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5:32 pm
Sat February 9, 2013

Crews Clean Up Northeast Blizzard

Originally published on Sat February 9, 2013 6:51 pm

As crews dig out from a record-breaking snow storm in New England, there are new worries about flooding. The National Weather Service reported waves three stories high off the coast. NPR's Jeff Brady reports from Boston.

National Security
5:32 pm
Sat February 9, 2013

Week In News: Controversy Over Drone Strikes

Originally published on Sat February 9, 2013 6:51 pm

A Justice Department memo outlining the President's authority to initiate drone strikes against suspected terrorists - even U.S. born ones - has sparked a discussion about the limits of the executive branch. Host Jacki Lyden speaks with James Fallows, national correspondent with The Atlantic, about the controversy.

NPR Story
5:05 pm
Sat February 9, 2013

Virginia Town Fights Vultures

Credit Holly Kuchera / iStockphoto.com
Turkey vulture droppings can strip paint, kill grass and sicken pets. The droppings also smell really bad.

Originally published on Mon February 11, 2013 7:34 am

It sounds like a horror story: Every few years, usually in the winter months, residents of the town of Leesburg, Va., come home from work to find their backyards overrun with turkey vultures. Not just a few birds, but hundreds of them. Everywhere.

Lt. Jeff Dube is with the town's police department. For a whole week, he spent every evening driving around town, looking for the latest vulture hotspots.

"They like Leesburg. There's really no rhyme or reason. Every three to five years they come back en mass, like this year, 2- to 300," Dube says.

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The Two-Way
3:31 pm
Sat February 9, 2013

From Making Snow Angels To Sledding, Finding Ways To Have #FunInTheSnow

The Northeast's latest winter storm, which the Weather Channel named Nemo, is winding down, but it has left behind more than 30 inches of snow in some places. It's also left a lot of people stranded, either #CoopedUp indoors or stuck in cars overnight on the Long Island Expressway.

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News
10:27 am
Sat February 9, 2013

An Accused Killer Seeks An Audience With Everyone

Credit Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck speaks at a press conference on the manhunt for Christopher Dorner.

Originally published on Sun April 7, 2013 8:05 pm

From: Christopher Jordan Dorner

To: America

That's the header on a 14-page letter attributed to Christopher Dorner. The former Los Angeles police officer is the focus of a massive manhunt spanning California, Arizona, Nevada and Mexico after he allegedly shot and killed three people — including a police officer — and wounded several others during a shooting spree.

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The Two-Way
10:11 am
Sat February 9, 2013

The Blizzard 'Nemo' Highlights The Hype Cycle Of Storms

Credit AFP / AFP/Getty Images
Two women look for a taxi in New York's Times Square on Friday.

Originally published on Sat February 9, 2013 1:53 pm

If you've wondered why the blizzard dumping snow on the Northeast has a name, look no further than The Weather Channel. At the start of this storm season, the 24-hour-weather network announced, much to the chagrin of The National Weather Service, that it would give names to winter storms.

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Around the Nation
6:24 am
Sat February 9, 2013

NYC Labor Chorus Tries To Hit Right Note, Attract New Voices

Originally published on Mon February 11, 2013 5:15 pm

Union membership is at its lowest point since the 1930s. New figures show a drop, and only about 11 percent of workers belong to unions today.

But these numbers don't deter the New York City Labor Chorus, which has been singing in praise of unions for more than 20 years.

Jana Ballard, the choral director of the labor chorus, is one of the youngest in the group. She's 38. The average age of the 80 members is about 65.

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Economy
5:09 am
Sat February 9, 2013

For Rural Towns, Postal Service Cuts Are A Loss Of Identity

Credit Steve Zind / Vermont Public Radio
Brookfield, Vt., residents fear that Postal Service changes will eventually lead to the closing of their small town post office. About 1,300 people live in Brookfield, according to 2010 U.S. Census figures.

Originally published on Sat February 9, 2013 12:11 pm

In rural Vermont, the U.S. Postal Service decision to discontinue Saturday letter delivery is yet another blow to an institution that's long been a fixture of village life.

Last year, the U.S. Postal Service abandoned plans to close thousands of small post offices, opting instead to cut hours. But there are fears the cuts will continue until the rural post office is no more.

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Reporter's Notebook
5:08 am
Sat February 9, 2013

For Some In Minneapolis, National Gun Debate Hits Close To Home

Originally published on Sat February 9, 2013 12:11 pm

The shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., in December revived a national debate about gun violence. It's one that is emotional and often highly personal, and it's happening in places far from the halls of Congress. Earlier this week, President Obama was in Minneapolis advocating new limits on guns; no law or set of laws, he said, can keep children completely safe. NPR's David Welna was there for the visit and sent this reporter's notebook about the voices he encountered.

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It's All Politics
5:07 am
Sat February 9, 2013

Public Pressure, Background Checks Central To Obama Gun Control Strategy

Credit Ben Garvin / Getty Images
President Obama speaks about his gun control agenda before law enforcement officials in Minneapolis on Monday. The president was doing what his aides say he didn't do often enough in his first term: getting outside of Washington to build public support for legislation.

Originally published on Sat February 9, 2013 12:11 pm

Gun control historically has been one of the most divisive issues in Congress, between the parties and even inside the Democratic coalition. Yet some in President Obama's own party say he has put together a gun agenda that is sweeping without being too painful for most Democrats to support.

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