Around the Nation

Holiday Toys Offer Clues To New 'Star Wars' Movie

6:23am November 27, 2015

by Mandalit del Barco

We discover some of this season's hottest toys: light sabers, drones and Millennium Falcons — all for sale in anticipation of next month's release of the new Star Wars film: The Force Awakens.

Economy

Food Banks' Pickle: Getting Food To The Right Place At The Right Time

6:13am November 27, 2015

by Jacob Goldstein

On any day, a food bank could end up with heaps of pasta sauce, but no pasta. To solve the problem, a network of food banks created a currency of fake money and embraced trade.

Sports

Cowboys' Leon Lett On 'One Of The Worst Days Of My NFL Career'

6:10am November 27, 2015

by Daniel Hajek

A split-second decision can cost a team the game. On Thanksgiving Day in 1993, when the Miami Dolphins played the Dallas Cowboys, defensive tackle Leon Lett made a big mistake that still haunts him.

A view from the starting line of the sixth annual Krispy Kreme Challenge in Raleigh, N.C., in 2010. The local children's health clinic takes its name from this annual charity race, which draws about 8,000 participants each year.

Sweet Name Of Kids' Clinic Gives Some People Heartburn

6:07am November 27, 2015

by Michael Tomsic

The Krispy Kreme Challenge Children's Specialty Clinic gets its name from a student-run charity race in Raleigh, N.C., that has already raised $1 million for kids. Still, some find the name unhealthy.

Carol Miller, 68, and Marge Klindera, 79, are here to help — and have been for many years now. "People say, 'You mean you've given up Thanksgiving for all these years?' " Miller remarks. "And I never feel like I've ever given anything up."

National

Hotline Wing: Answering The Call Of Distressed Thanksgivers Everywhere

5:05am November 27, 2015

by NPR Staff

Marge Klindera and Carol Miller have worked at a Thanksgiving call center for decades. That means answering thousands of panicked questions from questionable cooks — and people just seeking kindness.

Your Adult Siblings May Hold The Secret To A Long, Happy Life

11:05pm November 26, 2015

by Robin Marantz Henig

Our siblings are with us for longer than anyone else through our lives. Strong sibling relationships can cushion the blows of aging, while conflict cuts to the bone.

Swapping The Street For The Orchard, City Dwellers Take Their Pick Of Fruit

5:35pm November 26, 2015

by Arun Rath

Urban foragers don't just pick their meals from the trash; many eat only the finest, freshest produce — picked from city trees. The League of Urban Canners harvests fruit from trees to make jam.

Queue Listen Now

Amid Application Season, Seniors Consider A New Criterion: Race Relations

4:39pm November 26, 2015

by Cheryl Corley

The surge of students protesting how colleges handle racial issues is making some incoming freshmen think more about race and safety on campus when choosing the university they want to attend.

National

Words To The Wise: The Family Phrases That Stay With Us

4:01pm November 26, 2015

by Ari Shapiro

We ask a number of people for Thanksgiving about the words of wisdom that have been passed down by their parents or other members of their family.

National

What Chicago Students Are Saying About Last Year's Police Shooting Of A Teen

4:01pm November 26, 2015

by Linda Lutton

A recently released video depicts the shooting of Laquan McDonald by a Chicago police officer last year. Reporter Linda Lutton of WBEZ in Chicago presents the thoughts of several students on the city's West Side.