The idea of the “boom town” – a town that suddenly springs up or expands to support a lucrative operation nearby – may seem like something straight out of the Gold Rush days of the mid and late 1800s. But thanks to oil drilling, Williston, North Dakota, has quickly become a modern-day boom town. Resident and reporter Todd Melby tells APM’s Dick Gordon about life in a 21st century boom town.
Other Stories From KUOW Presents on January 14, 2013:
What can physics teach us about finance? A great deal according to physicist and mathematician James Owen Weatherall. He says markets can be understood, and to a degree even predicted, by using principles of physics. Ross Reynolds talks to professor Weatherall about what physics can teach us about Wall Street.
A group of teachers at Ballard High School in Seattle has come out in support of Garfield High School teachers' refusal to give students the district-mandated Measures of Academic Progress standardized test. The teachers say the test is useless and shouldn't factor in to teacher evaluations. Ross Reynolds talks with educators and education experts on both sides of the issue.
Medicaid expansion is one of the key decisions state lawmakers in Olympia face this session. Proponents say it would expand coverage to the uninsured, save the state money and boost the economy. Critics say it’s not clear how much the expansions will eventually cost state taxpayers. Ross Reynolds takes a closer look at Medicaid expansion with University of Washington public health-expert Aaron Katz.
