Stories From Moore, Okla.

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:40:00 +0000
Transcript
MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:
It's time now for your letters, and we got many about our coverage of the tornado that devastated Moore, Oklahoma. Several were praise for our story yesterday about survivors who lost most of their possessions but considered themselves lucky.
CHRISTINE PARRISH: They were digging her out while we were looking through our stuff. And we thought they were looking for their dogs, and it was her.

A Decade In The Making, West Bank Barrier Is Nearly Complete

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:40:00 +0000
Israeli army Capt. Barak Raz climbs a metal staircase to the top of a high concrete wall that is part of Israel's West Bank barrier. From his perch, he overlooks both the Palestinian village of Bil'in and Modin Illit, the largest Jewish settlement in the West Bank, with some 50,000 residents.
The barrier here used to be a fence. After many confrontations with Israeli soldiers, Palestinian villagers won a court case, and the fence was moved off some of their land.

Documentary Shows George Plimpton's Best Story Was His Own

Joel Rose — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:40:00 +0000
Transcript
ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:
George Plimpton boxed with Archie Moore, played quarterback for the Detroit Lions and played percussion for the New York Philharmonic. He did these jobs and many others as an amateur. Plimpton was a professional writer. A new documentary about his life makes the case that Plimpton's best story was his own story, as NPR's Joel Rose reports.
JOEL ROSE, BYLINE: When you listen to George Plimpton's voice, it's like hearing echoes of a New York that no longer exists.
GEORGE PLIMPTON: I decided finally to pack the football.

Fears Of Killing Immigration Bill Doomed Same-Sex Amendment

David Welna — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:40:00 +0000
After five marathon sessions debating 150 proposed amendments, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a landmark rewriting of the nation's immigration laws this week — and the bill emerged largely intact.
Three Republicans voted with the panel's 10 Democrats on Tuesday night to forward the bill to the full Senate.

In Raw Milk Case, Activists See Food Freedom On Trial

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:24:00 +0000
What is the case against Wisconsin farmer Vernon Hershberger really about? It depends on whom you ask.
To hear the prosecution, it's about licensing, not raw milk: Hershberger, a dairy farmer hailing from the town of Loganville, is on trial this week for operating without three licenses.

Could African Crops Be Improved With Private Biotech Data?

Eliza Barclay — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:44:00 +0000
"I'm shocked by the optimism here," Howard Yana-Shapiro, the chief agricultural officer for Mars Inc. said Tuesday to the audience of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs' Global Food Security Symposium in Washington, D.C.
Seated there before him were some of the leaders from the wealthiest international organizations and multinational companies of the fight to end hunger.

British Driver Says She's Sorry In 'Twit And Run' Case

Bill Chappell — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:04:00 +0000
A British driver who struck a cyclist with her car — and who then bragged about the incident on Twitter — has issued an apology. The incident caused an uproar after the collision Sunday.
"Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier - I have right of way he doesn't even pay road tax!

Cuomo and Miner together for first time since disagreement

Ellen Abbott — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:47:34 +0000

Today marks the first visit by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to Syracuse since early October -- and the first public meeting between Cuomo and Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner since a widely-publicized difference of opinion between the two.
The disagreement was over how the state should help cities like Syracuse deal with financial stress. Miner calls it nothing more than political soap opera, fueled by the media.

How That 'Nigerian Email Scam' Got Started

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:31:00 +0000
Transcript
NEAL CONAN, HOST:
If you have an email account, you've almost certainly received a message that sounds something like this.
(SOUNDBITE OF RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: I am Mr. Edward Impoya(ph), a member of the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: We are members of the special committee.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: I am Mr. Ahmed Guraba(ph), the bills and exchange director at the Foreign Remittance Department.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN #3: I am David Mapalay(ph), the first son of Dr. Jonathan Mapalay(ph).
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: I am Mrs.

With White House Bogged Down By Scandal, GOP Looks For Boost

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:31:00 +0000
Transcript
NEAL CONAN, HOST:
This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan, in Washington. Immigration reform heads to the Senate floor, ex-congressman Weiner guns for Gracie Mansion, and Senator Inhofe on the distinction between disaster aid for a superstorm and tornados.

Why Urban Dictionary Comes In Handy On The Witness Stand

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:31:00 +0000
Transcript
NEAL CONAN, HOST:
This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan.
The use of slang in court can be tricky, especially in criminal cases. Judges and juries may not understand that to jack can translate as to steal, or that dap refers to a fist bump, usually used as a greeting. Slang changes quickly, might be regional, even local, and agreed definitions are not going to be found in Webster's or the OED. We'd like to hear from lawyers and judges in our audience today.

Powerball? America Already Hit The Jackpot

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:30:00 +0000
Finally today, I'm still thinking about that massive Powerball jackpot last weekend. That caused me to think about what's wrong with Powerball — the most important thing, of course, being the fact that I didn't win. You know you feel the same way. I'm sure I would have been a good winner. Like Oprah, I would use my powers for good and not evil. Like, I might buy a Bentley out of the showroom window, just to prove to myself that I could. But then I'd settle down and endow scholarships, and fix up blighted storefronts, and invest in local businesses.

London Attack Deemed Likely Terrorist Incident

Scott Neuman — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:29:00 +0000
A man has been killed in what reports described as a machete attack in London, and police have shot two suspects in what British Prime Minister David Cameron says is likely a terrorist incident.
The Associated Press says the incident occurred Wednesday when the suspects attacked the man near a London military barracks.

Scandal Politics: The Downstream Effect

Charles Mahtesian — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:26:00 +0000
Add this to the list of Democratic worries surrounding the wave of Obama administration scandals: the downstream effect.
It's prime candidate-recruiting season right now — the period in the two-year election cycle when officials in both parties fan out across the map in hopes of persuading prospective candidates to run for Congress.

Costa Concordia Captain To Face Manslaughter Charges

Scott Neuman — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:14:00 +0000
A judge in Italy on Wednesday ordered the captain of the ill-fated Costa Concordia cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Tuscany last year, killing 32 people, to face charges of manslaughter.
Francesco Schettino, 52, is accused of negligence that led to the grounding of the ship and for abandoning the vessel while a rescue of the 4,200 passengers and crew was still underway.
said Wednesday.
A 4-month-old girl came down with paralysis on April 30, and then two healthy kids nearby also tested positive for the virus.
But this handful of infections with poliovirus has the potential to set back global efforts to eradicate polio, WHO spokeswoman Sona Bari tells Shots.
"Polio is a virus that spreads silently," she says.