By Janel White

Freelancer reporter Ben Calhoun did a story about Reading Rainbow this morning. Today is the last day that Reading Rainbow will be broadcast on PBS.

I remember watching this show growing up and wanting to be one of the kids who recommended books. NPR's Ira Glass captured some of those kids auditioning for the show, as well as librarians and publishers discussing the value of the program.

from October 19, 1986 Weekend All Things Considered

by Janel White

Public libraries have become more important in communities around the country during this tough economic time. Still states are forced to cut budgets therefore reducing library services and/or closing library branches.

I was pleasantly surprised to catalog a story broadcast on Weekend All Things Considered highlighting one community that is making a significant investment to ensure future generations continue to explore and grow their imagination at their library.

Continue reading "Investing in a Child's Imagination" >

By Jo Ella Straley
Today we remember the third longest-serving senator in US history, Edward Kennedy. Ron Elving and Brian Naylor offer a full account of his life here. I wanted to offer something a little more obscure, so I dug into the archives and found this 1982 profile of Kennedy by Linda Wertheimer. The piece is set against the backdrop of a mid-term conference held by the Democratic Party in Philadelphia where the idea of running Kennedy for president again in 1984 had traction. Big issues at the time included the deficit, inflation, and nuclear arms...

from June 24, 1982 Morning Edition

By Jo Ella Straley
Scott Hensley reports today on NPR's Health blog that the American Heart Association has named over-consumption of sugar as a factor in one's risk of acquiring heart disease. The AHA's reasoning, Hensley says, is that Americans consume 150-300 more calories per day--and much of that from sugar--than they did 30 years ago. More calories without more exercise means weight gain, which likely means heart disease and other problems.

It just so happens reporter Bruce Gellerman filed a story in 1985 (not quite 30 years, but still) on Americans' sugar consumption. Gellerman questions people on the street about the sugar content of one Coca-Cola and no one knows the answer.

Continue reading "Sugar: The Great White Menace" >

By Janel White

Last Thursday, convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, was released from prison because he is suffering from terminal prostate cancer. NPR's Rob Gifford provided reaction from the residents of Lockerbie regarding this release on All Things Considered.

Pan Am Flight 103 crashed in Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988 just a few days before Christmas. That day Robert Siegel talked with NPR's Bill Buzenberg about the crash on All Things Considered.

Twelve years later on All Things Considered, NPR's Julie McCarthy covered the trial of the two bombing suspects. On the second day of the trial, Julie captured audio of al-Megrahi's daughter defending her father.

By Barbara Van Woerkom

Here's something for those of you who can't take another story about people yelling and hollering during health care forums, or talking endlessly about Brett Favre.

It's an interview with a woman in Illinois who should be upset at being inconvenienced by hundreds of people calling her business phone, which happens to be very similar to the Cash for Clunkers phone number, but instead, she takes a positive attitude.

By Maureen Clements

Things tend to slow down around these parts during the month of August, but you'd never know it after listening to this month's episode of Playback, the podcast that revisits the best of NPR from 25 years ago. August 1984 brought a variety of interesting guests to our studio, including Tony Randall, Randy Newman, and future Tonight Show host, Jay Leno. So cool off and chill out to the funky retro sounds of Playback.

By Janel White

Every summer many talented interns descend upon Washington, DC, for 10 weeks of (hopefully) life-changing experiences.

The summer "class" of interns at NPR are ending their time here this week. Every "class" is given the opportunity to produce their own 30-minute radio show, called Intern Edition and premiere it for the NPR staff. This year actually marks the 10th Anniversary of the Intern Edition program here at NPR.

Being a former intern, I wondered what kind of intern stories has NPR featured in the past?

Continue reading "Gone Fishing For Interns" >

By Maureen Clements & Jo Ella Straley

"Dear Mom & Dad, It's the first day of camp and the food is terrible again. This morning we had cold cereal and I got in a fight over Rice Krispies."

If you need more help remembering what it was like, listen to what the little man says:

from July 31, 1982 All Things Considered

By Maureen Clements

The other day I was listening to some pieces from 1975 and came across this hilarious music button from All Things Considered. It's an amusing diversion for the first Monday in August.