NPR News: 02-21-2025 11PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: Episode Summary – February 22, 2025

NPR News Now delivers the latest headlines and in-depth reporting in just five minutes. In the February 22, 2025, episode hosted by Dale Willman, a range of critical national and international issues are covered, from Supreme Court decisions to significant policy changes and notable obituaries. Below is a detailed summary of the episode's key topics, complete with notable quotes and timestamps.

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Supreme Court Declines to Hear Trump Administration's Request

Speaker: Dale Willman & Stephen Fowler
Timestamp: [00:01 – 00:50]

The episode begins with Dale Willman reporting that the Supreme Court has declined to consider the Trump administration's appeal to uphold the dismissal of an independent ethics watchdog. This procedural decision means the higher court did not evaluate the substantive arguments presented by President Trump.

Stephen Fowler elaborates:

"This was a procedural question that does not address the administration's larger legal argument that the president has complete power to determine who runs executive agencies, even independent ones."
— Stephen Fowler, [00:17]

The request aimed to block a February 12 court order that temporarily reinstated the head of the Office of Special Counsel. Despite the short validity of the ruling, Trump's legal team sought to challenge it after the D.C. Court of Appeals denied their exception.

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Trump Administration’s Proposed Cuts to Homelessness Programs

Speaker: Dale Willman, Jennifer Ludden, Ann Oliva
Timestamp: [00:50 – 01:44]

Dale Willman reports on the Trump administration's plans to significantly reduce funding for federal homelessness programs. These cuts come at a time when homelessness numbers are at an unprecedented high.

Jennifer Ludden provides details:

"Trump's efficiency Team Doge wants to cut staff at the federal housing agency by half, but the office that funds homelessness would lose more, 84%, according to a document NPR has seen."
— Jennifer Ludden, [01:03]

Ann Oliva, from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, responds:

"We are talking about staff who directly support their communities in field offices all over the country."
— Ann Oliva, [01:22]

Despite these proposed cuts, a spokesperson for the housing agency assures that critical functions will continue. Local nonprofits are poised to receive several billion dollars aimed at providing rent and other support to prevent people from becoming homeless.

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Concerns Over Election Security Measures

Speaker: Dale Willman, Ashley Lopez
Timestamp: [01:44 – 02:36]

Dale Willman highlights a growing concern among election officials nationwide regarding potential cuts to services that ensure the security of elections against foreign interference.

Ashley Lopez reports:

"The Association of Secretaries of State... wrote that they want to continue to be able to voluntarily coordinate with DHS's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, also known as CISA. These partnerships, they say, have helped them defend their infrastructure against national security threats."
— Ashley Lopez, [01:57]

The Trump administration has placed various election security advisors at CISA on administrative leave, heightening fears about the integrity and safety of American elections, which are primarily managed by state and local authorities.

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Firing of Los Angeles Fire Chief Amid Wildfire Aftermath

Speaker: Dale Willman
Timestamp: [02:36]

Six weeks following widespread wildfires around Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass has dismissed Fire Chief Kristen Crowley. The decision stems from perceived missteps in wildfire preparedness, notably the failure to have 1,000 firefighters on duty when the fires erupted, resulting in them being sent home instead.

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Extreme Heat Forces School Closures in South Sudan

Speaker: Dale Willman
Timestamp: [02:36]

Schools across South Sudan are temporarily closing for two weeks due to an intense heatwave. The extreme temperatures have led to approximately twelve students collapsing each day in Juba, the capital. Factors contributing to this crisis include the lack of electricity for air conditioning and construction of schools with materials like mud, bricks, and iron sheets, which exacerbate the heat conditions.

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In Memoriam: R&B Legend Jerry Butler

Speaker: Noel Jennings & Jerry Butler
Timestamp: [03:42 – 04:03]

NPR News Now mourns the passing of Jerry Butler, a revered R&B legend, at the age of 85. Known as "Iceman," Butler gained fame in the 1950s with Curtis Mayfield as part of the doo-wop group The Impressions before embarking on a successful solo career.

Noah Jennings reflects:

"In a 2004 interview with WBEZ, Butler said it was the church that inspired his musical career."
— Noah Jennings, [03:42]

Jerry Butler shares:

"The first place mother usually takes a young son is to church. And no matter how off key or out of key that young person sings, somebody's going to say amen. And so you get this encouragement out of the church."
— Jerry Butler, [03:49]

Butler's career was marked by 38 songs charting on the Billboard Hot 100 and his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with The Impressions in 1991.

