NPR Topics: Story of the Day Podcast

For every farmer who is hurting this year during the drought, others are benefiting. Many fields in the South, Northwest and Upper Midwest are producing bountiful corn crops. And because the drought has pushed prices to record highs, farmers who have corn to sell expect a terrific payday.

A federal law that protects gray and harbor seals has led to a population boom off the coast of Cape Cod. Fishermen and residents say the seals have become a nuisance, and the first shark attack in Massachusetts in 76 years is now fueling a contentious debate.

Miami may bring to mind images of the sea and palm trees, but according to park advocates, it also suffers from a lack of green space. That can make it difficult for downtown residents to find places to enjoy the outdoors. Advocates are trying to remedy that — in the face of ongoing downtown development.

Ann Arbor residents would easily recognize their city in Harry Dolan's crime fiction, but the likeness ends with murder; while Dolan can pack several homicides into each book, the real Ann Arbor is much more peaceful.

Just how do trees die? It seems like a simple question, but the answer still eludes scientists. And understanding forest ecology is increasingly important as the effects of climate change begin to take root.

Pennsylvania is one of more than 30 states that have placed new restrictions on how people vote. At 63, Philadelphia resident Ana Gonzalez has never needed a photo ID, until now. But supporters of the new laws say they're necessary to prevent fraud and that voting is worth some extra effort.

Since Republican Rep. Todd Akin first said the words "legitimate rape" last weekend, just about everyone in the Republican Party has condemned those comments. That includes vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan. But it's also put a spotlight on Ryan's anti-abortion legislation and voting record.

At her family's restaurant on Lake Winnebago, Linda Wendt oversees a staff of almost 50 people. And that, more than anything, has made her feel a connection to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Jessica King's political views are rooted in her firsthand experience with social services, having grown up as a ward of the state. She was swept into office during the wave of special recall votes in Wisconsin, and says her constituents are fed up with obstructionism in Washington.

Many voters in Winnebago County feel that under President Obama, the government has tried to do too much. "I'm not a big fan of how big the government's gotten or how many people are living off the government now," says farmer Charlie Knigge.

In the lakeside city of Oshkosh, a group of union workers say they're tired but ready to keep fighting. They've been through months of bitter battles over state employees' collective-bargaining rights — including a failed attempt to recall Gov. Scott Walker.

In New England, more women are breaking through the glass gangway. For generations lobstermen in Maine have been predominantly, well, men — but that's starting to change.

A deadly occupation at Wounded Knee, S.D., in 1973 left a legacy of violence. Now a U.S. attorney is re-examining 45 related deaths that tribal officials believe had the backing of the FBI.

Four years ago, Artur Davis took the podium at the Democratic National Convention to support Barack Obama. Since then, he's lost a bid for governor, moved to a new state and changed parties. And this time around, he'll be speaking at the Republican convention — to call for Obama's defeat.

What could be worse than a ruptured pipeline of crude oil? A ruptured pipeline of tar sands oil — a thick, sticky substance. Cleanup of a 2010 spill in Michigan's Kalamazoo River took much longer and was far harder than anyone had anticipated. It's now a cautionary tale for people in the middle of the new Keystone pipeline's path.