KVCR Latest Headlines

Washington State Butcher Spikes Pig Feed With Weed

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:31:00 -0700

William von Schneidau, an intrepid butcher in Seattle, is giving a whole new meaning to "potbelly pig." Lately, he's been feeding marijuana refuse to the pigs he turns into prosciutto for BB Ranch, his butcher shop in the city's famous Pike Place Market.

Pot-scented bacon? Well, not quite.

ABC's Karl Expresses Regret, But Stands By Benghazi Story

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:16:00 -0700

ABC News White House correspondent Jonathan Karl now says he regrets that some key parts of a major story he reported on May 10 were wrong.

The story sent off a political uproar. As we said last week, it made it appear that in a Sept. 14, 2012, email a top White House aide had come down on the side of the State Department to push for downplaying any terrorist connection to the attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya.

Pope Francis Puts The Poor Front And Center

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:11:00 -0700

Over the past week, Pope Francis has launched a crescendo of attacks on the global financial system and what he calls a "cult of money" that does not help the poor.

The 2-month-old papacy of Francis — the Argentina-born Jorge Bergoglio — is shaping up as a papacy focused on the world's downtrodden. And in sharp contrast with the two preceding papacies, this one even contains echoes of the Latin American liberation theology movement that John Paul II and Benedict XVI had repressed.

California Poet Laureate Interview Part 2

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:05:00 -0700

Listen to the podcast

UC Riverside professor and California Poet Laureate, Juan Felipe Herrera, spoke to KVCR recently about the project he and his class did for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

California Poet Laureate Interview Part 1

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:43:00 -0700

Listen to the podcast

Just recently, we connected with UC Riverside professor, Juan Felipe Herrera. He spoke about what he and his students have done to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Can A Piece Of Hair Reveal How Much Coke Or Pepsi You Drink?

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:21:00 -0700

One way to know how much soda people drink is to ask them. The problem? We tend to underestimate, lie or forget what we've consumed. And this is a challenge for researchers who study the links between sugar-sweetened beverages and obesity. A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition explains a technique that could help researchers get a good measurement of sugary beverage consumption — by analyzing a piece of hair or a blood sample.

FBI Agents Killed In Training Accident Worked In Elite Unit

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:18:00 -0700

Christopher Lorek and Stephen Shaw, the two FBI agents who died in a training accident on Friday off the coast of Virginia Beach, Va., were part of the bureau's Critical Incident Response Group.

According to the FBI, that unit:

"Consists of a cadre of special agents and professional support personnel who provide expertise in crisis management, tactical operations, crisis negotiations, hostage rescue, hazardous devices mitigation, critical incident intelligence, and surveillance and aviation.

Bans Of Same-Sex Marriage Can Take A Psychological Toll

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:15:00 -0700

As the country awaits two important Supreme Court decisions involving state laws on same-sex marriage, a small but consistent body of research suggests that laws that ban gay marriage — or approve it — can affect the mental health of gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans. When several states passed laws to prohibit same-sex marriage, for example, the mental health of gay residents seemed to suffer, while stress-related disorders dropped in at least one state after gay marriage was legalized.

WATCH: David Beckham Tears Up At Final Home Game

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:37:00 -0700

David Beckham, the storied midfielder who rose to international fame because of his style on and off the pitch, played his last home game for Paris Saint-Germain last night.

As the AP reports, despite being used to the lights and the big stage, Beckham, who announced his retirement from soccer last week, was finally overwhelmed.

Tesla Rides High, But Faces Formidable Foe: Car Dealers

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:31:00 -0700

Its Model S sedan (base priced at $62,400, after federal tax credits) was just named Motor Trend Car of the Year. Reviewers at Consumer Reports gave the lithium-ion battery powered vehicle a rave.

And the company, headed by billionaire innovator Elon Musk, 41, posted a profit for the first time in its 10-year history — powered in part by zero-emission environmental credits.

Working Women On Television: A Mixed Bag At Best

Sat, 18 May 2013 08:47:00 -0700

When actress Geena Davis was watching children's shows with her daughter a few years ago, she became so troubled by the lack of female representation, she started a think tank on gender in the media. The Geena Davis Institute recently partnered with University of California, Los Angeles, professors to conduct a study analyzing gender roles and jobs on screen.

