National News From NPR

Boom Or Bust? Saving Rhode Island's 'Superman' Building Sun, 19 May 2013 16:56:00 -0400: The iconic Industrial Trust Tower in downtown Providence is empty for the first time in 85 years. Developers want to turn it into luxury apartments — and want the state and city to pay for it. But Providence — like the rest of Rhode Island — faces its own economic problems, as well as a recent failed investment.

How Possessive: The Apostrophe's Place In Space Sun, 19 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400: Martha Brockenbrough, the founder of National Grammar Day and the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar, tells host Rachel Martin about what she has referred to as an "apostrophe catastrophe." The U.S. Board on Geographic Names has a policy against possessive apostrophes in the names of places. The reason, The Wall Street Journal reports, is that the apostrophe quote implies private ownership of a public space.

Detective On Closing Case After Committing Decades To It Sun, 19 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400: In this week's Sunday Conversation, host Rachel Martin speaks with Detective Sgt. Joe Matthews, who worked for decades on the Adam Walsh murder investigation in Florida. She will speak to him about how the case changed overtime, how it affected him personally and professionally, and how it feels to close a case that he worked on for so long.

Turmoil Of '63 Shut Down Proms; Former Students Dance Again Sun, 19 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400: Several high schools had to cancel their proms in 1963, during a time of tumultuous civil rights protests across the South, and in Birmingham, Ala., particularly. Fifty years later, some of those African-American students finally got the chance to dance the night away. Gigi Douban reports.

The Durability Of Levis, Woven Into America's Fabric Sun, 19 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400: Host Rachel Martin talks with Levis archivist Lynn Downey about the brand's 140th anniversary this month.

Nonconservative Groups Say IRS Scrutinized Them, Too Sun, 19 May 2013 05:41:00 -0400: The IRS has admitted it flagged tax-exemption requests from groups with "Tea Party" or "Patriot" in their names starting in 2010. But some liberal groups and journalism organizations say their applications also faced long delays during the same period.

Tesla Rides High, But Faces Formidable Foe: Car Dealers Sun, 19 May 2013 00:51:00 -0400: The Model S from electric car manufacturer Tesla has been named Motor Trend Car of the Year. But the company's business model is under attack by a formidable foe: the National Automobile Dealers Association, one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington.

Impossible Choice Faces America's First 'Climate Refugees' Sat, 18 May 2013 16:41:00 -0400: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the tiny town of Newtok, Alaska, could be completely underwater by 2017. Its 350 residents must relocate or stay to face the floods, but a move is easier said than done.

When Alcohol Takes The Wheel: What's Your Limit? Sat, 18 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400: This week, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended lowering the legal limit of blood alcohol content for drivers to .05 or even lower. Currently, it's illegal to drive in all states with a BAC of .08 or higher. Host Scott Simon speaks with Dr. Anthony Liguori of Wake Forest School of Medicine about alcohol's impact on driving ability.

Local Story Shows 'Plain Dealer' Prowess, But Future's Murky Sat, 18 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400: NPR's Scott Simon talks to Connie Schultz, former columnist and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Starting this summer, the paper's owners will be reducing home delivery to three days a week and making huge cuts in the newsroom staff.

Prime Challenge Sends Mathematicians On Infinite Search Sat, 18 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400: University of New Hampshire professor Yitang Zhang announced this week that he has come close to solving a centuries-old problem: proving the twin prime conjecture. Host Scott Simon gets an explanation from Weekend Edition Math Guy Keith Devlin of Stanford University.

Immigration Bill Chugs Along, But Some See Deal-Breakers Sat, 18 May 2013 05:13:54 -0400: The bipartisan immigration overhaul proposed by the Senate's Gang of Eight has been the target of scores of amendments. So far, the bill has largely held its own, but its prospects for getting through Congress are uncertain.

Turning Up The Heat On Civil Rights-Era Cold Cases Sat, 18 May 2013 05:13:00 -0400: With the death of a possible suspect in one notorious case, activists are weighing the FBI's efforts to tackle cases from the 1950s and '60s. Some are calling for a congressional hearing to see whether the FBI has done enough investigating.

Why The IRS Scandal Is Built To Last Fri, 17 May 2013 19:31:00 -0400: Of all the current Washington scandals, the one involving the IRS appears to have the most staying power. It rolls into one package an agency many love to hate, partisan suspicions and the American appetite for conspiracies.

Dozens Injured In Connecticut Train Derailment Fri, 17 May 2013 19:25:00 -0400: Authorities say one train derailed, colliding with a second train near Fairfield.