Weekend America

Following the Aftermath

After the town of Greensburg was destroyed by a tornado last weekend, the people are trying to clean up and move on. Weekend America speaks with a resident who is picking up the pieces.

A Cold Treat, from Mom with Love

While many people search for a Mother's Day gift this weekend, one military mom has been getting support to send a refreshing treat to her son in Iraq. Weekend America's John Moe speaks with Sharon Crary, director of Operation Icy Treat.

Wanted: New Family

Jenna MacFarlane might be disproving the old adage, you can pick your friends but you can't pick your family. She found new parents at the age of 45. Weekend America's Sean Cole brings us this story of loss and then discovery in honor of Mother's Day.

Fats Domino on the Weekend Soundtrack

We've been asking what's on your CD player or MP3 player or even tape deck on Saturday and Sunday. What songs say to you, it's the weekend? This week, we hear from listener, Annie Gosfield, an avant garde composer from New York City.

The (Kind of Gross) Story of Jamestown

This weekend, there are celebrations in Virginia commemorating the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English Settlement in the United States: Jamestown. But what exactly happened in Jamestown may not be some of the things being celebrated. Independent Producer Nate DiMeo tells the story of this Anti-Thanksgiving.

Listening in on Poker Players

It's not unusual to see professional poker players with earbuds in their ears during tense matches. Naturally, we wondered what kind of music is right for these situations. Do the tunes serve to take the edge off, or help the card player focus? Independent Producer Gideon D'Arcangelo listens in with some of the players on the World Poker Tour at the Foxwoods Poker Classic in Connecticut.

Looking Ahead to Fire Season

There's been little rainfall in Los Angeles, coupled with a mild winter. Governor Schwarzenegger has declared fire season officially open. Which wasn't news to Angelenos who watched Griffith Park and Catalina Island catch fire this week. Normally, fire season doesn't start until June or July, so firefighters will have a long, hot road ahead. Fires are also blazing in Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, and Kentucky. We asked Monique Rocca, who teaches wildland fire science at Colorado State University, what this means for the months ahead.

Good News, Bad News, No News

Good News, Bad News, No News

Our panel of non-experts review the week's events in a parlor game to gauge what kind of week America had. This week we talk with Sherman Alexie, the author of a new novel called "Flight," Amy Hungerford, a Yale literature professor, and Bob Mankoff, the cartoon editor at New Yorker magazine.

Happy Mother's Day, Television!

This week, a study by the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine said more kids are watching TV than expected. So can a healthy relationship form between humans and television? On this Mother's Day weekend, writer Jeff Johnson has a special message for his television.

Adventures in Genetic Testing

Last year, after making a deal with her mom, Weekend America's Neille Ilel got tested for the "breast cancer gene." If a woman has a mutation on BRCA1 or BRCA2, she's almost guaranteed to develop breast cancer over her lifetime and is at a highly increased risk for ovarian cancer. But knowing about the gene doesn't necessarily mean there are any easy ways to prevent the disease. Ilel tells us what it's like to get tested for something you can't really change.

You Don't Have to Run Away to Join the Circus

Circus Juventas isn't your ordinary circus school. Students range from 3 to 21. They can learn to fly through the air, juggle with fire, and even ride on unicycle. In May, the school's beginning and intermediate students present a circus spectacular, but behind the tricks is a lesson that students carry beyond their circus life. Weekend America talks with participants for this year's Circus Juventas' May show.

The Sax Man

The one-time heir-apparent to saxophone player Charlie Parker is still playing the tunes today. Alto saxophist Frank Morgan has had his troubles with jail and drugs but the music was never lost in him. Independent Producer Sarah Lemanczyk caught up with Frank Morgan in Minneapolis, Minn.