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Writing under the pen name Abigail Van Buren, she wrote the world's most widely syndicated column. The daily readership grew to more than 100 million. The column is now written by her daughter, Jeanne.

The teachers say the test, which evaluates their performance as well as the students', is a waste of time. The district is planning review of the test's effectiveness but still expects that it will be administered. As protests against standardized tests percolate nationwide, Seattle may cause a greater ripple effect.

Writer Kevin Smokler spent most of 2012 rereading the books assigned in his high school English classes. Smokler, 39, speaks with NPR's Neal Conan about what he learned after returning to the classics.

Algerian Mokhtar Belmokhtar has been a prominent Islamist fighter for years. He was considered a top figure in al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, though he apparently had a falling out with the group last year.

The neo-noir Broken City may be coolly stylish, but its too-neat resolution makes you wonder what's been lost in the edit bay.

First-time director Andres Muschietti's Mama follows familiar fright-film guidelines, but the dedication of its lead actress and its somber, chilly tone make for a committed trip to the archetypical cabin in the woods.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is back in action-hero character for the spaghetti-Western splatterfest The Last Stand. He's having a reasonably good time in a scattershot shoot-'em-up that stumbles too often on its way to an ending.

Some of the most beloved nature writers of all time, Henry David Thoreau and Aldo Leopold, are helping scientists learn how global warming will affect spring. Using historical records, the scientists are able to predict when flowers will bloom during especially hot years.

More than 2 million construction jobs disappeared during the economic downturn. But now that there are indications the sector is rebounding, the industry is actually experiencing a labor shortage in many parts of the country.

Morning Edition wraps up its weeklong look at the growing number of people who say they do not identify with a religion. In the final conversation, two religious leaders describe what they do to attract young people to the church.