Other Missing Women; New Orleans' Power Grid; Space Uniforms

Plus, how to buy a car in an awful time.

View this email online by Carol Ritchie Stories You May Have Missed David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images Auto dealer lots are depleted, prices are sky-high and shoppers are stressed out. It's a terrible time to buy a car, but you can still get some new wheels — as long as you're willing to make compromises. Here's what to know. The frenzy over the deworming drug ivermectin has far more to do with politics than science. Here's how a cheap, everyday drug became central to the conservative narrative. A group of researchers who advise the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a COVID-19 model that may help you breathe easier. The delta surge appears to be peaking nationally, and cases and deaths will likely decline steadily now through the spring, they predict. New Orleans power supplier Entergy claimed it couldn’t avoid power failures after a storm like Hurricane Ida. But NPR's investigation finds that the company failed to take necessary steps to protect its power grid and customers — despite multiple chances to rebuild.  While the media (including NPR) turned the spotlight on the Gabby Petito case in recent days, the families of missing young Black and Native American women (and some Black men) continue to push for answers and public support. This pianist is 107 and just released her 6th album. Colette Maze began playing at a time when piano for girls was meant to be a pastime, not a career. If you ever watched Battlestar Galactica, the new U.S. Space Force uniforms, unveiled this week, will look familiar. Mars used to have liquid water on its surface — but it certainly doesn't anymore. Now, scientists think they know why: The planet's just too small.   Newsletter continues after sponsor message Podcasts of the Week Ana Galvañ for NPR The idea of laziness has been effectively wielded to make people feel unproductive and unworthy, says the author of the new book Laziness Does Not Exist. Devon Price argues that what you think of as laziness is probably a sign you need a break instead. (Life Kit) September may be Hispanic Heritage Month, but the notion of a multiracial, multinational, pan-ethnic identity called "Hispanic" is relatively recent. Here's where the term came from and why it continues to both unite and bewilder. (Code Switch) An out-of-towner's request for dozens of stop signs flummoxes a town and angers a resident. A show about infrastructure, decision-making and stop signs. (Planet Money) British musician Elvis Costello revisits his classic album This Year's Model in Spanish with a host of Latin artists. (Alt.Latino) Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy