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NPR's Margot Adler reports on what some are decrying as the "suburbanization" of New York City. She talks to one design critic who laments that national franchises are replacing the city's local greasy spoons, coffeehouses and boutiques, and taking over street-life. (6:40

Scott talks with the Doyenne of Dirt, Ketzel Levine, about noxious weeds. Ketzel says that one region's common garden plant can be another regions invasive pest. (6:00) NOTE: There is plenty more dirt to be found in our Talking Plants section.

NPR's Renee Montagne reports on a group of six Thai elephants that have been honing their musical abilities. They just released their first CD. Hear a song from that CD entitled Temple Music. You can find out more at www.mulatta.org. (6:43-8:20)

NPR's Nina Totenberg reports on a Supreme Court decision that hospitals cannot reinstate a practice of testing pregnant patients for drugs and turning over the results to the police, unless they get the woman's permission first. The justices ruled 6-3 that testing women who did not understand that the results could be used to prosecute them was a violation of the constitutional protection against unreasonable searches.

NPR's Don Gonyea reports that President Bush is on the road. This week he'll visit four states to promote his budget proposals, including his $1.6 trillion tax-cut over a ten-year period. Today, the president flies to Chicago.

The fifth and final season of the acclaimed HBO drama The Wire has its season premiere Jan. 6. Fresh Air's TV critic has a preview.

Noah Adams talks with Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, who's happily playing the blues at 72. He has a new album out called Long Way Home. Gatemouth is on the album by some new and old friends like Eric Clapton, Leon Russell, Ry Cooder and Maria Maldon. [GITANES JAZZ PRODUCTIONS] (6:00) (IN S

Writer RICHARD FORD. His book "Independence Day" (Knopf) has just won a Pulitzer Prize, as well as a National Book Critics Circle Award. It's the sequel to FORD's "The Sportswriter" FORD is also the author of "Wildlife," "The Ultimate Good Luck," "A Piece of My Heart," and "Rock Springs." (REBROADCAST from 6

NPR's Jim Zarroli reports that a jury in Brooklyn has ordered computer maker Digital Equipment to pay nearly $6 million to three women who suffered disabling injuries from working on Digital's computer keyboards. Lawyers for the plaintiffs say this is the first time such a suit has succeeded. Digital says it will appeal the decision.

Commentator Reynolds Price has just had his annual MRI to check for cancer. He finds a strange kind of peace inside the close quarters of the 6 foot long tube in the radiology department --reciting the contents of his longterm memory: prayers and poems and sonnets. He was again free of cancer this year.