FBI Rules On NASCAR Noose; Police Reform Fight In Congress; Baseball Is A Go!

Plus, the science behind that fresh rain smell. by Korva Coleman and Jill Hudson First Up [The FBI team investigating the incident concluded the "noose" found in Bubba Wallace's garage was actually a pull rope that had been in the stall long before the driver was assigned.]( John Bazemore/AP Here's what we're following today. The FBI says the noose discovered in NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace’s garage was not the result of a hate crime. Officials say [the noose had been in the garage]( at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama since late last year and was not intended for Wallace, who is the only Black driver in stock car racing’s top tier. Wallace led an effort to get NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag at its events and says he’s since received death threats. The Associated Press reports NASCAR has assigned Wallace security at the track. Ex-Roger Stone prosecutor Aaron Zelinsky will testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday on alleged political interference inside the Justice Department. Stone, a long-time associate of President Trump, was convicted last year of obstruction, witness tampering and lying to Congress and sentenced to 40 months in federal prison. In a written statement, Zelinsky says he heard that [Stone got different treatment]( “because of his relationship to the president.” The committee is also expected to look into the firing of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern district of New York. Senate Republicans will attempt to bring their police reform proposal to the floor for debate on Wednesday. Democrats have threatened to block the plan if they can't get a guarantee for bipartisan talks. [The move rankled Republicans]( who say they already addressed Democrats' demands to quickly move a bill addressing police brutality. With both sides struggling to find agreement just hours before the critical Senate procedural vote, it's the latest reminder of the steep challenges facing Congress to address national protests triggered by the death of George Floyd. After a disappointing rally in Tulsa over the weekend, President Trump on Tuesday addressed a crowd of student supporters at a tightly packed megachurch in Phoenix. The Arizona rally was part of [a series of smaller events]( at which the president focused heavily on border security, preserving monuments of Confederate soldiers, and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which the president has controversially described using the racist phrase "kung flu." --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listens [Raindrops hang on a blade of grass, after a heavy rain.]( Christof Stache/AFP via Getty Images Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Can you imagine the sound and scent of a rain storm? Scientists have known for decades that the smell of fresh rain is geosmin: a chemical compound produced by soil-dwelling bacteria. But why do the bacteria make it in the first place? Short Wave podcast host Maddie Sofia uncovers the origin of the scent so many of us love so much. ([Listen here]( Author Susan Burton struggled for decades with anorexia and compulsive eating. NPR's Terry Gross talked to the editor at This American Life about her new memoir called Empty. “Hunger was something that I believed protected me and gave me power," Burton says. "Now I understand that emptiness didn't protect me. It limited me." ([Listen here]( or [read the story]( After nearly 20 years, the iconic Segway PT is hanging up its big wheels. The self-balancing vehicles were popular for law enforcement and some tourists, but never caught on with the public. ([Listen here]( or [read the story]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [The Washington Nationals are headed to the World Series for the first time since the franchise moved to Washington, D.C.]( Patrick Smith/Getty Images - It's going to look a little different, but [baseball is finally back!]( Major League Baseball and its Players Association announced that spring training will kick off in July; the season will consist of just 60 games and most of them will be within divisions. - A massive desert dust cloud from the Sahara will reach the U.S., [later this week](. - Can President Trump put people in prison who topple statues? [He says he can](. — Suzette Lohmeyer contributed to this report. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? 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