National

Frank Gehrke, chief of snow surveys in California, looks at wind speed, snow depth and moisture data collected at a survey site in Yosemite National Park.

National

Scientists Help Western States Prepare For Drought As New Norm

10:23pm February 05, 2014

by Kirk Siegler

In a warming world, extreme droughts are predicted to become more common. Amid the historic drought gripping California and much of the West Coast, scientists are studying how states can manage with a lot less water in the future.

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Francisco Vasquez says his niece, Ellie, and his sister's battle with cancer have transformed his life "forever."

National

A Baby Who Saved Her Family From 'The Dark Moments'

2:34pm February 05, 2014

by NPR Staff

Maria Vasquez-Rojas was thrilled when she learned she was pregnant. But soon afterward she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer — at the same time her brother Francisco was struggling with drug addiction. Maria's daughter's birth has transformed not just Maria's life, but Francisco's, too.

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Spike In Heroin Use Can Be Traced To Prescription Pads

8:02pm February 04, 2014

by Laura Sullivan

Heroin overdose deaths have increased significantly in the U.S. over the past five years. Experts point to aggressive prescribing of opioid drugs for pain about 15 years ago as a reason why. Heroin users often say their addiction began with exposure to painkillers like OxyContin.

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National

Some Fake Coral Might Mean A Sea Change at Detroit Aquarium

8:00pm February 04, 2014

by Sarah Hulett

Detroit's Belle Isle Aquarium is getting a little help from its friends in Washington, D.C. The National Aquarium closed late last year after more than 100 years. Thousands of dollars' worth of equipment went to the Motor City, where its own century-old aquarium is beautiful and historic — but starved for resources. Budget shortfalls forced its closure in 2005. But a scrappy team of volunteers has worked to open it to the public on a limited basis, and they hope the fake coral, fiberglass tank props, and other equipment from D.C. will help it regain some of its luster.

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Pitmaster Rodney Scott seasons a roasting hog behind a barbecue restaurant in Birmingham, Ala. Scott has been touring the South with a makeshift barbecue pit to raise money to rebuild his family's cookhouse after it burned down in November.

National

When His Pit Burned Down, Southern BBQ Master Took Hogs On Tour

8:00pm February 04, 2014

by Debbie Elliott

Rodney Scott's legendary South Carolina barbecue cookhouse went up in flames last year, so friends of the pit master cooked up a plan to help him rebuild. Scott is now making a comeback with his Bar-B-Que in Exile Tour and bringing people together with his whole hog barbecue.

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Truffles are among the many foods infused with THC – the chemical in marijuana that gives you a high — already for sale in Colorado.

Marijuana-Laced Treats Leave Colorado Jonesing For Food-Safety Rules

12:00pm February 04, 2014

by Luke Runyon

From sodas to truffles to butter, foods infused with THC — the chemical in marijuana that gives you a high — are already for sale in Colorado. But the federal government still considers pot illegal, so the state has to create from scratch its own system to regulate these foods.

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The 2011 Asparagus Queen, Megan Roskan, and runner-up Christine Merten wave to spectators during an Independence Day parade in Whitehall, Mich. With interests waning in agricultural pageants, organizers are relaxing the requirements to encourage more peop

National

All Hail The Asparagus Queen! How Ag Pageants Lure New Contestants

7:33pm February 03, 2014

by NPR Staff

Some farming communities are struggling to find enough contestants for the pageants that crown monarchs like the Asparagus Queen and Beef Queen. So they are relaxing the pageant rules to spice up the competition.

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The NRA now runs the Great American Outdoor Show, but despite adding a shooting sports hall, the group says it's not a gun show.

Outdoor Show Reopens Under New Management: The NRA

7:33pm February 03, 2014

by Ben Allen

The show was canceled last year in the wake of the killings in Newtown, Conn. Now, the Great American Outdoor Show is back on in Pennsylvania this week, and it's bigger than ever.

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Following Oil Boom In N. Dakota: A Cultural Blooming?

2:25pm February 03, 2014

by Dan Boyce

The oil fields of western North Dakota are bringing vast economic opportunity to a region that just 10 years ago was in decline. Yet, this vitality is rough around the edges and high art and culture are rare commodities. One organization is trying to change that by sending two professional writers into towns most impacted by the boom to conduct creative writing workshops.

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The Brutal Business Of Heroin Brings Wave Of Overdoses In Pa.

6:42pm February 02, 2014

According to state and local authorities, 22 people in Western Pennsylvania have died of heroin overdose in less than two weeks. The wave of deaths is due to the appearance of an especially potent batch of heroin, mixed with the painkiller Fentanyl. NPR's Arun Rath speaks with Dr. Neil Capretto, medical director of the Gateway Rehabilitation Center in Pittsburgh.

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