Sonari Glinton

More Jobs, But Wait: They May Not Pay Much

Sonari Glinton — Sat, 04 May 2013 09:51:00 +0000

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. The economy added 165,000 jobs in April. That exceeded the expectations of economists. It also drove down the unemployment rate to a four-year low, 7.5 percent. Unfortunately, the biggest gains were in lower-paying fields like hospitality and temp agencies. And as the school year comes to a close and young people start looking, the question is will there be enough work for them. NPR's Sonari Glinton reports.

SONARI GLINTON, BYLINE: Wall Street got pretty excited about the jobs numbers.

House Panel Examines Government Loan To Fisker Automotive

Sonari Glinton — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:51:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Auto executives got a grilling on Capitol Hill yesterday. Not the usual suspects from Detroit's Big Three. Think much, much smaller. Executives from the hybrid carmaker Fisker testified about hundreds of millions of dollars in loans Fisker got from the government. Today, the company is on the verge of collapse.

NPR's Sonari Glinton reports.

SONARI GLINTON, BYLINE: Fisker, the car company, isn't dead yet. But Congress has already begun the autopsy.

REPRESENTATIVE JIM JORDAN: Today's hearing is about getting to the bottom of the U.S.

Ford Unit Apologizes For Demeaning Ads

Sonari Glinton — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:39:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And out next business story fits in the category of what were they thinking? Ford Motor Company is apologizing for ads sketched up by an agency in India - ads that have been decried as demeaning to women. They are cartoon drawings showing off how spacious a Ford trunk can be. One spoofs Italy's former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi. He's at the wheel, and in the trunk, three women, tied up.

NPR's Sonari Glinton reports.

SONARI GLINTON, BYLINE: The ads were never used commercially.

Examining Dual Trends In The Economy

Sonari Glinton — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:47:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning, I'm Renee Montagne.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene.

The U.S. economy has been so good at sending mixed signals. We'll hear a couple of reasons for optimism. The housing and stock markets appear to be having parallel rebounds. The stock market is up. And after years of being a drag on the economy, construction and home prices are beginning to see a turnaround.

GM's Archive Offers Glimpse Of Its Past And Future

Sonari Glinton — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:30:00 +0000

After more than 100 years of ups and downs, General Motors has a lot of history. Most of GM's history is in the form of cars — hundreds of actual individual cars. The company tries to keep at least two of each car in storage. NPR's Sonari Glinton went on a walk through GM's attic to find out about the company's past and future.

As Construction Picks Up, American Truck Makers Race

Sonari Glinton — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 23:20:00 +0000

Economists look at many tea leaves as they try to determine the health of the economy. One of the most important surrounds vehicle sales, and more specifically pickup truck sales, which are tied to the construction industry. And as last month's sales rose 18 percent, the auto industry is betting big on a real estate rebound.

It's arguable that the Ford F-150 is the most important vehicle to come out of Detroit since the Model-T.

Why Buying A Car Never Changes

Sonari Glinton — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:18:00 +0000

"Buying a car sucks," Scott Painter says. "It's something that most consumers fear."

Back in the '90s, Painter started a company to try to change this. "The name of the company was Cars Direct," he says. "The mission was to sell cars directly."

Painter wanted his company to build virtual dealerships that would let people go online and buy cars. But after talking with a few car execs, he realized nobody would even consider his idea.

Painter was stopped by a web of state laws that make it very, very difficult to change the way cars are sold.

Beyond Portlandia: Subaru Drives For America's Heartland

Sonari Glinton — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:33:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaXMTtykHfE

From Chicago to D.C., Hometown Supporters Welcome Obama Back

Sonari Glinton — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 11:02:00 +0000

For President Obama's first inauguration, Rep. Danny Davis of Illinois organized a group of more than 700 people — on 10 buses — to make the journey from Chicago to Washington, D.C.

Last time, one of those buses broke down. This time, however, the group decided to take an 18-hour Amtrak ride to see the second presidential inauguration of their hometown hero.

Davis staffer Tumia Romero, who organized the trip, says she did not want to deal with the nightmare of a bus having issues again.

"Someone emailed me and said, 'Let's take a plane this time,'" Romero says.