UCR's Poetry for Boston

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:48:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

Just recently, we connected with UC Riverside professor, Juan Felipe Herrera. He spoke about what he and his students have done to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Book News: Amazon May Be Called Before Parliament Over Taxes

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:09:00 -0700

The daily lowdown on books, publishing, and the occasional author behaving badly.
Amazon faces a grilling from members of Britain's Parliament over its extremely low U.K. corporate tax payments, Reuters reported Friday. As NPR noted on Thursday, Amazon has the subject of intense scrutiny after it was revealed that the Internet retailer's U.K. unit paid only slightly more in taxes than it received in government grants because its sales are routed through Luxembourg.

Council Approves Final Plan for Delta

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:44:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

The Delta Stewardship Council has unanimously approved the final plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. As Amy Quinton reports from Sacramento, the plan is designed to protect the Delta ecosystem while providing a more reliable supply of water for California.

The Council’s goal was to create a legally enforceable long -term management plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The vote came after two-and-a-half years of study and almost 100 public meetings.

Young Gazan Men Get Unwanted Haircuts, Courtesy Of Police

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:41:00 -0700

As 17-year-old Tarik al-Nakib tells it, he was just out to buy some bread one afternoon in April when a silver bus from the Gaza Strip police department pulled up next to him.

"One guy opened the door and asked me to get in the bus," Nakib says. "Another came out and pushed me in. I was trying to understand what was going on, what did I do? No one wanted to answer me."

Foolish Mistakes Were Made IRS Chief Says

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:38:00 -0700

(Most recent update: 12:50 p.m. ET.)

Saying that "foolish mistakes were made by people trying to be more efficient in their workload selection," the outgoing head of the Internal Revenue Service told Congress on Friday that he and the agency want to apologize for the targeting of some conservative groups during the 2012 campaign cycle.

Doctors Confirm Black Lung In Victims Of Mine Blast

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:34:00 -0700

The tragic deaths of 29 coal miners in a massive explosion in 2010 has provided new evidence of a resurgence of the disease known as black lung.

On Monday, a team of pathologists and lung disease experts will present the results of a detailed study of lung tissue from some of the victims of the Upper Big Branch mine disaster in West Virginia. They'll describe the findings at the American Thoracic Society's annual conference in Philadelphia this weekend.

Demand For Ammunition Is Up. Why Aren't Prices?

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:32:00 -0700

Sales of guns and ammunition rose after President Obama took office in 2008, and they went through the roof starting late last year, when a school shooting led to a push for new gun control measures. That's led to a prolonged ammunition shortage, even with manufacturers running at full capacity.

Famed Race Driver Dick Trickle Dies, Suicide Suspected

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:28:00 -0700

Dick Trickle, a "short-track hero" in the '70s and '80s who moved to the NASCAR circuit later in his career, died Thursday.

According to The Charlotte Observer, the 71-year-old was killed by "an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Lincoln County [N.C.] deputies said."

Are Buddhist Monks Involved In Myanmar's Violence?

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:01:00 -0700

In the Western stereotype, Buddhists are meditating pacifists who strive to keep their distance from worldly passions. But last month, more than 40 people were killed in fighting between Buddhists and Muslims in the central Burmese town of Meiktila. Witnesses say some Buddhist monks joined in the violence, while others tried to stop it.

Democrats Pushing to Limit Prop 13

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:29:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

Some Democrats at the Capitol are attempting to chip away at California’s fabled Prop 13. But supporters of the property tax limiting measure are digging in to fight back.

Proposition 13 limits property taxes in California. But it also requires a two-thirds vote of the public to increase any special taxes. Six Democratic sponsored bills making their way through the Senate would lower that voter requirement to 55 percent approval.

Water Trapped For 1.5 Billion Years Could Hold Ancient Life

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:24:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

Scientists have discovered water that has been trapped in rock for more than a billion years. The water might contain microbes that evolved independently from the surface world, and it's a finding that gives new hope to the search for life on other planets.

Reports: Note Found In Boat Where Boston Suspect Hid

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:22:00 -0700

In a message written on a wall of the boat where he was found hiding, Boston bombings suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev claimed responsibility for the attack and said it was motivated by anger over the Afghan and Iraq wars, sources familiar with what was found have told CBS News correspondent John Miller.

