Katrina & Beyond Panel Created for New Orleans Reconstruction September 30, 2005 • New Orleans is creating an advisory commission on rebuilding the city. Scott Cowen is the president of Tulane University, and a member of the advisory council. He tells Melissa Block what the commission hopes to achieve.
Politics Libby at Center of CIA 'Outing' Storm September 30, 2005 • Before he became Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby spent time working in the State Department, the Department of Defense and the U.S. House of Representatives. Glenn Kessler, State Department reporter for The Washington Post, tells Michele Norris about Libby's career.
Stormy Weather on Energy Outlook September 30, 2005 • With rising energy costs, President Bush reverses course and says he favors energy conservation. An energy expert offers his take on what should be included in an effective energy conservation policy.
Science New Orleans Termites on the Move September 30, 2005 • The floodwaters of New Orleans may have unexpected consequences for some of its residents: termites. Did floodwaters drown the dreaded wood eaters? What will be the effect as termite-infested wood is bulldozed and carried to other states? Guests: Gregg Henderson, professor, entomology, Louisiana State University Duncan Murrell, journalist, Pittsboro, N.C.
Sports The Long Beach Jackrabbits Football Team September 30, 2005 • The Long Beach Polytechnic High School football team ranks among the best in the nation. Producer Desmond Ortega visits the Long Beach "Jackrabbits," and sends this postcard.
Law Pa. Court Weighs Creationism in Schools September 30, 2005 • A landmark court case is shaping up in Pennsylvania, as school teachers rebel against being forced to teach creationism in their biology classrooms along with evolution.
Law Judith Miller Freed, Will Testify in CIA Outing Case September 30, 2005 • New York Times reporter Judith Miller was released from jail Thursday after serving three months for refusing to reveal sources to a federal probe into the leak of a CIA officer's identity. Madeleine Brand talks with NPR media reporter David Folkenflik about the ongoing controversy surrounding Miller and the Bush administration's complicity in the leak.
Katrina & Beyond For Some, a Bittersweet New Orleans Homecoming September 30, 2005 • New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin announced that residents of select neighborhoods could return home Friday. Madeleine Brand talks to John Ydstie about what those returning evacuees may find.
Obituaries Civil-Rights Lawyer Constance Baker Motley September 30, 2005 • A look back at the life of Constance Baker Motley, a prominent civil rights attorney and the first African-American woman appointed to the federal judiciary. She died of congestive heart failure on Wednesday. She was 84 years old.
News & Notes Rev. Jackson on HUD Secretary, Bennett Comments September 30, 2005 • The Rev. Jesse Jackson responds to comments made by U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson about New Orleans' black population, and also on radio host Bill Bennett, who said a reduction in crime could hypothetically come by aborting black babies. "That would be an impossibly ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down," Bennett said.
Opinion Law Study Highlights Issues of Race and Crime September 30, 2005 • A recent report from the Justice Department says the crime rate in America remains at a 30-year low. It may be good news to some -- but for others, there are crucial issues needing more attention, such as the massive incarceration rate, the impact of public policy in urban areas and a misconception of the truth regarding crime in communities of color. Ed Gordon discusses these issues with Paul Butler, law professor at George Washington University and Nathan McCall, journalism professor at Emory University
Tom DeLay to Resign from Congress Detailing the Case Against Tom DeLay September 30, 2005 • Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) has been charged with criminal conspiracy, forcing him to step aside as House majority leader. A single felony count alleges he conspired to violate Texas law with corporate donations to key legislative races.
Politics Congress Cuts Block Grant Program September 30, 2005 • With the fiscal year one day away, Congress passes a stop-gap spending resolution that cuts community service block grants by 50 percent. Many of the services affect the poorest of the poor.
Business Williams-Sonoma Founder Marks 90th B-Day September 30, 2005 • Chuck Williams, founder and co-chairman of Williams-Sonoma, turns 90 on Sunday. He's spent nearly half a century building a kitchen-equipment empire. Williams tells Michele Norris how it all came about.
Katrina & Beyond Xavier University Hopes for January Reopening September 30, 2005 • Renee Montagne talks with Norman Francis, president of Xavier University, about how the school fared after Katrina and what resources it has to bounce back. He says the school will be ready to reopen in January.