NPR 2008-12-13

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The White House says it's exploring new options to save the auto¹ industry after a 14-billion-dollar bailout bill collapsed² in the Senate yesterday. Congressional Democrats⁴ want the Bush Administration to act quickly. NPR's Debbi Elliot reports.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said President Bush is concerned about the ramifications⁶ that a disorderly bankruptcy⁷ in the automotive industry could have on the economy. Democrat³ Chris Dodd, Chairman of the Senate Banking⁸ Committee, welcomed the news that the White House was prepared to intervene. "Well, I'm encouraged on this Friday afternoon, that at some point, today, or over the weekend, the White House will announce a course of action that will avoid the kind of catastrophe⁹ that all of us are worried about. " In a policy reversal, the administration now says it's willing to consider helping¹⁰ auto makers¹¹ with funds from the 700 billion dollars financial bailout. Debbi Elliot, NPR News, the Capitol.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has filed a lawsuit¹² with the state supreme¹³ court to remove Governor Rod Blagojevich from office temporarily. "I've asked the Supreme Court to appoint the lieutenant¹⁴ governor as the acting¹⁵ governor, pursuant to the Succession Act. I recognize that this is an extraordinary request, but these are extraordinary circumstances. " Blagojevich and his chief of staff were arrested Tuesday on corruption¹⁶ charges. Authorities alleged¹⁷ they tried to sell President-elect Barack Obama's Senate seat. The Democratic governor denies any wrongdoing. Madigan said she filed the suit to prevent Blagojevich from exercising the governor's authority to fill the vacancy¹⁸.

An ice storm has slammed New England, and shut down power to more than a million homes and businesses throughout the region. In central and western Massachusetts alone, tens of thousands of residents have been without power since last night. We have details from Jill Kaufman of WFCR in Amherst.

The governor declared a state of emergency earlier today which allows the National Guard to assist local communities, those hardest hit by last night storm living in rural hill towns. In the town of ShootsBerry nearby to Amherst which woke up to mostly slush, the fire department made a pervasive¹⁹ 911 call at 5: 00 A. M. to residents, alerting them to stay in their homes. Almost every home is without electricity, many roads remain impassable with downed tree limbs and power lines. Town administrator²⁰ David Den⁵ says the town of about 2, 000 people has implemented²¹ its own 24-hour state of emergency. "We only have two command posts, one at the fire station in town hall, where we have emergency generators²² going.” With temperatures expected below freezing tonight in much of the area, utility companies say it could be days before everyone's power is restored. For NPR, I'm Jill Kaufman in Amherst, Massachusetts.

On Wall Street today, the Dow gained 64 points to close at 8, 629. The NASDAQ was up 32 points to close at 1, 540. The S&P gained six.

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A former hospital CEO in Los Angeles has pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme that billed the government for unnecessary health care. Doctor Rudra Sabaratnam who ran the City of Angels Medical Center had been accused of paying a recruiter nearly 500, 000 dollars, to bring homeless people to the hospital for unnecessary treatments which were then billed to public health programs. Sabaratnam also agreed to pay more than 4 million dollars in restitution²³ to medicare and medi-Cal.

Movie actor Van Johnson, a star from Hollywood's Golden Era has died of natural causes at the age of 92. Throughout the 1940s and 50s, Johnson made a name for himself in such films as "30 Seconds over Tokyo", "A Guy Named Joe", and "The Caine Mutiny". NPR's Felix Contreras has more.

Versatility²⁴ was Van Johnson's most enduring quality. As a contract actor for MGM studios, Johnson started in comedies, war dramas, love stories and musicals. As a child, Charles Van Dell Johnson was fascinated by theatre companies traveling through his hometown of Newport, Rhode Island. But, it was in front of the camera that Van Johnson made his mark. He spent two decades with the MGM, staring opposite such stars as Elizabeth Taylor, June Allyson and Nester Williams. Van Johnson said that after his phone stopped ringing at the ripe age of 45, he went back to the stage and spent the next three decades working in regional theatres around the country. Felix Contreras, NPR News.