NPR News: 01-06-2025 4AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: January 6, 2025, 4AM EST

Host: Dale Willman

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1. Severe Winter Storm Hits the Mid Atlantic

Dale Willman opens the episode with a report on a major winter storm that has wreaked havoc across the Central Plains and Midwest before moving into the Mid Atlantic region. Washington, D.C., is bracing for up to a foot of snow, potentially bringing the capital to a standstill. The polar vortex responsible for the extreme cold and significant snowfall has prompted several Midwestern governors to declare a State of Emergency.

Chandelyse Duster provides detailed coverage of the situation:

• [00:44] Dangerous travel conditions have led to over 200 highway calls since Saturday morning, including a fatal crash reported by Kansas Highway Patrol Officer Trooper Ben Gardner.

• Governor Jeff Landry emphasizes the state’s response:
  “We have first responders actively helping and responding to calls and KDOT's out here trying to get the roadways cleared, salting and blading the roadways, and we will continue to do so as the storm moves through our state.” [00:56]

Officials are urging residents in the storm’s path to stay home and adhere to weather alerts to ensure safety.

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2. New Orleans Recovers After Fatal New Year's Day Attack

Life in New Orleans is gradually returning to normal following a tragic incident on New Year's Day, where a man drove his pickup truck into a crowd, resulting in 14 fatalities. Dale Willman reports that Governor Jeff Landry acknowledges the ongoing impact of the event:

• Governor Jeff Landry:
  “We have all been focused on addressing the needs of each of these victims' families and to ensure that they are properly honored. We began on January 2 by ordering all the flags in the state at half staff from sunrise to sunset.” [01:29]

The FBI has revealed that the perpetrator, Shamsuddin Jabbar, had visited New Orleans twice prior to the attack, using meta glasses to record activities in the French Quarter where the tragedy later unfolded.

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3. Nation Mourns Former President Jimmy Carter in Atlanta

Dale Willman covers the public repose for former President Jimmy Carter in Atlanta, which will continue until Tuesday. Sarah Kalis of Georgia Public Broadcasting reports on the outpouring of respect and remembrance:

• Mourners, including 19-year-old William Mendoza who traveled 214 miles from Knoxville, Tennessee, express admiration:
  “It's a really great refresher of how and who Jimmy Carter was—such a man who was willing to work for everyone no matter who you are, a man that was willing to put the people first and not their political party.” [02:23]

Visitors traverse the Carter Museum and Presidential Library to view artifacts from Carter’s life and presidency before paying their final respects at his casket. The Carter Center anticipates thousands of attendees each day, highlighting Carter’s enduring legacy.

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4. Asian Markets Respond to Wall Street Trends

In the financial sector, Dale Willman reports on the mixed performance of Asian stock markets following Wall Street’s resurgence from the holiday slump. Markets in Tokyo and China both saw declines:

• Japan’s Finance Minister marked the New Year as Tokyo’s market resumed trading after the traditional holiday, with notable downturns including Nippon Steel falling by 0.8% and U.S. Steel Corp. sinking by 6.5%.

The fluctuating markets indicate ongoing volatility and investor caution as the global economy navigates post-holiday adjustments.

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5. California Kicks Off Commercial Dungeness Crab Season

Mayor Billy Cruz from KQED discusses the commencement of California’s commercial Dungeness crab season at the Port of San Francisco:

• This season marks a return to direct-to-consumer crab sales, addressing previous delays caused by whale entanglement concerns and restrictions on commercial crabbing nets. These delays have financially impacted crabbers for six years.

• Billy Cruz highlights new initiatives:
  “This year's off-the-boat sales will include a new ADA accessible float. The port says they hope this float supports local fishers and increases public access.” [03:29]

The Port of San Francisco aims to bolster the local fishing industry while enhancing accessibility for the public.

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6. President Biden Signs Social Security Fairness Act

Dale Willman announces a significant legislative development as President Joe Biden signs the Social Security Fairness Act:

• The Act is designed to increase Social Security benefits for certain retirees, including police officers, firefighters, and postal workers. This legislation repeals provisions from 20 years ago that had previously reduced benefits for these groups.

This move is seen as a step towards greater financial fairness and support for public service workers.

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7. Box Office Update: Mufasa Triumphs in New Year’s Opening

Concluding the episode, Dale Willman provides insights into the North American box office performance for the New Year’s week:

• Walt Disney’s "Mufasa", a prequel to "The Lion King," leads the box office with a $23.8 million opening weekend, maintaining its top position into its third week.