Bump On The Road For Driverless Cars Isn't Technology, It's You

Sonari Glinton — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 22:38:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDA28Nb4h1k

With Redesigned Corvette, GM Ushers In New Era Of American Muscle Car

Sonari Glinton — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:24:00 +0000

This week, the sleek, speedy Chevy Corvette turns 60 years old. In the increasingly competitive auto business, where few cars make it past their teens, that makes it nearly ancient.

General Motors, however, is not retiring one of America's oldest sports cars just yet, and is embarking on the perilous path of updating the beloved brand. The auto company unveiled the new 2014 Corvette at the Detroit Auto Show on Sunday, a model that also revives the long-dormant Stingray name.

The Corvette is iconic not just in the car industry but also in culture.

Detroit Three Look To Revive Their Luxury Brands

Sonari Glinton — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 21:15:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1NCSrwa2Us

New Car Features May Keep Older Drivers Out Of The Big Yellow Taxi

Sonari Glinton — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 08:31:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q4XQo9YnBs

Right-To-Work Measure Expected To Pass In Michigan

Sonari Glinton — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:32:00 +0000

Michigan's Legislature is expected to pass legislation Tuesday that would bar contracts requiring employees to pay union dues as a condition of employment. The proposed right-to-work law has infuriated union leaders in a state considered the heart of the union movement.

Republican leaders pushing the bill closely watched the fights over labor rights going on across the Midwest, but it wasn't Ohio or Wisconsin that prompted them into action.

AAA Calls To Suspend Sale Of New Ethanol Fuel

Sonari Glinton — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 22:57:00 +0000

AAA has warned against potential damage that a new blend of gasoline could do to some engines. And the warning has started a fight over renewable fuels and the future of what we put in our gas tanks.

The fuel is called E15 — named for the percentage of ethanol in the blend. Most of the gas that's sold in the U.S. has about 10 percent ethanol in it.

The Environmental Protection Agency has certified that all vehicles from 2001 and newer can run on E15.

The 'Not Too Crazy' Pulls Ahead In Car Race

Sonari Glinton — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Once upon a time when a car company introduced a new car, it was a new new car.

But at this year's L.A. Auto Show, you won't see any revolutionary new rides — at least not on the outside. You'll find the same sameness in your grocery store parking lot. A lot of cars look alike. Why is that?

"What they're relying on to distinguish these cars from one another is not so much the mechanical pieces of them or the design," says Brian Moody of Autotrader.com.

More Shopping? Small Retailers Want Your Business

Sonari Glinton — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 10:22:00 +0000

Jammed between Gray Thursday, Black Friday and Cyber Monday is yet another day devoted to shopping: Small Business Saturday.

Wallets are expected to open yet again on Saturday — this time for mom-and-pop stores. Main Street in Littleton, Colo., is filled with them.

On Thanksgiving, Stores Serve Up A Side Of Shopping

Sonari Glinton — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 11:28:50 +0000

Gray Thursday may become the new Black Friday. Many big retailers have moved up the beginning of their shopping season, traditionally the Friday after Thanksgiving, to Thursday evening.

Brick-and-mortar retailers are feeling pressure from online retailers, which have given consumers an earlier shopping option.

"In the past, online retailers have had Thanksgiving Day all to themselves," says Marshal Cohen, retail analyst with the NPD Group.

Tesla Revived The Electric Car, But Can It Sell It?

Sonari Glinton — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 10:50:00 +0000

The American auto industry has a new darling, but it doesn't come from the Big Three or even Motor City.

Distracted Driving: We're All Guilty, So What Should We Do About It?

Sonari Glinton — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 10:44:00 +0000

One of the most dangerous things you can do behind the wheel of your car is text or check your email. Texting and driving is illegal in 39 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

Despite the danger, millions of us continue to do it. I am ashamed to say that I was one of them.

During the recent presidential campaign, I was on the road — a lot. I was mainly driving on rural roads in places such as Iowa, Indiana and, of course, Ohio.

Rape Comment Hangs Over Senate Race In Indiana

Sonari Glinton — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 10:36:00 +0000

Republicans are hoping to gain control of the U.S. Senate. The path toward victory had Indiana solidly on their side. That was, until Indiana's treasurer Richard Mourdock beat longtime Sen. Richard Lugar in the primary.

Then, during a debate on Oct. 23, Mourdock and his Democratic opponent, Congressman Joe Donnelly, were asked about abortion and contraception. Like Donnelly, Mourdock said he was against abortion.

