Each week, a well-known guest draws a card from our Wild Card deck and answers a big question about their life. LeVar Burton first rose to fame as a teenager playing Kunta Kinte in the hugely popular TV miniseries "Roots." From there, of course, he would go on to host "Reading Rainbow" and play a lead role in "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Burton reflected on the impact that those three roles had on him with Wild Card host Rachel Martin.

LeVar Burton talks about his changing definition of success on NPR's 'Wild Card'

SYLVIE DOUGLIS, BYLINE: NPR. (SOUNDBITE OF DROP ELECTRIC SONG, "WAKING UP TO THE FIRE") GREG ROSALSKY, BYLINE: Darian Woods. WOODS: You write the Planet Money Newsletter. You've been writing a lot recently about artificial intelligence and whether or not it's too overhyped. ROSALSKY: Yes, I have. But, you know, publishing...

The Indicator from Planet Money

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Regina Barber and Emily Kwong of Short Wave about chimpanzee "conversations," oxygen from the bottom of the ocean and how a computer program may warn of rogue waves. AILSA CHANG, HOST:. It's time now for our regular science news roundup with our friends at NPR's...

This week in science: Chimpanzee 'conversations,' deep ocean oxygen and rogue waves

The human eye can detect about a million hues of color. For businesses that deal in precise shades, they turn to a kind of dictionary of color from the company Pantone. But as Planet Money's Sam Yellowhorse Kesler reports, Pantone's power over the spectrum raises the question, who can own the rainbow?

Does Pantone have a monopoly on colors? Is that bad?

President Biden did not want to end his bid for reelection, but he said the stakes were just too high to risk it. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America's future all merited a second term. But nothing, nothing, can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition. So I've decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation.

Morning news brief

Blanco, TX

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Brigid Pfeifer

There were a number of celebrities who passed away within the past week, including two notable actresses: Shelley Duvall and Shannen Doherty. Shelley Duvall passed away on Thursday July 11th at her home in Blanco, Texas. The cause of death was complications from diabetes and news of her death was confirmed by her partner Dan Gilroy.

Two Beloved Hollywood Actresses Have Passed Away This Week

Lancaster County, PA

NewsByJoshua

Fans of Frisco's Chicken were left reeling as the beloved Peruvian-style eatery announced the closure of all its locations in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The chain, known for its delicious food and strong community values, posted a heartfelt note on its doors, informing customers of the devastating news.

Favorite Chicken Chain Suddenly Closes All Stores, Heartfelt Message Found on Doors

New York City, NY

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Cheryl E Preston

Yesterday was the third time this year that an ad stating Chelsea Clinton lives in a beautiful Virginia home popped up on my laptop. My computer did not warn me this was a dangerous site, so this time, I clicked on the link.

Chelsea Clinton is rumored to be living in Virginia but probably still in NYC

Chicago, IL

Foodie in Chicago

Shortly before 3 AM, people in the Chicago area may have felt their houses shake as a 3.4-magnitude earthquake occurred about 60 miles west of the city. (CHICAGO) The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a 3.4-magnitude earthquake around Somonauk, IL. Somonauk is in DeKalb and LaSalle Counties, 64 miles west of Chicago.

Did You Feel the Earthquake?

Los Angeles, CA

California State

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Thursday urging cities to remove homeless encampments. But research shows clearing encampments doesn't reduce homelessness in the long term. ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:. At the end of the Supreme Court's term, the justices made it easier for authorities to clear homeless encampments. And...

California's governor issues executive order for cities to clear homeless encampments

The cost of groceries has been a big issue for many people, and it turns out that inflation and shrinkflation are driving shoppers to shake up their grocery budgets - less brand name yogurt, more fancy beef jerky. Confused? NPR's Alina Selyukh explains. ALINA SELYUKH, BYLINE: It's fair to say...

How the high cost of groceries is changing what American shoppers put in their carts

Total Apex Sports & Entertainment

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are two of the biggest celebrities in modern times. While much of the happenings between the two involved their marriage and divorce, there are bigger things for them to focus on. Most notably their children.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s Son Diagnosed With Rare Skin Condition

Virginia State

History Facts lists eight names US parents no longer give their newborns, which you may no longer hear in Virginia. The girls' names are Doris, Gertrude, Mildred, and Judith. I know or have known women with all four names, but they are either baby boomers or boomer parents' ages and someone's grandma or great aunt. Consider the ages of females in Virginia you know with these names.

Eight names parents in Virginia may no longer be giving to their newborns

Off-brand weight-loss drugs containing the same active ingredient as blockbuster name brands seem to be everywhere. There are ads all over social media, in subways and on TV. But there are rules about when these copycats can be made, and things could change once the name-brand drugs are no longer in short supply. NPR pharmaceuticals correspondent Sydney Lupkin is here in the studio to explain what's up. Hey, Sydney.

Torrid market for copycat weight loss drugs could be short-lived

Many Americans are fed up with the high cost of feeding their families. Even though grocery prices have largely leveled off in the last year, many still feel sticker shock every time they visit the supermarket. NPR's Scott Horsley explores these attitudes as part of an occasional series on how inflation continues to weigh on Americans' daily lives.

Sticker shock: How the supermarket has become a potent symbol of inflation in America

Illinois State

Every year, new laws that were passed the prior year go into effect on July 1. In 2024, a number of new laws will begin this Monday. Among them include higher wages for tipped employees, a gas tax increase, and driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants.

New Laws July 1: Driver's Licenses for Undocumented Migrants, Raises for Tipped Workers, and More

When Rep. Jennifer Wexton gave remarks on the House floor Thursday, she spoke using a voice that she and her colleagues thought they’d never hear again. After a rare neurological disorder affected her ability to speak, the Virginia Democrat now enlists artificial intelligence to speak using her old voice.

A neurological disease stole Rep. Jennifer Wexton's voice. AI helped her get it back.

South Carolina State

Explore Beaufort SC

The mantis shrimp is one tough customer. Beautiful and deadly are two words you don’t typically use to describe shrimp, but the mantis shrimp is definitely in a class of its own; earning a reputation as the ‘savage boxer of the sea’ and one of the most fearsome creatures in the ocean. And, they're right at home here in South Carolina.

Savage Boxer of the Sea: The Deadly Beauty of Mantis Shrimp

It's not the first time a person of color or a woman has run for president, but Vice President Kamala Harris is already facing a new wave of sexist and racist personal attacks. Her opponent, former president Donald Trump, has a long history of personally insulting people of color, women...

Kamala Harris already faces racism and sexism from Trump and Republicans

Alameda, CA

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Alameda Post

The unthinkable has happened. Again. A gunman has taken multiple lives. The difference this time? It happened here, in Alameda. We are an island, both physically and psychologically. I spend a lot of time explaining to people that our focus is Alameda, and Alameda alone, so our coverage doesn’t usually include stories as horrific as this one.

It Happened Again. Here.

NewsBreak

If packing is stressing you out, maybe you need a spreadsheet

Let's go back to a big story from last week - that CrowdStrike global software outage. It left people stuck in airports by flight delays and...

If packing is stressing you out, maybe you need a spreadsheet

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