Around the Nation

The nation's last coal-burning ferry, the SS Badger, sits on Lake Michigan in the port town of Ludington, Mich. The EPA permit that has long allowed the ship to dump coal ash into the lake is now under review.

Steamship Anchors A Community, But Its Days May Be Numbered

5:50pm March 04, 2013

by Noah Adams

The nation's last coal-fired ferry has been traversing Lake Michigan from the town of Ludington, Mich., since 1953. An EPA permit allowing the Badger to dump several tons of coal ash into the lake daily is now under review, which could mean big changes for the small town's culture and economy.

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Kirk Sours says heavy snow creates extra work on his ranch, but he's thrilled that the pending melt will bring his otherwise dry pastures much-needed moisture.

Drought-Stricken Plains Farmers 'Giddy' Over Heavy Snow

5:34pm March 04, 2013

by Frank Morris

More than 2 feet of snow hit the high plains this week, snarling travel and all but shutting down some cities. Despite those hassles, for farmers and ranchers, the snow brings some urgently needed moisture to their drought-stricken fields and pastures.

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Economy

State Of Emergency: Cities In Financial Crisis

2:37pm March 04, 2013

With at least $14 billion in long-term liabilities and $327 million in debt, Detroit has declared a financial emergency. Several cities have tried this approach before, and the results have been mixed.

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Economy

Hard-Hit Boise Subdivision Lacks Owner-Occupied Homes

1:02pm March 04, 2013

by Molly Messick

The housing crisis has taken a toll in Idaho. Home prices dropped by 46 percent in the Boise area and many people lost homes to foreclosure. Before the bubble burst, Charter Pointe became less a neighborhood of neighbors, and more about investor-buyers looking to make money.

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Mom Saves Baby From Deadly Drop Out Of Window

1:02pm March 04, 2013

A woman in Spokane, Wash., stepped out of the shower to see her 14-month-old boy bouncing on the bed, and out a half-open second-story window. She dove after the boy, smashed through the window, grabbed his foot as he was tumbling down the porch roof and lowered him safely to his grandma, who was smoking on the porch.

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Lock-Picking Class Is Popular In Oakland

1:02pm March 04, 2013

Burglary is a big problem in the California city so Mayor Jean Quan opened the door to some criticism when her newsletter of community events advertised a lock-picking class. Learn the art for only $40. Some residents were unhinged but organizers say the course is for lock-picking hobbyists, not criminals.

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Students at Westlake High School in Waldorf, Md., participate in an interactive digital conversation with historian Kenneth C. Davis about late 19th and early 20th century American history on Thursday. The school uses a state of the art "telepresence cent

Teaching 2.0: Is Tech In The Classroom Worth The Cost?

5:05pm March 03, 2013

by NPR Staff

The growth of tech and Internet use in schools has brought one unexpected benefit: Kids can get lectures from high-level scholars via Skype, and interact with them over the Internet. This opens up a larger question, though, of how to measure if the new technologies are improving learning.

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'It Can't Go On Forever': Michigan Steps In To Help Detroit

11:04am March 02, 2013

Host Scott Simon talks with the Republican governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, who on Friday announced he will appoint an emergency financial manager for Detroit. The city faces a $327 million budget deficit and more than $14 billion in long-term debt.

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American Electric Power's natural gas-burning plant in Dresden, Ohio, is one of the energy company's new investments in alternatives to coal-burning plants.

Natural Gas Dethrones King Coal As Power Companies Look To Future

8:01pm March 01, 2013

by Christopher Joyce

It's a brave new energy world, with two major opponents: natural gas and coal. As prices fluctuate and renewables, such as wind and solar, fight for a share of energy generation, there's heated competition for access to your wall socket.

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With a declining population and dwindling tax base, Detroit has grappled with severe financial problems in the past decade.

Michigan Officials Take Control Of Detroit's Empty Wallet

8:01pm March 01, 2013

by Quinn Klinefelter

With Detroit deep in the red, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has announced that the state will take over the city's finances, cut existing labor contracts and sell city assets. The business community and some residents applaud the move, but others fear a greater decline in already faltering city services.

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