The Story

Ron and Kari Craton thought they were buying their dream home for retirement. It's in the small town of Fennville, Mich. They liked the rural setting. But soon after they moved in, their neighbor, Birds Eye Foods, came to the door. They asked to put a test well on the Cratons' property. Months later, it became clear their water was contaminated. Also in this show: Thelma and Tamika

35 years ago, the small town of New Buffalo, Mich. was having a hard time attracting new police recruits. So they'd approach boys in high school, put them through a class, and make them cadets - police interns. Barry Schroder had just turned 18 when he joined up. He often rode along with a smart, tough patrolman named Ed Lyons. One night Ed and Barry found themselves in the middle of a shootout with a motorcycle gang.

A couple near Boston is celebrating their 46th anniversary this month. Their love story is one for the ages. Tom was a Hungarian Jew living in Budapest during the rise of Nazi power. Jutta was a young German girl in Berlin who was the daughter of one of Hitler’s officers.

With the dramatic rise in foreclosures, some people have gotten creative with how they buy and sell their homes. Sherry Crosslin and Jerry Stussman took a novel route: They swapped houses. Also in this episode: a listener story of a false kidnapping.