Texas Tornado Leaves 6 Dead, Dozens Hurt, Hundreds Homeless

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:14:00 -0700

"A massive emergency response" is underway in North Texas, where tornadoes blew through Wednesday night, The Dallas Morning News says. A twister that hit Granbury, about 35 miles southwest of Fort Worth, left at least six people dead, more than 100 injured and even more homeless, The Associated Press adds.

Human Scent Is Even Sweeter For Malaria Mosquitoes

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:13:00 -0700

People smell yummy to mosquitoes. So yummy, in fact, that our scent is a big way the pesky insects track us down. But just how much mosquitoes like Eau de Human may not be entirely up to the bugs.

Mosquitoes are more attracted to human odors when they're infected with the malaria parasite, scientists reported Wednesday in the journal PLOS ONE.

David Beckham Retires From Soccer, Ending Storied Career

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:11:00 -0700

David Beckham, who starred for Manchester United, Real Madrid and England's national team before heading to the United States and Paris, is retiring. The news was confirmed Thursday by England's Football Association.

U.S. Hands Over Nation-Building Projects To Afghans

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:10:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

On a sunny spring day in eastern Afghanistan's Paktia province, Afghan officials and U.S. troops and civilians gather inside the ancient mud fort in the center of Forward Operating Base Gardez. They're attending a ceremony marking the formal end of the work of the provincial reconstruction team, or PRT.

Cloning, Stem Cells Long Mired In Legislative Gridlock

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:08:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

The news that U.S. scientists have successfully cloned a human embryo seems almost certain to rekindle a political fight that has raged, on and off, since the announcement of the creation of Dolly the sheep in 1997.

"The issue of legislation on human cloning is about to get hot again," says Hank Greely, director of the Center for Law and the Biosciences at Stanford Law School.

Suspect Apprehended In New Orleans Mother's Day Shooting

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:00:00 -0700

"CAPTURED!"

That's how the New Orleans Police Department spread the word on Facebook early Thursday that its officers had "arrested 19-year-old Akein Scott in connection with the shooting of 19 people on Mother's Day."

Brown Proceeds With Caution on May Budget Revise

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:59:00 -0700

Listen to the news podcast

California is expecting to end the fiscal year with a few billion dollars more than anticipated. Governor Jerry Brown is proposing spending the money on schools, but not much else. Katie Orr reports from Sacramento on Brown’s May budget revision.

Teaching The Rules Of War In Syria's Vicious Conflict

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:41:00 -0700

A new video from Syria is shocking even by the standards of a war that keeps setting new standards for brutality.

In the video, a rebel fighter identified as Khalid al-Hamad is shown cutting out and eating the organs of a dead government soldier.

Boehner: Who's Going To Jail For What IRS Did?

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:37:00 -0700

He doesn't want to know who's going to resign, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters Wednesday morning.

He wasn't to know: "Who's going to jail" for what IRS personnel did to some conservative groups?

Scientists Clone Human Embryos To Make Stem Cells

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:33:00 -0700

Scientists say they have, for the first time, cloned human embryos capable of producing embryonic stem cells.

The accomplishment is a long-sought step toward harnessing the potential power of embryonic stem cells to treat many human diseases. But the work also raises a host of ethical concerns.

Angelina Jolie's Mastectomy Decision And Weighing Cancer Risks

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:18:00 -0700

On Wednesday's Morning Edition, David Greene talks with writer and breast cancer survivor Peggy Orenstein about actress Angelina Jolie's decision to have a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer.

Cleveland Kidnaps Suspect Will Plead Not Guilty, Lawyer Says

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:15:00 -0700

Saying that their client is not a "monster," attorneys for Ariel Castro have told Cleveland's WKYC-TV that the man accused of kidnapping three young women, holding them captive and repeatedly raping them over the course of about a decade will plead not guilty to all charges if he is indicted by a grand jury.

Stay-At-Home Dads, Breadwinner Moms And Making It All Work

Wed, 15 May 2013 09:06:00 -0700

The next time you see a father out shopping with his kids, you might need to check your assumptions.

"I'll get the, 'Oh, look, it's a dad! That's so sweet!' "says Jonathan Heisey-Grove, a stay-at-home father of two young boys in Alexandria, Va., who is pretty sure the other person assumes he's just giving Mom a break for the day.

