Rebecca Hersher

1 week ago | boisestatepublicradio.org | Rebecca Hersher

Johann Strauss II's popular orchestral piece "By the Beautiful Blue Danube" has been inextricably linked to space since it was used in the 1968 classic film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The waltz played as a fictional spaceship docks with a space station, with expansive views of the Earth and the distant stars. This week, the piece will take a more literal place among the stars when the European Space Agency broadcasts it into space.

2 weeks ago | envirolink.org | Rebecca Hersher

From NPRForecasters expect 13 to 19 storms to form in the Atlantic between June 1 and the end of November. At least 6 of those are forecast to be full-blown hurricanes. (Image credit: Jeff Roberson)

2 weeks ago | boisestatepublicradio.org | Rebecca Hersher

An above-average number of storms are expected during this year's Atlantic hurricane season, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warn. Tens of millions of people live in areas at risk for dangerous hurricane-related wind damage, storm surge and flooding from heavy rain. Forecasters expect 13 to 19 storms to form in the Atlantic between June 1 and November 30. That is slightly higher than the average of 14 storms that usually occur over the course of a hurricane season.

4 weeks ago | boisestatepublicradio.org | Rebecca Hersher |Lauren Sommer

The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cameron Hamilton, has been replaced, according to a statement from the agency. The move comes at a time of turmoil for FEMA, after President Trump has said repeatedly that the country's primary disaster response agency should be eliminated.

1 month ago | mprnews.org | Lauren Sommer |Rebecca Hersher

In DePue, Ill., sewage will keep backing up into people's basements when there's heavy rain. In Rising Sun, Md., a mobile home park that has already flooded six times will remain in harm's way. And in Kamiah, Idaho, houses won't get upgrades that would protect them from wildfiresThese rural communities were awarded grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fix long-standing infrastructure problems, and they expected funding to be delivered this year.