Reverbiage: Stories from NPR tagged 'districts'

Who's Coming To Washington For The Inauguration...

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:10:00 EST

It's virtually impossible to book a hotel room in D.C. for the inauguration, and planes and trains to the city are largely booked. Ryan Bowen's riding his bike from Los Angeles to the district — what's your plan to get to Washington, and where will you stay once you arrive?

Education Secretary To Be Named Tuesday

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:00:00 EST

President-elect Barack Obama is said to have chosen Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan to serve as education secretary. Duncan has run the country's third-biggest school district for the past seven years. He's focused on improving struggling schools, closing those that fail and getting better teachers.

Profile: Bobby Bright, Democratic Rep From Ala.

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST

The election's red-to-blue trend reached all the way into Alabama's second district near Montgomery, where Mayor Bobby Bright defeated a GOP candidate despite the odds. Bright, a conservative Democrat will bring his pro-life, pro-gun and anti-bailout positions into the freshman mix in Washington.

Wisconsin Schools Shocked By Bad Investment

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

Five school districts in Wisconsin invested $200 million in what they say they believed were safe corporate bonds. Instead, the schools ended up acting as insurers to companies that became some of Wall Street's worst bets.

How Economy Tied Wis. Schools To A German Bank

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 03:10:00 EST

As the global economic crisis unfolds, a group of school districts in Wisconsin has found itself at one end of a chain of exotic and risky financial products. At the other end is a German bank beset by problems — one whose fortunes could affect municipalities across the United States.

Wis. School Investment Has Worldwide Implications

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:36:00 EST

In 2006, five school districts in Wisconsin invested some $200 million in what board members say they believed were safe corporate bonds. Now those investments have lost more than 90 percent of their value. A story in The New York Times Sunday, co-reported by NPR's global economics unit, Planet Money, draws the links between the schools and banks in several countries.

In South Florida, Democrats Seen An Opening

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:50:00 EDT

In Florida's 21st and 25th congressional districts, Democrats believe they see signs that South Florida's strong Republican Cuban-American voting bloc may be crumbling. The seats have been long held by brothers Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart.

Passersby Watch Economy Melt On Wall Street

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 05:02:00 EDT

Two artists temporarily decorated Wall Street. They created an ice sculpture weighing 1,500 pounds. And they placed it in Manhattan's financial district. Like most ice sculptures, it's on display in above freezing temperatures. And in this case, the slow destruction of the sculpture is part of the point. The artists cut the ice so that it spells the word economy, and people passing by can watch it slowly melting.

Pay-To-Behave Program Debuts In D.C. Schools

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:23:00 EDT

The Washington, D.C., school system is paying students who work hard and get good grades. The idea is the brainchild of a Harvard economist who has persuaded several school districts around the country that disruptive, unmotivated students will change their ways if cash is a carrot.

Court to Hear Appeals In Landmark Tobacco Case

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:29:00 EDT

A federal appeals panel hears oral arguments in the Clinton-era case accusing the tobacco industry of violating civil racketeering laws by defrauding the public about the deadly nature of cigarettes. A district court ruled for the government, but not for the remedy sought. Both sides appealed.

Bailout-Backing Democrat Faces Tough Re-Election

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:35:00 EDT

Ten days ago, Rep. Jim Marshall (D-GA) voted in favor of the bailout package. He is now campaigning back in his conservative district home district and he is doing a lot of explaining about his vote to the constituents. Marshall talks about what he is now hearing from voters.

Lawmakers Hear From Voters Angry About Bailout

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:14:00 EDT

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) represents a district in Southern California where foreclosure is a problem. He and his staff are starting to get a deluge of calls voicing mostly opposition to the proposed $700 billion bailout plan.

Parents Battle Over School Mergers

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EDT

A group of Nebraska parents is so vehemently opposed to school district mergers that they are appealing the issue to the Supreme Court. It's an issue elsewhere as well; Pennsylvania is planning to combine two districts for the first time in 20 years and merger battles are underway in Georgia, Maine, North Dakota, among other states.

Georgia's Clayton County Schools Lose Accreditation

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EDT

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools revoked accreditation for the Clayton County School District south of Atlanta. This is only the second time in 40 years that an entire district has lost accreditation. That means the district's 50,000 students might not be able to qualify for scholarships or attend the college they've chosen.

Remembering Ohio U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:00:00 EDT

One of Hillary Rodham Clinton's most ardent campaign supporters has died. Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones suffered a brain aneurism while driving Tuesday in her home district of Cleveland, and was pronounced dead Wednesday. She was 58 years old. Bill Rice reports from member station WCPN in Cleveland.

Tenn.'s Cohen Faces Tough Primary Challenge

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:20:00 EDT

Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen has not had an easy time being a white representative in the overwhelmingly black 9th congressional district. He faces a tough primary in August. His African-American rivals have accused him of pandering to the black vote.

D.C. School District Proposes Merit Pay For Teachers

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EDT

School districts across the nation are experimenting with paying teachers based on performance. Washington, D.C.'s public school system is proposing a similar plan. Steve Inskeep speaks with Michelle Rhee, chancellor of the District of Columbia's public schools, about her proposal to compensate teachers in her district.

How Merit Pay Played Out In A Colo. School District

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:41:00 EDT

Both John McCain and Barack Obama support the idea of merit pay for effective teachers as a way of raising standards in schools. NPR visits one Colorado school district to see how an experiment in merit pay has worked out.

What Lawmakers Learned At Home

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:00:00 EDT

Over the Fourth of July holiday, representatives attended community events in their districts and heard about the issues important to their constituencies. Rep. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) explain how what they heard at home will affect their return to D.C.

Wi-Fi Provider Bids For San Francisco Transit District

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:00:00 EDT

A new California company, WiFi Rail, is close to sealing a deal with San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit district to build wireless Internet access throughout the transit system. If successful, the network would be the largest transit-based Wi-Fi system in the country. Over the last few years, a string of municipal wireless networks have failed.

'School Phobia' Plunges Family Into Misery

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:52:00 EDT

Teenager Rebecca Maykish suffers from such severe anxiety in classrooms that she stopped attending school regularly at age 8. She and her family are locked in a battle with their Pennsylvania school district over how to pay for her education.

D.C. Mayor: Court Ruling May Mean More Violence

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:59:00 EDT

Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian Fenty says Thursday's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the District ban on handguns will mean more gun violence in the city. But the decision doesn't mean guns will go on sale in the city anytime soon.

Marines Try to Improve Image in Taliban Stronghold

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:15:00 EDT

Marines in Garmsir, a district in Helmand province, Afghanistan, are paying for home repairs in an effort to curry favor with locals. They're also on the lookout for suicide bombers and deadly roadside bombs.

Schools May Raise Lunch Price as Food Costs Soar

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:00:00 EDT

Rising food prices are posing problems for school lunch programs. With prices increasing on everything including milk, some school districts plan to raise lunch prices for next year. Tina Antolini reports from member station WFCR in Amherst, Mass.

Denver School Tries Reinvention as Reform

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:47:00 EDT

Poor achievement and low attendance at Manual High School in Denver led the district to close its doors and open a year later. Closing Denver's oldest high school was not without controversy or protest. But administrators said starting fresh was the only fix.