California Begins Supreme Court Appeal Process

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:42:00 -0700

Listen to the news podcast

California is officially appealing a ruling by a federal three-judge-panel ordering the state to further reduce prison overcrowding. Katie Orr reports from Sacramento.

In Somalia, Surviving A Kidnapping Against 'Impossible Odds'

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:35:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

In 2011, Jessica Buchanan was an aid worker in northern Somalia, helping to raise awareness about how to avoid land mines. The north was the relatively safe section of the country; that October, she traveled to the more dangerous southern region for a training. The night before she left, she texted her husband, Erik Landemalm, also an aid worker in Somalia. She asked him a question: "If I get kidnapped on this trip, will you come and get me?"

Russian Security Service Claims To Have Uncovered CIA Agent

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:21:00 -0700

From Russia Today:

"Russia's counterintelligence agency has detained a CIA agent in Moscow trying to recruit an officer of the Russian secret service, the Federal Security Service (FSB) announced. The agent was operating under guise of career diplomat."

Angelina Jolie And The Rise Of Preventive Mastectomies

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:18:00 -0700

Angelina Jolie just became part of a medical trend: More women are deciding to have their breasts removed to reduce the risk of cancer.

Over the past decade, doctors have noticed a big increase in the number of women choosing prophylactic, or preventive, mastectomies.

IRS Chief Says 'Mistakes Were Made' But Weren't Partisan

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:15:00 -0700

"Mistakes were made, but they were in no way due to any political or partisan motivation," the acting commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service writes in USA Today's op-ed pages.

As Gamblers Gather, Thailand's Child Boxers Slug It Out

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:07:00 -0700

Under the fluorescent lights of the boxing ring, the boy can barely see out beyond the elastic ropes that surround the fighting stage. The crowd and the festival that press in around him are shadowy outlines. But the boy can hear them.

Brown Set to Release "May Revise" Budget Proposal

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:22:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

California Governor Jerry Brown releases his updated budget proposal known as the “May Revise” tomorrow.

The spending plan comes with the state’s finances as strong as they’ve been in years, and revenues coming in well above projections.

Google Fights Glass Backlash Before It Even Hits The Street

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:54:00 -0700

Listen to the news story

Google Glass isn't even for sale yet, but it's already facing backlash.

There have been articles in the Atlantic and Wired mocking techies who have a pair, and even Saturday Night Live got in on the jabbing at the technology.

Video Shows Suspect In New Orleans Shootings, Police Say

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:48:00 -0700

New Orleans police have released images of a suspected gunman in Sunday's shootings that wounded 19 people at a local Mother's Day parade. Authorities are asking for the public's help to identify the man, one of three suspects in the shootings.

Obama On IRS Actions: 'Outrageous' If True

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:45:00 -0700

It's "outrageous and there's no place for it" if the Internal Revenue Service did, as it has admitted, single out some conservative groups for extra scrutiny in recent years, President Obama said Monday morning during a news conference at the White House.

In Pakistan, Sharif Turns To Unstable Nation's Dire Problems

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:42:00 -0700

With a commanding lead for his party in the vote count following Saturday's parliamentary elections, former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is returning to power with a clear mandate to focus on the grave problems facing his nation, as NPR's Julie McCarthy reports from Lahore for Morning Edition.

Comp Time Or Cold Cash. Which Would You Pick?

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:41:00 -0700

Overtime or comp time? Which one suits you best?

Both you and your boss may agree it would be best for you to work a sixth day when a big project is due in March, and then take off for a long weekend in June. No big deal.

Teens Who Text And Drive Often Take Other Risks

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:30:00 -0700

Almost half of teenagers cop to texting while driving. And those texting teens are more likely to make other risky moves while in the car, too.

That includes not wearing seat belts, drinking and driving, and riding with a driver who's been drinking, a study just published in the journal Pediatrics finds.

IRS Targeted Additional Conservative Groups, Probe Shows

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:26:00 -0700

"The Internal Revenue Service's scrutiny of conservative groups went beyond those with 'tea party' or 'patriot' in their names — as the agency admitted Friday — to also include ones worried about government spending, debt or taxes, and even ones that lobbied to 'make America a better place to live,' " The Wall Street Journal reports.