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An Alaska Company Losing The Obesity Game Calls In Health Coaches

Credit Annie Feidt for NPR

Shannon Orley, left, meets with her health coach, Kelly Heithold, right, at Providence Alaska Medical Center.

By editor

Originally published on Tue July 24, 2012 12:52 pm

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Every morning, Shannon Orley parks as far away as possible from her office in Anchorage, Alaska. And on the sprawling Providence Alaska Medical Center campus that is really far away.

"Right around 1,000 steps each way. Definitely worth it," Orley says.

3:13 pm

Sun July 22, 2012

Testing, Treatment Key Weapons In AIDS Fight

Credit Ebony Bailey / NPR

Visitors view the AIDS Memorial Quilt at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where the International AIDS Conference is being held this week.

By editor

Originally published on Sun July 22, 2012 3:33 pm

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Thirty years ago, we first began hearing about AIDS — then a mysterious, unnamed disease that was initially thought to be a rare form of cancer that affected gay men. Scientists soon learned that it was neither of those things, and, in fact, it was a virus that everyone was vulnerable to.

That vulnerability became apparent when, in 1991, basketball superstar Magic Johnson announced that we would retire immediately because he had contracted HIV.

2:30 pm

Sun July 22, 2012

After Shooting Rampage, A Community Looks To Heal

Credit Ted S. Warren / AP

Ted Engelmann, left, helps Yamilet Ortega, 3, second from left, and Kimberly Hernandez, 7, light candles, Saturday at a memorial near the movie theater in Aurora, Colo., where a gunman killed 12 people and wounded dozens of others Friday.

By Kirk Siegler

Originally published on Sun July 22, 2012 3:33 pm

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President Obama is in Aurora, Colo., on Sunday, meeting with the families of the victims of the deadly theater shootings that killed 12 people and injured 58 more. He'll also attend a memorial service and meet briefly with local officials.

Outside the movie theater where Friday's rampage occurred, there's a makeshift memorial at the edge of a hot and dusty lot. There are hundreds of candles and flowers, American flags and signs memorializing the victims.

"It's a sad time, very sad time," said William Cloud, a local professor, who came by to pay his respects.

2:14 pm

Sun July 22, 2012

Invasive Pests, Or Tiny Biological Terrorists?

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Credit George Rose / Getty Images

There are millions of killers loose in California, and eucalyptus trees are their victims. Entomologist Timothy Paine has been studying the insects killing California's menthol-scented trees for two decades — and he's noticed a suspicious pattern.

Credit Louis Vandenberg / KUCR

Entomologist Timothy Paine

Credit Zoe Corbyn / Zoe Corbyn

Entomologist Timothy Paine holds a longhorned borer. The borer was one of the early killers of California's eucalyptus trees.

Credit Zoe Corbyn/Zoe Corbyn

Timothy Paine points out a eucalyptus tree killed by an onslaught of longhorned borers. The beetles bore deep into the tree and feed on the wood.

By editor

Originally published on Sun July 22, 2012 3:33 pm

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Long before the era of post-Sept. 11 security precautions in the U.S., an unknown person or group of people may have begun carrying out a series of bioterrorism attacks in California.

The target? Menthol-scented eucalyptus trees.

Before you wonder why you hadn't heard of this, it's because the story isn't necessarily true. It's a hypothesis, a theory promoted by a noted California entomologist and eucalyptus expert named Timothy Paine.

If his theory is correct, then somebody out there wants those trees dead.

Digging For Clues

1:58 pm

Sun July 22, 2012

The Movie Donald Faison Has 'Seen A Million Times'

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Credit AP

Actor Harrison Ford as Han Solo in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

Credit Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

Actor Donald Faison

By editor

Originally published on Sun July 22, 2012 3:33 pm

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The weekends on All Things Considered series Movies I've Seen a Million Times features filmmakers, actors, writers and directors talking about the movies that they never get tired of watching.

For actor Donald Faison, whose credits include Clueless, Remember the Titans, the TV shows Scrubs and The Exes, the movie he could watch a million times is Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. "I want to say I saw it at the movie theaters 30 times," Faison says.

1:29 pm

Sun July 22, 2012

'Savages' Return In 'The Kings Of Cool'

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Credit Jerry Bauer /

Don Winslow's other books include The Power of the Dog, The Winter of Frankie Machine and California Fire and Life.

