National

The Big Sandy Power Plant, 4 miles north of Louisa, is the biggest industry in Lawrence County. Local residents blame President Obama's environmental policies for the company's plans to close the plant in 2015.

National

In Kentucky's Coal Country, A Resentment For Obama

8:22pm January 21, 2013

by Noah Adams

If the voters in Louisa, Ky., had their wish, Mitt Romney would have taken the oath of office Monday. The local coal-fired power plant is due to close amid a push for cleaner-burning plants. Local residents blame Obama for the pending job losses.

Queue Listen Now

National

Inaugural Balls Downsized The Second Time Around

7:19pm January 21, 2013

The tradition of inaugural balls goes back to George Washington. In recent times, presidents have had multiple balls. Four years ago, President Obama attended ten. But in these days of austerity, there were only two balls. Allison Aubrey talks to Melissa Block.

Queue Listen Now

National

Gun Background Checks Need Fixes, Experts Say

5:13pm January 21, 2013

by Steve Henn

One of President Obama's gun control proposals appears to have widespread support — universal background checks for gun purchases. Some experts on mental health and gun violence find problems with the current laws, and they say the system doesn't do a very good job of predicting and preventing gun crime.

Queue Listen Now

President Obama delivers his second inaugural address Monday in Washington.

National

Resolute Rhetoric: Obama's Confident Case For Government

2:28pm January 21, 2013

Though wrung of much of the drama of his historic first inauguration, President Obama's efficient, specific and, at times, soaring address outshone his first with allusions to Lincoln, King and Kennedy. Speech experts and presidential historians weigh in on Obama's words and delivery.

Queue Listen Now

A Look At Memorable Moments From Past Inaugurations

11:46am January 21, 2013

Stories of complications and quotations abound, from Nixon's second inauguration till today.

Queue Listen Now

A Chilly, Musical Morning As Inauguration Crowds Gather

11:40am January 21, 2013

Staten Island's PS22 student choral group performs as people file onto the National Mall hoping for a glimpse of President Obama later.

Queue Listen Now

Harvest wheat from a field near Wright, Kan. May 10, 2004.

Former Anti-GMO Activist Says Science Changed His Mind

5:29pm January 20, 2013

by NPR Staff

For years, British environmental activist Mark Lynas vandalized genetically modified food crops. Then, he had a change of heart. He went in front of the world to reverse his position, telling the anti-GMO lobby to "get out of the way and let the rest of us get on with feeding the world sustainably."

Queue Listen Now

Obama's Foreign Policy: The Way Forward With Iran

8:44am January 20, 2013

As President Obama prepares for a second term, a host of international challenges await. In a piece in the Washington Post, former national security adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski suggests that as Obama prioritizes his foreign policy goals, "It is essential that the issue of war or peace with Iran be fully vented."

Queue Listen Now

New education standards place more emphasis on nonfiction reading and writing over fiction works. Some say this could lead students away from a passionate engagement with literature.

New Reading Standards Aim To Prep Kids For College — But At What Cost?

9:17pm January 19, 2013

by NPR Staff

Almost the entire country has signed onto the Common Core Standards Initiative. The standards incorporate more nonfiction texts across all subjects to improve reading scores. But some fear the push for nonfiction reading could lead students away from passionate engagement with literature.

Queue Listen Now

On Campaign Promises Report Card, Obama Did 'Pretty Well'

7:25pm January 19, 2013

by NPR Staff

The president's record on keeping his campaign promises over the last four years: 47 percent, according to the watchdog PolitiFact. A boon to Obama's promise-keeping came from the passage of big-name programs like the economic stimulus package and the education program Race to the Top.

Queue Listen Now