Prison Health Care Improvements in Question
State officials are eager to get California prisons out from under a court-ordered receivership, after litigation exposed sub-standard health care. But it's unclear whether they intend to continue with the expensive improvements that make it possible for the court to consider lifting its special oversight.
Fighting Anti-Gay Bullying in School, With Improv
Violence against gay, lesbian and transgendered people can start as early as middle school. But even if teachers observe homophobia or bullying in their classrooms, they may not know what to do about it. Now, one non-profit in Los Angeles is using theatrical improv to help teachers see how their intervention can protect students.
The Changing Sound of Foghorns
For generations they've competed with seagulls as the signature sound of coastal America. But that "signature sound" of the foghorn isn't what it used to be. Listen carefully, and you'll hear the traditional seaside soundscape changing.
The Vinyl Legacy of Music Man Murray
Murray Gershenz, 88, has half a million vinyl records at his rare-records store in Los Angeles -- and he's struggling to find a buyer. We talk with Oakland filmmaker Richard Parks, who profiles Gershenz in "Music Man Murray." It premieres on the Documentary Channel Saturday, and online at NPR's All Songs Considered site just in time for Record Store Day this Saturday.
Pop Music Review: Joachim Cooder's 'Love on a Real Train'
It can be hard to follow in the footsteps of famous parents, even if you get an early foot in the door because of them. Joachim Cooder's recording career had a pretty impressive start nearly 20 years ago, when he was just a teen, playing percussion on sessions alongside his dad, Ry Cooder. With Joachim's first solo album, "Love on a Real Train," the junior Cooder comes out from the shadows to stand on his own. Well, sort of. Pop music critic Steve Hochman explains.