NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-04-2025 5PM EST

Episode Date: January 4, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. Members of the military saluted as the flag-draped casket of former President Jimmy Carter arrived by motorcade in Atlanta. The former president will lie in repose at the Carter Center starting tonight until Monday morning. Sophie Grotus with Georgia Public Broadcasting reports, today marks the beginning of six days of observances for Carter, who died last week at the age of 100. Over the next week, the funeral procession for former President Carter

will make stops in Washington, D.C., before Carter's remains are returned to Georgia. Robin Thomas was one of several National Park Service employees stops in Washington D.C. before Carter's remains are returned to Georgia. Robin Thomas was one of several National Park Service employees dispatched to Plains on the first day of the funeral. She was directing traffic, a small role, but something she says will stick with her for years to come. He's got a lot of people that work for him and care about him and care about this town and care about what he cared about. I'm really, I'm just proud to be just a small part of it.

Run by the Park Service, the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park includes the former president's boyhood farm and longtime residents, where Carter will be buried on January 9th. For NPR News, I'm Sophie Grotus in Plains, Georgia. The city of New Orleans is reviewing its security protocols in the aftermath of this week's attack that left 14 people dead. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street early New Year's Day morning. The city was in the process of replacing steel columns intended to block vehicles from entering Bourbon

Street when the deadly attack happened. Now extra security measures are called for, says Louisiana State Senator Royce DiPlessis. We can't control what some person's going to do, but whatever the best practices are to try to prevent that person or persons from carrying out acts of harm, I believe those strategies will be in place and I believe that we will be as safe as humanly possible. Millions of tourists are expected in the coming months for the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras. Debbie Elliott, NPR News, New Orleans.

President Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony at the White House today. For the final time as president, I have the honor of bestowing the Medal of Freedom on our nation's highest civilian honor on a group of extraordinary, truly extraordinary people who gave their sacred effort, their sacred effort to shape the culture and the cause of America. The Medal of Freedom was awarded to 19 people, including former Secretary of State Hillary

Clinton, actor Michael J. Fox, U2 frontman Bono, and philanthropist George Soros. This is NPR News in Washington. Drivers who enter the busiest parts of New York City will soon have to pay more. John Campbell from member station WNYC reports the nation's first congestion toll survived a key legal challenge on Friday. The congestion toll is designed to reduce traffic and generate billions for New York City's public transit system. A federal judge cleared the way for the toll to take effect Sunday, rejecting a last-minute

challenge from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. Jan O'Lieber chairs the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that runs New York City's subways and buses. We're doing something to deal with the reality of the way that congestion is hurting our city and costing people time and money. The toll will be $9 for passenger vehicles during peak hours and more for trucks and tour buses. An attorney for the New Jersey governor vowed to appeal.

For NPR News, I'm John Campbell in New York. Authorities are stepping up security in Washington, D.C. ahead of Monday's certification of the November election. Dave Sundberg is the assistant director in charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office. That being said, we are certainly operating in a heightened threat environment. At this time, we have no information

indicating a local threat. Monday marks four years since supporters of then-president Donald Trump violently attacked the Capitol building as lawmakers were certifying the results of the 2020 election. I'm Windsor Johnston, NPR News in Washington.