"The only exception I have ... to have on abortion is in that case of the life of the mother.

Auto Legend Iacocca Backs Romney In Ohio Car Wars

Sonari Glinton — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 20:00:00 +0000

As the presidential race zeroes in on Ohio, and the auto industry gets renewed focus in the all-important swing state, Mitt Romney's campaign is touting the backing of former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca and the company's former president, Hal Sperlich.

"In our opinion, Mitt Romney is the leader we need to help turn our economy around and ensure that the American auto industry is once again a dominant force in the world," Iacocca and Sperlich write on Romney's website.

Iacocca, 88, has been

In Ohio, Obama and Romney Duel Over Trade With China

Sonari Glinton — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 23:06:00 +0000

If there is a boogey man in the Ohio presidential sweepstakes, it's China. According to Bloomberg, the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates have aired nearly 30,000 ads that mention trade with China, many airing in the key swing state of Ohio.

Take an ad entitled, "stand up to China" released this month by the Romney campaign.

In Ohio, China A Top Campaigning Point

Sonari Glinton — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 22:11:00 +0000

Transcript

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

According to Bloomberg, President Obama and Mitt Romney have aired nearly 30,000 TV spots addressing the issue of trade with China, and that's just in the past month. Many of those ads aired in Ohio where both candidates are spending a lot of time. NPR's Sonari Glinton explains the Ohio-China nexus.

SONARI GLINTON, BYLINE: If there's a boogeyman in the Ohio presidential sweepstakes, it's China.

(SOUNDBITE OF AD)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: China is stealing American ideas and technology, everything from computers to fighter jets.

Mining For Swing Votes In Battleground Ohio

Sonari Glinton — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 08:49:00 +0000

Undecided voters in Ohio got a lot of attention this week from President Obama and GOP rival Mitt Romney. Coal may be the key to many swing voters in the Buckeye State, which remains a top coal producer.

It's an issue weighing on coal miner Rick Carpenter's mind at the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival in southeastern Ohio.

"Save coal — fire Obama. Yeah, I've got one of those signs in my yard," he says.

Carpenter says he's afraid of what will happen to his job if the president is re-elected.

Chicago Pits Quieter, But Traders' Outcries Linger

Sonari Glinton — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 07:27:00 +0000

The trading pits at the Chicago Board of Trade and the Mercantile Exchange have long been potent symbols of American capitalism. And they used to be as rough and tumble as the city itself, where burly men bought and sold commodities like hogs, cattle, corn and soybeans.

Trading volume has gone up considerably in recent years, but Chicago's trading pits are tamer places today — the result of a revolution futures trading has undergone over the past quarter century.

Tesla's Big Gamble: Can The Electric Car Go Mainstream?

Sonari Glinton — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 20:24:00 +0000

Starting a new car company from scratch isn't tried often in the United States. The last time one was truly successful was about 100 years ago.

Rahm Emanuel Walking A High Wire With Teachers

Sonari Glinton — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 21:58:00 +0000

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

And I'm Melissa Block.

It's the third day of the teachers' strike in Chicago. For the first time in 25 years, teachers are on the picket line and 350,000 students are out of class. The strike poses a unique challenge for Chicago's Mayor Rahm Emanuel. That's because he's also one of President Obama's top fund-raisers and surrogates.

From Chicago, NPR's Sonari Glinton reports.

SONARI GLINTON, BYLINE: Like most strikes, there are a whole bunch of chants.

Chicago Orgs Scramble To Watch Kids During Strike

Sonari Glinton — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 01:57:00 +0000

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

I'm Melissa Block. And we begin this hour with day two of the Chicago teachers' strike. Some 350,000 students are affected by the walkout in the nation's third-largest school district.

'Quite Good' May Not Be Good Enough For GM

Sonari Glinton — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 07:21:00 +0000

When you talk to car people about General Motors, they all say the company has gotten better.

"I think General Motors, productwise, is in a better position than it's been in a decade or so," says Jack Nerad of Kelley Blue Book. "The new products, we feel ... are all quite good."

Like many people, however, Nerad adds an important caveat. He says GM's improvement doesn't mean the company is completely out of the woods, because the competition is very good as well.

While GM has been getting better, so have almost all other car companies — foreign and domestic.