They're calling it Great Drought of 2011. It’s affecting 14 states from Florida to Arizona. Some are comparing it to the 1930s Dust Bowl, and it has farmers and ranchers scrambling to stem the damage to crops and livestock. We’ll hear from a rancher in Oklahoma about conditions there.Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner warns that without raising the debt ceiling, "we risk catastrophic damage to the American economy." Republican Senator Jim DeMint rejects that assessment, saying, "we've got enough tax revenue to pay our bills. It's not ideal, but we don't need to panic." Who’s right? We’ll try to get some answers.The Louisville Orchestra and the musicians union seem farther away from a contract than ever. We'll look into whether the upcoming season is in jeopardy.And WFPL's Erica Peterson speaks to The Atlantic correspondent James Fallows about new coal mining techniques emerging in China.
Laura is LPM's Director of Podcasts & Special Projects.
Email Laura at lellis@lpm.org.