By editor

Originally published on Mon July 23, 2012 8:05 am

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Oliver Stone's latest film, Savages, opened in theaters earlier this month. The movie centers on two young marijuana growers, Ben and Chon, who live and deal in California, alongside their girlfriend O — short for Ophelia. They find themselves thrust into a world of violence and murder when a Mexican drug cartel comes after their business. The film is based on the book by crime writer Don Winslow, who also co-wrote the screenplay.

12:20 pm

Sun July 22, 2012

Obama's Judicial Nominees Face Slowed Confirmation Process

By Nina Totenberg

Originally published on Sun July 22, 2012 12:33 pm

We are all used to judicial nomination fights, but what has been remarkable in the Obama administration has been the molasses-like confirmation process for noncontroversial nominees, especially federal district court nominees.

10:51 am

Sun July 22, 2012

NCAA To Issue Sanctions Against Penn State

By editor

Originally published on Mon July 23, 2012 4:38 am

More bad news for Penn State: The NCAA says it will issue sanctions Monday against the school over the child sex abuse scandal involving Jerry Sandusky.

The announcement came the same day the school removed the famed statue of legendary football coach Joe Paterno from outside the Penn State football stadium. Our colleague Eyder Peralta has written more about that move.

6:24 am

Sun July 22, 2012

Tragedy In Colorado: The Latest

Credit Ted S. Warren / AP

Ted Engelmann, left, helps Yamilet Ortega, 3, second from left, and Kimberly Hernandez, 7, light candles, Saturday, July 21, 2012, at a memorial near the movie theater in Aurora, Colo. where a gunman killed at least 12 people in one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent U.S. history.

By Eyder Peralta

Originally published on Sun July 22, 2012 9:12 am

The latest:

-- President Obama is headed to Aurora today to meet with the families of the victims. Obama, reports USA Today, is also scheduled to meet with state and local officials.

-- By evening, Aurora Police said that "all hazards" had been removed from the suspect's apartment. Residents in surrounding buildings were allowed to return home after law enforcement conducted a controlled detonation.

5:51 am

Sun July 22, 2012

A 'Recurring Wound': Penn State Will Remove Joe Paterno Statue

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Credit Jeff Swensen / Getty Images

A Pennsylvania Girl Scout Troop poses with the statue of former Penn State University football coach Joe Paterno outside Beaver Stadium in State College, Pa., on Saturday.

Credit Jeff Swensen / Getty Images

One student had even vowed to "chain myself to that statue" if there was an attempt to remove it, but there was no attempt to stop the work Sunday.

Credit Jeff Swensen / Getty Images

The statue's sculptor, Angelo Di Maria, said it was upsetting to hear that it had been taken down. "It's like a whole part of me is coming down. It's just an incredibly emotional process."

Credit Jeff Swensen / Getty Images

Some newspaper columnists have said the statue should be taken down, while a small plane pulled a banner over State College reading, "Take the statue down or we will."

Credit Jeff Swensen / Getty Images

Anticipating the statue's removal, fans drove in from miles around on Saturday to take their photos posing with it for the last time.

Credit John Beale / AP

The famed statue of Joe Paterno was taken down from outside the Penn State football stadium Sunday after top officials were accused in a scathing report of burying child sex-abuse allegations against a now-convicted retired assistant.

Credit John Beale / AP

Police formed a line in front of Beaver Stadium as workers prepared to lifted the 7-foot-tall statue off its base and move it inside.

Credit John Beale / AP

Penn State President Rod Erickson said he decided to have the statue removed and put into storage because it "has become a source of division and an obstacle to healing."

Credit John Beale / AP

But Paterno still has plenty of fans, and Penn State's decision to remove the monument won't sit well with them.

Credit Jeff Swensen / Getty Images

"I hope they don't remove it permanently or destroy it," Di Maria said. "His legacy should not be completely obliterated and thrown out. ... He was a good man. It wasn't that he was an evil person. He made a mistake."

By editor

Originally published on Sun July 22, 2012 11:49 am

After much controversy, Penn State President Rodney Erickson announced this morning that he had decided to remove the statue honoring the school's former football coach Joe Paterno.

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3:12 am

Mon July 23, 2012