White House to Tap Strategic Oil Reserve August 31, 2005 • The White House has approved the release of oil from the nation's strategic petroleum reserve. The move is designed to offset the large production cuts caused by Hurricane Katrina. The storm has idled most of the region's refineries.
Education Back to School: The Secret Life of College Students August 31, 2005 • For many people, going off to college is an important coming-of-age experience in U.S. culture. It's a time for young people to assert their independence and learn about the world. But these days, college life is often plagued with cheating, alcohol abuse and other issues. What are — and aren't — your kids telling you about campus life?
Your Money Retirement: Timing Is Everything August 31, 2005 • With the oldest baby-boomers nearing retirement age, NPR explores some of the questions that surround retirement, beginning with how to pay for it. NPR's Scott Horsley begins our series with a profile of the Baker family of Orange County, Calif. John Baker is about to turn 65. His wife, Christine, is 61; they are both are looking forward to a time when they can take it easy.
Katrina & Beyond Engineers Focus on Damaged Levees August 31, 2005 • Breaks in two levees overwhelmed by Katrina's storm surge caused most of New Orleans' flooding problems. Efforts to return the floodwaters to Lake Pontchartrain are complicated and time is of the essence. Al Naomi, senior project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers, describes the situation for Renee Montagne.
Katrina & Beyond Louisiana Survivors Tell Tales of Katrina August 31, 2005 • The struggle is far from over for many who survived Katrina's wrath. Thousands of evacuees are being discouraged from returning to their flooded homes. Some of the people affected by the storm tell Morning Edition their stories.
Immediate Priorities Post-Katrina August 31, 2005 • The search and rescue continues after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Looting is rampant; New Orleans tries to stem its flooding; and the thousands living in the Superdome begin the move to the Houston Astrodome.
Marriage Education Initiative SmartMarriages: Devoted to Saving Couples August 31, 2005 • Part three of the Day to Day series on marriage education profiles a traveling conference called SmartMarriages. A diverse collection of people have devoted their careers to teaching people how to have a successful marriage -- but their ideologies often clash on the exhibit floor.
Katrina & Beyond No Escape from Katrina's Power August 31, 2005 • Earl White drove from Louisiana north to Mississippi, trying to miss the worst of Hurricane Katrina. He found that he couldn't really escape the force of the storm.
Katrina & Beyond Hurricane Recovery Efforts in Mississippi August 31, 2005 • State government officials and relief organizations are trying to help the citizens of Mississippi recover from Hurricane Katrina. Some survivors, surveying the damage, are beginning to realize they have lost everything.
Katrina & Beyond New Orleans Ordered Evacuated August 31, 2005 • Officials in New Orleans estimate that 80 percent of the city is under water, and levees that once protected the city from the Mississippi River have been breached. The rising flood prompted Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco to order a complete evacuation of the city.
Katrina & Beyond Widespread Looting in Hurricane's Wake August 31, 2005 • Looters are reportedly ransacking stores and businesses in several cities hit hard by Hurricane Katrina -- some looking for food and water, but others stealing merchandise. Louisiana State Trooper Julie Lewis describes what police are seeing on the streets, and how they are responding.
Katrina & Beyond Looting Spreads Through New Orleans August 31, 2005 • As police and other emergency officials focus on rescue and evacuation efforts in New Orleans, reports of widespread looting continue. Robert Siegel talks with Erika Balstad of The Miami Herald, who is in New Orleans, about the looting. She says some of it has been for survival, and some was simply theft. The police presence is expected to increase.
Katrina & Beyond An Aerial Survey of the Storm's Path August 31, 2005 • Helicopters are at a premium in southeastern Louisiana as efforts continue to rescue hurricane survivors and assess damage. The view from the air emphasizes the extent of the storm's destruction. Many have lost everything, including loved ones.
Bush Sees Katrina Damage on Way to Capital August 31, 2005 • Returning to Washington, President Bush witnesses the devastation from Hurricane Katrina as he flies over the Gulf Coast in Air Force One. The president ended his August vacation two days early to take charge of the federal response to Katrina. Don Gonyea reports on the what's at stake politically for Bush in addressing this disaster.
Katrina & Beyond Thousands Feared Dead in New Orleans August 31, 2005 • In New Orleans, Mayor Ray Nagin says Hurricane Katrina has taken the lives of hundreds -- and most likely thousands -- of people in the city. Efforts to repair breached levees and floodwalls have been unsuccessful as a massive evacuation continues.