Around the Nation

Mayor Settles Council Election Tie With Coin Toss

9:44am January 01, 2013

In Seguin, Texas, a December city council election ended in a tie. Both candidates received 141 votes. So it was up to the mayor to settle things. The law gave him some options such as drawing straws or tossing dice. He chose: coin toss.

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School Wants 'Bucket List' To Kick The Bucket

9:44am January 01, 2013

Michigan's Lake Superior State University issued its annual list of annoying expressions to banish. The list includes: trending, bucket list, kick the can down the road and spoiler alert. The top one to ban: fiscal cliff.

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Areas Rebuilding After Sandy Seeking More Aid From Washington

7:55pm December 31, 2012

by Charles Lane

Communities hit by Hurricane Sandy are waiting for more help from Washington. There's been no agreement on how much air they can expect, but people in the storm zone are concerned that repairs and rebuilding will be delayed, leaving them vulnerable to future storms.

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Could Post-Superstorm Sandy Rebuilding Energize The Economy?

7:55pm December 31, 2012

by Joel Rose

Some economists predict that the reconstruction from the damage caused by Superstorm Sandy will produce a stimulus effect for the U.S. economy in 2013 — especially in construction and related industries. Others say the losses associated with a storm will outweigh any positive effects from the rebuilding.

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Possum Drop Will Be Held In Brasstown, N.C.

7:12am December 31, 2012

Clay's Corner Store used to lower a live possum in a box but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sued. This year, the store plans to drop a stuffed animal, or roadkill — depending on what's available.

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Popular Baby Names For 2013

7:04am December 31, 2012

It turns out parents are increasingly naming newborns after grandparents. That's one new trend, according to the baby website, Belly Ballot. It is also predicting first names that sound like last names: think Kennedy.

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Politics & Government

Secretary Clinton Hospitalized With Blood Clot

6:51am December 31, 2012

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in a New York hospital for treatment of a blood clot. Clinton suffered a concussion after a fall earlier this month.

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A Look Forward: Immigration Reform In 2013

6:39pm December 30, 2012

by NPR Staff

Will the DREAM Act become a reality? Is there comprehensive reform on the way? Will the GOP be able to reach out to Latino and other immigrant groups? The coming year could make a difference in the lives of the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.

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Despite huge protests at Michigan's state capitol building in Lansing, Republican lawmakers in the state made the union stronghold the 24th right-to-work state in the country.

A Tough Year For Unions, With Few Bright Spots Ahead

5:55pm December 30, 2012

by NPR Staff

This year, two states passed right-to-work laws, and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker survived a recall attempt. Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect says the future for organized labor remains bleak.

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2013: A Tipping Year For Climate Change?

5:55pm December 30, 2012

This year's weather will be one for the record books; 2012 is slated to be the hottest summer on record. "We've already passed all kinds of tipping points," environmentalist Bill McKibben says. He's wondering if President Obama will take a different approach to climate change in the coming year.

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