National

Trash, much of it believed to be debris from the 2011 Japanese tsunami, litters the beach on Montague Island, Alaska, on Jan. 26.

Tsunami Debris On Alaska's Shores Like 'Standing In Landfill'

10:51am February 06, 2013

by Annie Feidt

Wreckage believed to be from the 2011 Japanese tsunami is washing up thousands of miles away in Alaska. The debris isn't just unsightly — it poses environmental worries for the landscape and animals. One conservationist says the problem may be worse than the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

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Maltipoo Shaggy is dressed as a Yankees fan at the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade in New York City last year. Commentator Frank Deford says the Yankees are turning into a home for the assisted living.

It's The Dog Days For America's Sports Dynasties

10:51am February 06, 2013

by Frank Deford

We used to have three bona fide dynasties: the Yankees in baseball, the Celtics and Lakers in basketball, and the Cowboys in football. We even had dynasties in college sports. But no more. Commentator Frank Deford says our dynasties are melting as fast as the Arctic ice cap.

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Bonet and his sister, Didra, are shown here in Puerto Rico in this undated family photo.

Puerto Rico's Battered Economy: The Greece Of The Caribbean?

10:51am February 06, 2013

by David Greene

With the highest unemployment rate in the U.S. and a mountain of debt, the island is facing a declining population. But those who stay insist they're there for the long haul.

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National

Postal Service Plans To End Saturday Mail Delivery

10:51am February 06, 2013

The U.S. Postal Service is expected to announce Wednesday that letters will no longer be delivered six days a week. The move starts this summer and should save $2 billion. Saturday package delivery, however, will continue.

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Health researchers say the proportion of people in their late 40s to 60s with diabetes, hypertension or obesity has increased over the past two decades.

Aging Poorly: Another Act Of Baby Boomer Rebellion

10:40am February 06, 2013

by Rob Stein

Many of them have cut out smoking, and rates of heart attack and emphysema have declined. But baby boomers are burdened with diabetes, hypertension and many other chronic conditions. Researchers say too little exercise and a rise in obesity threaten baby boomers' golden years.

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The Xlerator hand dryer is made almost entirely of American components and assembled in Massachusetts. But the company's owner says it's simply not cost-effective to use an American-made motor.

Why Is It So Hard To Make A 100 Percent American Hand Dryer?

8:17pm February 05, 2013

by NPR Staff

The Xlerator high-speed hand dryer is made almost entirely of U.S.-made parts and manufactured by a small workforce in Massachusetts. But its motor, like almost all nonindustrial motors, is made in Asia — meaning it's very difficult for small manufactured goods to be entirely American made.

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Miguel Fontanez Sr., the owner and founder of Pioco's Chicken in Kissimmee, Fla., serves customers at his restaurant. He opened the restaurant 11 years ago, and it has become a hub for the area's large Puerto Rican community.

One-Way Tickets To Florida: Puerto Ricans Escape Island Woes

6:09pm February 05, 2013

by Greg Allen

Life in Puerto Rico is tougher than ever. The U.S. territory — popularly known as "the island of enchantment" — faces a decaying economy and escalating violent crime rate. Many residents are leaving the island in record numbers and embracing the mainland as home.

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Craig McCarl dips Xlerator covers two at a time into a chrome bath. He has worked for Excel Dryer in East Longmeadow, Mass., for 31 years.

How One Company Reinvented The Hand Dryer

4:52pm February 05, 2013

by NPR Staff

Bathroom hand dryers used to be a hated product because they took too long to work. But a decade ago, a family-owned business in Massachusetts came out with a new product that changed the way we dry our hands.

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Shirley Chambers cries during Monday's funeral for her son Ronnie Chambers, 33. She had four children, three boys and a girl, all victims of gun violence in Chicago over a period of 18 years.

National

Gun Violence Robs Chicago Mother Of 4th Child

3:40pm February 05, 2013

by Cheryl Corley

Shirley Chambers' first child was murdered about 18 years ago. A few years later, her daughter and son were shot to death. And her remaining son was buried on Monday. Chambers says "We've all got to work together" to stop the violence, but she's not sure new gun restrictions or more police on the streets will make a difference.

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Jeannine Sato holds her 2-year-old son, Keni; 5-year-old Hana is held by her father, Mas Sato. Jeannine decided to leave her job when her employers said she could take six weeks off after giving birth to her first child or risk losing her job.

FMLA Not Really Working For Many Employees

1:47pm February 05, 2013

by Jennifer Ludden

Labor organizations say the Family and Medical Leave Act is too restrictive and that workers often have to choose between their family and their livelihood. Now, there are calls for Congress to expand the law and provide paid leave.

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