• "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" follows in second place.
  Additionally, the 2025 box office is up approximately 20% compared to the same week last year, indicating a strong recovery and positive trends in movie-going habits post-holidays.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from the January 6, 2025, episode of NPR News Now, providing listeners with a clear and detailed overview of the latest news events.

Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. A major winter storm that's been pounding Central Plains states in the Midwest is now moving into the Mid Atlantic region. At this hour, Washington, D.C. is expecting as much as a foot of snow that could bring the city to a standstill. The polar vortex that's bringing frigid temperatures and significant snow and ice caused several Midwestern governors to declare a State of Emergency. NPR's Chandelyse Duster reports wintry weather is.

[Chandelyse Duster]

Causing dangerous travel conditions. Kansas Highway Patrol Officer Trooper Ben Gardner says they have responded to more than 200 calls for help on highways since Saturday morning. At least one was a fatal crash.

[Governor Jeff Landry]

We have first responders actively helping and responding to calls and KDOT's out here trying to get the roadways cleared, salting and blading the roadways, and we will continue to do so as the storm moves through our state.

[Chandelyse Duster]

Officials are warning those in the path of the storm to stay home and follow weather alerts. Chondelyse Duster, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

Life in New Orleans is beginning to return to normal after a man drove his pickup into a crowd there on New year's day, killing 14 people. But Governor Jeff Landry says no one has forgotten what happened over the last 48 hours.

[Governor Jeff Landry]

We have all been focused on addressing the needs of each of these victims families and to ensure that they are properly honored. We began on January 2 by ordering all the flags in the state at half staff from sunrise to sunset.

[Dale Willman]

The FBI, meanwhile, said Sunday that Shamsuddin Jabbar visited New Orleans twice before his attack on on one of those visits, he used meta glasses to record a bike ride through the French Quarter where his attack later took place. People in Atlanta will be paying their final respects to former President Jimmy Carter until Tuesday. Georgia Public Broadcasting's Sarah Kalis reports Mourners.

[Sarah Kalis]

Are flocking to the Carter center in Atlanta to pay tribute to former President Jimmy Carter during the public repose. 19 year old William Mendoza drove 214 miles from Knoxville, Tennessee to to the Carter center in Atlanta for the repose.

[William Mendoza]

It's a really great refresher of how and who Jimmy Carter was such a man who was willing to work for everyone no matter who you are, a man that was willing to put the people first and not their political party.

[Sarah Kalis]

Mourners are led through the Carter Museum and Presidential Library to see artifacts from Carter's life and presidency before arriving at his casket. Public repose continues until Tuesday morning, and the Carter center is expecting thousands of people to attend each day. For NPR News, I'm Sarah Kallis in Atlanta.

[Dale Willman]

Stocks in Asia are mixed after Wall street snapped out of a spell of holiday season blues with markets in Tokyo and China both declining. Japan's finance minister rang in the new year as Tokyo's market resumed trading after the long traditional holiday. Shares of Nippon Steele fell by 0.8% and U.S. steel Corp. Shares sank 6.5%. This is NPR News. California's commercial Dungeness crab season got underway on Sunday and the Port of San Francisco is kicking off fresh off the boat crab sales. Billy Cruz of member station KQED has more.

[Billy Cruz]

The direct to consumer crab sales come after commercial crabbers faced weeks of delays and restrictions. That follows delays to the season's start for the past six years over concerns about whale entanglements and commercial crabbing nets. The delays have financially hurt crabbers, so since 2021, some have been allowed to sell crab from their boats at Fisherman's Wharf. The Port of San Francisco says this year's off the boat sales will include a new ADA accessible float. The port says they hope this float supports local fishers and increases public access. For NPR News, I'm Billy Cruz in San Francisco.

[Dale Willman]

President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness act on Sunday. The law will boost Social Security benefits to some retirees who Dr. Public pension. This includes some police officers, firefighters and postal workers. The measure repeals 20 year old provisions that had reduced Social Security benefits for that group. Walt Disney's Mufasa ruled North American box offices this weekend, bringing in $23.8 million from moviegoers. It's the Lion King prequel's third week in movie theaters. Sonic the Hedgehog 3, meanwhile, came in second. And after having spent the past two weeks in the number one spot less than a week into the New Year, the 2025 box office is already up about 20% over the same week last year. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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