Search results for

NPR's Bob Edwards speaks with sports commentator John Feinstein about the doldrums of professional basketball. Feinstein says the NBA is trying to overcome the retirement of Michael Jordan.

Morning Edition's listeners share memories of their favorite Christmas gifts. Film projectors, escaping pianos, flying girlfriends, and shiny bicycles top the list.

Robert Siegel talks with John A. Kitzhaber, the Governor of Oregon, about his call for an energy summit. The Governor wants to meet with Energy Secretary Bill Richardson and the Governor of Washington State about the federal government order forcing northwest electric utilities to sell power to California. Kitzhaber opposes the order. He says it was made without consultation with the states, and will makes a bad situation worse.

Robert Siegel talks with BBC Southeast Asia correspondent Jonathan Head about the numerous bombings of churches in Indonesia on Christmas Eve. Eighteen different bombs, which killed more than a dozen people and injured over a hundred, exploded within minutes of one another. Most of the bombs were planted in cars parked in front of the churches, and others were delivered to clergymen as wrapped gifts. The police defused 13 devices. No one claimed responsibility for the bombings.

Commentator Lee Stringer tells about being homeless at Christmas. Stringer was homeless for ten years, and says it made him grateful for small things. One Christmas in particular taught him to count his blessings. He wrote about it in his book Grand Central Winter: Stories from the Street. (3:30) Washington Square Press ISBN: 0671036548.

Each year, a different state is responsible for selecting and decorating the Christmas tree displayed on the West Lawn of the Nation's Capitol building. NPR's Tom Goldman reports on Oregon's search for the perfect tree for the year 2002.

As part of the NPR News series The Changing face of America, we explore parish life at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, in Washington, DC. The Roman Catholic parish was founded in 1899 by Irish and German Immigrants. Today, it is the spiritual home to thousands of new immigrants (from 60 countries) the majority of whom speak Spanish. This used to be a wealthy neighborhood -- now many of the people who live nearby have low incomes. As the reality of the neighborhood changed, so did the requests for services. The Archdiocese of Washington -- through Sacred Heart Parish and the Spanish Catholic Center -- provides numerous social services to neighbors in need. They can find health care and dental care, a legal clinic specializing in Immigration Law, a day treatment center for addicts with other mental illnesses, adult education (Computers, GED and ESL), housing assistance, employment counseling, food for their pantries, a hot meal program for people living on the streets, and emergency shelter. Sacred Heart also provides a trusted place where immigrants can be welcomed and accepted.

8 1/2 Souvenirs returns to perform their song Kazango.

Jeff Brady of Oregon Public Radio reports that one small city is allowing residents to operate daycare centers for dogs out of their homes. Vancouver, Washington is experimenting with the zoning change.

NPR's Kenneth Walker reports on the increasing tension and violence in the Ivory Coast.