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New York Yankees Lift 49-Year-Old Beard Ban

Speaker: Dale Willman
Timestamp: [04:19]

In a surprising move, the New York Yankees have ended their longstanding ban on players sporting beards, a policy that had been in place for 49 years under former owner George Steinbrenner. Hal Steinbrenner, now managing the team, stated:

"It's now the appropriate time to move beyond the former policy and allow beards."
— Hal Steinbrenner, statement quoted by Dale Willman, [04:19]

This change reflects a shift in team culture and modernizes the Yankees' image, allowing players more personal expression.

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This episode of NPR News Now provides a comprehensive overview of pressing issues, policy changes, community impacts, and significant cultural moments, ensuring listeners are well-informed on the latest developments.

Transcript

[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News. I'm Dale Willman. The Supreme Court has declined to take up the Trump administration's request to uphold his firing of an independent ethics watchdog. But as NPR's Stephen Fowler reports, the procedural decision does not address the merits of President Trump's arguments.

[Stephen Fowler]

Trump asked the Supreme Court to block a court order issued February 12 that reinstated the head of the Office of Special Counsel for two weeks while the judge considered the larger case. The short shelf life of that ruling means it usually can't be appealed, but Trump's lawyers try it anyways. After the D.C. court of Appeals declined to make an exception, Trump went to the Supreme Court, who also did not step in. This was a procedural question that does not address the administration's larger legal argument that the president has complete power to determine who runs executive agencies, even independent ones. Stephen Fowler, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

The Trump administration, meanwhile, plans to gut the federal office that funds homelessness programs. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports that any massive staff cuts would take place as the number of people without housing is at a record high.

[Jennifer Ludden]

Trump's efficiency Team Doge wants to cut staff at the federal housing agency by half, but the office that funds homelessness would lose more, 84%, according to a document NPR has seen. Ann Oliva with the national alliance to End Homelessness says that would go far beyond Washington, D.C. we are talking about.

[Ann Oliva]

Staff who directly support their communities in field offices all over the country.

[Jennifer Ludden]

A spokesperson says the housing agency continues to carry out its critical functions. Local nonprofits are waiting to receive several billion dollars for rent and other support to keep people off the streets. Jennifer Lutton, NPR News, Washington.

[Dale Willman]

Election officials from around the country are urging Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noem not to cut services aimed at making elections safe and secure from foreign influences. NPR's Ashley Lopez has this the national.

[Ashley Lopez]

Association of Secretaries of State, a nonpartisan organization of state election officials, wrote that they want to continue to be able to voluntarily coordinate with DHS's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, also known as CISA. These partnerships, they say, have helped them defend their infrastructure against national security threats. That includes cybersecurity and physical security services provided by cisa. Since taking office, the Trump administration has put various election security advisors working at CISA on administrative leave. This is raising concerns about the safety of American elections, which are mostly administered by state and local officials. Ashley Lopez, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

Six weeks after wildfires devastated large areas around Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass has fired that city's fire chief. Bass says she removed Chief Kristen Crowley because of what she said were missteps in the preparation for the fires. Bass says 1,000 firefighters could have been on duty the morning of the fires broke out, but they were instead sent home. You're listening to NPR News. Schools in South Sudan are being closed for two weeks because of an extreme heat wave that's causing some students around the country to collapse. An education official says that on average, 12 students have been collapsing in schools in the capital of Juba each day. Most schools around the country do not have electricity to power air conditioning. They're also often made of mud or bricks and iron sheets. R and B legend Jerry Butler has died at his home at the age of 85. A baritone known as Iceman, he rose to fame in the 1950s with fellow Chicagoan Curtis Mayfield in the doo wop band the Impressions. Noah Jennings of member stationed WBEZ, has this remembrance.

[Noah Jennings]

In a 2004 interview with WBEZ, Butler said it was the church that inspired his musical career.

[Jerry Butler]

The first place mother usually takes a young son is to church. And no matter how off key or out of key that young person sings, somebody's going to say amen. And so you get this encouragement out of the church.

[Noah Jennings]

That encouragement led to a long solo career that saw 38 of his songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100 and an induction into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame as a member of the impressions in 1991. For NPR News, I'm Noah Jennings in Chicago.

[Dale Willman]

The New York Yankees have dropped their ban on players wearing beards. The ban was put in place by former owner George Steinbrenner 49 years ago. His son Hal now runs the team. In a statement, Hal Steinbrenner said it's now the appropriate time to move beyond the former policy and allow beards. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.