Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• New Wild owner says 'it ain't broke;' won't make big changes
  The man who brought professional hockey back to Minnesota is passing the torch. Bob Naegele said Thursday he's selling his majority stake in the Wild to Craig Leipold. Both men are going to great lengths to assure Wild fans that nothing's really changing.5:20 p.m.
• Northwest merger rumors are flying
  The head of Delta Airlines reportedly plans to seek permission from its board Friday to begin merger talks with both Northwest Airlines and United Airlines. A Wall Street Journal article cites unnamed sources close to the matter, saying Atlanta-based Delta would then choose between the two carriers.5:24 p.m.
• Feds cut $270 million from NE Minnesota research project
  The people planning a $270 million physics experiment in northeast Minnesota got an unhappy surprise just before Christmas. The NOvA project was cut from a federal spending bill that passed Congress a couple of weeks ago.5:50 p.m.
• Man turns to Craigslist in search for missing wallaby
  When David Carlson's pet wallaby went missing, he did what any loving pet owner would do...he turned to Craigslist.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• What Fed's Comments Mean for the Housing Crisis
  In his speech Thursday, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke spoke at length about the housing crisis and the subprime mortgage mess. Housing expert Bill Wheaton, an economics professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, talks with Robert Siegel about Bernanke's comments and efforts to help homeowners in trouble.
• Climber Edmund Hillary, Everest Pioneer, Dies at 88
  The first man to summit Mount Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary, has died. He was 88. In 1953, Hillary and his team reached the mountain's south peak. He and sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the only two to make the summit. Hillary's friend and fellow climber David Breashears says Hillary dedicated much of his life to supporting the Sherpas.
• Remote Calif. Town to Finally Get Phone Service
  Iowa Hill, Calif., a mountain town of about 150 residents, is in a steep, remote location. And with so few customers, phone companies were uninterested in hooking up the town. But thanks to a state grant, Iowa Hill will get a nontraditional microwave land-line service this spring.
• Hollywood's Honorary Mayor Johnny Grant Dies
  Tinsel Town is mourning an elder statesman. Johnny Grant, who died Wednesday at the age of 84, never became a star himself. But the honorary mayor of Hollywood did become a familiar — and beloved — face along one of the world's most famous boulevards.
• TV Shows Add Pricey Effects to Woo Viewers
  The incredibly expensive production costs of The Sarah Connor Chronicles, a new series on Fox, reflect a trend in the industry: rising costs for producing scripted shows in the face of dwindling audiences. Even when the writers strike is resolved, the television industry will not have solved its problems.
• Letters: N.H. Primary, Young Tailor, Merle Haggard
  Robert Siegel and Michele Norris read from our listeners' e-mails. Topics include our coverage of the New Hampshire primary, a tailor's apprentice, and the music and musings of Merle Haggard.
• U.S. Planes Strike Al-Qaida Hideouts Near Baghdad
  U.S. and Iraqi forces are in the midst of "Operation Phantom Phoenix," a wide-scale offensive aimed at eliminating pockets of al-Qaida north and south of Baghdad. The operation involves thousands of troops. U.S. warplanes are also involved. Earlier Thursday, they carried out a major bombing raid on one suspected al-Qaida hideout.
• John Kerry Rallies with Obama in South Carolina
  Barack Obama won the endorsement Thursday of the Democrat's previous presidential nominee, John Kerry. They spoke together in South Carolina, where the Democratic primary is less than two weeks away. Kerry's endorsement was a slight to Hillary Clinton and to John Edwards, Kerry's running mate in 2004.
• Musharraf's Willingness to Cede Power Questioned
  The assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has changed the political landscape in Pakistan, undermining the strength of the opposition. Upcoming parliamentary elections may be losing their significance.
• Mich., S.C., Pose Different Challenges for Romney
  After second-place finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has struggled to get into the pack of Republican presidential front-runners. His family ties could help him in Michigan, but appealing to the GOP's Southern base in South Carolina poses a real challenge.
• Bush in West Bank, Proposes Steps to Peace Deal
  After talks Thursday with Palestinian leaders in the West Bank, President Bush again said he believes a Middle East peace accord could be signed by the time he leaves office, and he had some ideas about what the agreement should stipulate.
• Craven Peddles Low-Budget Films with Deep Roots
  Here's a story about grass-roots filmmaking with no eye toward a Hollywood deal. For his first full-length feature, Jay Craven convinced Michael J. Fox to work for free. And Craven screens his movies himself, driving from community centers to libraries to theaters throughout New England.
• Baseball Fans Can Take Team Spirit to the Grave
  Major League Baseball fanatics can now rest in peace in caskets displaying the logo of their favorite team. Clint Mytych, CEO of Eternal Images in Farmington Hills, Mich., talks with Robert Siegel about Mytych's new line of caskets and urns targeting the ultimate baseball fan.
• Separating Medical Truth from Fiction
  Ever wonder whether all that medical advice your mother gave you was true? Family physician and former Assistant Surgeon General Douglas Kamerow has some answers from a recent investigation of medical beliefs.
• Bernanke Hints at Further Interest Rate Cuts
  Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke came unusually close to guaranteeing interest rate cuts Thursday. In a speech about the housing market, he said the Fed stands ready to act to support economic growth. The financial markets took those words to mean more help is on the way.

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