Join The Conversation! Talk about the news of the day with public radio fans on WAMU 88.5's The Conversation.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Your Amazon.com purchases support WAMU 88.5
Your purchases from the NPR Store support WAMU 88.5
May 07, 2009 - The National Mall has been getting a lot of attention lately -- mostly because it's overdue for 350 million dollars worth of maintenance. This luncheon should raise about one million dollars in private donations for refurbishing and reconstructing the popular gathering place. The Park Service is looking at plans for improvements and reconstruction that will be finalized by the end of the year.
Stephanie Kaye reports on a fundraiser to bring some much needed "green" to the Nation's Front Yard...
May 07, 2009 - Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says she's working to assure Marylanders that their privacy will be respected, after undercover officers with the State Police repeatedly spied on peace activists and anti-death penalty groups in recent years and entered the names of some in a law-enforcement database.
Tanya Snyder reports...
May 07, 2009 - (May 8 & 9) BARBERSHOP HARMONY Barbershop harmony is alive and well in the D.C. area. To prove it, the nationally-ranked, 80-man Alexandria Harmonizers Barbershop Chorus hosts matinee and evening concerts at Annandale High School tomorrow and Saturday.
(May 8-June 27) MASKED The exhibit Masked opens at Baltimore's School 33 Art Center, with a reception Saturday night from 6 to 9. It's worth a drive to Charm City for this compelling show, as the artists explore issues of concealment and secrets within photography, print and sculpture.
"MASKED" EVENTS: - Curators Talk on Saturday, May 23rd, 1-3pm - Poetry Reading on Thursday, June 11th, 6:30-8:00pm
(May 9) KOSHLAND The Koshland Science Museum in downtown D.C. takes some of the mystery out of your mutt during Healthy Pet, Healthy You, Saturday from 11 to 5. This free family day explores the reasons why pets, like people, need to be vaccinated, how to keep your furry friend healthy and what exactly those heartworm pills do. The D.C. Humane Society will be on hand from 1 to 4, joining vets and health coordinators from the Centers for Disease Control.
May 07, 2009 - It's senior photo day at Washington Math Science Technology Public Charter High School, and 17-year-old Jaren Davis has a lot to smile about. Jaren has an internship at the World Bank, and this fall, he'll begin his freshman year with a scholarship to Georgetown University.
But getting to this point wasn't easy. Jaren grew up in East Texas with his mom, in the kind of small town where cows line the streets. He moved to D.C. in 2007 to live with his dad because he thought there would be more opportunities here. He says he was right, but it's a trade-off. Jaren lives in the Edgewood neighborhood in Northeast where he confronts poverty and violence every day. That's why Jaren says he's happy to be part of the Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit that empowers D.C. public school students through mentorship, test preparation and career training. Tonight, Jaren will be one of 80 Hoop Dreams scholars to attend a congressional reception at the Capitol. He is one of 1,000 students to benefit from the program since its debut in 1996.
Jessica Gould reports...
May 07, 2009 - With funding from D.C., a local theater troupe came together with young offenders to create a play about their experiences at Oak Hill. The Young Playwrights' Theater works at schools and centers in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Their "Express Tour" has reached approximately 90,000 students over the past three years. They will be performing at Gala Hispanic Theater through Saturday.
Stephanie Kaye reports...
May 07, 2009 - The U.S. Senate has passed a new housing bill that may also help the homeless. Supporters say the economic downturn makes the legislative effort all the more important. More than 5,000 people live in the streets of the nation's capital, according to advocates. A new bill seeks to tackle the problem with $2.2 billion in federal grants for programs here in Washington and around the country. Mayor Adrian Fenty says D.C. has been able to secure about 600 new homes over the past year for the homeless and this new money will help with that effort.
Eric Niiler reports....
May 07, 2009 - A federal appeals court has upheld the government's search for evidence of terrorist support at a northern Virginia home. A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that federal agents acted reasonably when they broke down the door of a Muslim family's home in Herndon, entered with guns drawn and handcuffed Aysha Unus and her teenage daughter Hanaa during the four-hour search.
Meymo Lyons reports...
May 07, 2009 - The House is set to vote on mortgage reform today. Meanwhile, a procurement bill is in mark-up and the results of the major banks' financial-fitness tests come out today.
Elizabeth Wynn Johnson has details...
May 07, 2009 - Metro riders could soon purchase meals, pick up their dry-cleaning and grab a magazine while waiting for the train. A proposal to set up shops in at least 12 rail stations, possibly by late fall. The retail spaces could be inside the stations, on sidewalks and at Kiss-and-Ride lots. Although Metro bans eating and drinking in stations, the agency is considering the idea of allowing the sale of packaged food and beverages. Officials will ask the Metro Board for permission to move ahead later this month.
Rebecca Blatt reports...
May 07, 2009 - Virginia State Police are waiting on test results to identify a white, powdery substance in an envelope mailed to the agency's headquarters. A state police spokeswoman tells the Richmond Times Dispatch the powder arrived with a sex-offender registration form, but says it was not accompanied by any written threat. A hazardous-materials teams determined the powder posed no immediate danger and took the substance to the state laboratory for testing. The employee who opened the envelope and several others who were nearby were quarantined and monitored as a precaution, but they have reportedly shown no symptoms of illness.
Matt McCleskey has more...
privacy policy - terms of use - contact - sitemap - directions - rss - podcasts - jobs - community
Copyright WAMU 88.5 American University Radio | 4000 Brandywine Street NW | Washington, DC 20016-8082 | (202)885-1200
