Weekend Edition on WFAE

For more than 50 years, John Williams' music has taken us to galaxies far, far away through adventures here on earth, made us feel giddy joy and occasionally scared us to death.

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SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

And even in a newsy week like this, time for sports.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

SIMON: The New York City Marathon is canceled. New York's NBA teams get a late start on the season, but at least they got a season. That can't be said for the NHL. Howard Bryant, senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN the Magazine joins us now from the studios of New England Public Radio.

Howard, thanks for being with us.

HOWARD BRYANT: Hey, good morning, Scott. Oh, yeah.

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SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Mitt Romney is also trying to pack as much campaigning into these final days as he can. Mr. Romney is working at a new level of intensity in the race as makes his closing arguments to American voters. NPR's Ari Shapiro is one the road with the Romney campaign and has this report.

After a major storm, ice becomes a precious commodity. Host Scott Simon talks with Joe Romano, owner of Sea Isle Ice Company in Sea Isle City, N.J., about how the company is getting ice to people in need.

Just two days after the U.S. presidential election, China opens the most important event in a decade on its political calendar: a transition of power. Host Scott Simon talks to NPR's Louisa Lim and Frank Langfitt in China about the upcoming 18th Party Congress.

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SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

It's already starting to rain over northern Ohio this past weekend as the outer whirls of Hurricane Sandy approached. Just a few days before the election, people in Reminderville, the village of about 3,000, were concerned about turnout.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Trick or treat.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: Trick or treat.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Hey, what's going on?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: Hi.

The presidential candidates will be hopscotching among the handful of states that are most closely contested this weekend. President Obama begins campaigning Saturday where he left off Friday, in the all-important battleground of Ohio.

This past week has been filled with some truly tragic stories of loss and devastation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. There are also a few stories of near misses and disasters averted. Marin Alsop, music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, fortunately has one of the latter.