: News

Local Transportation Projects Temporarily Shut Down

Play associated audio

By David Schultz

The stalling of a key piece of federal legislation is causing the U.S. Department of Transportation to furlough nearly 2,000 employees today.

As a result, dozens of ongoing projects across the country, including the 9th Street Bridge project in D.C. and the Humpback Bridge replacement on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, are at a standstill.

The blocked legislation is a short-term extension of the Highway Trust Fund, which goes towards safety inspectors on nearly every transportation project.

Extension of the fund is being held up by Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY). He says Congress hasn't come up with a way to pay for the extension, and he doesn't want it to increase the federal deficit.

NPR

Dan Brown: 'Inferno' Is 'The Book That I Would Want To Read'

Dan Brown, author of the blockbuster The Da Vinci Code, is back with his first novel in four years. Inferno follows academic hero Robert Langdon on a chase through Italy as he attempts to avert a biological catastrophe.
NPR

'Picture Cook': Drawings Are The Key Ingredients In These Recipes

Designer Katie Shelly's upcoming cookbook offers 50 illustrated recipe "blueprints" for basic meals — from simple snacks to more hefty dishes like eggplant Parmesan. She hopes they'll inspire any level of cook to improvise in the kitchen.
NPR

Highly Charged IRS Case Pulls In Political Agendas

NPR's Peter Overby reports on the Congressional testimony of IRS officials in response to the scandal over special scrutiny of tea party groups. Underneath all the politics, there's a policy question that hasn't been addressed.
NPR

Book News: Amazon May Be Called Before Parliament Over Taxes

Also: AARP and The Nation join a growing list of ebook publishers; Hilary Mantel on Jane Austen; Anne Applebaum on Sheryl Sandberg.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.