Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Top EPA scientist describes new attitude at agency
  President Barack Obama has said his administration will put a new emphasis on science as it takes power and begins to shape the nation's policy. The Environmental Protection Agency's top scientist was in Minnesota today to talk about that change.4:50 p.m.
• Playwright tries to focus in a distracted world
  These days we can be hyper-connected to what's going on, whether it's through mp3s, Facebook or Twitter. A new play opening this weekend in Minneapolis asks, in a world where we have access to so much information, how do we choose what's really important?4:54 p.m.
• Tough sledding for Minnesota industries
  Minnesota's two major snowmobile and ATV manufacturers are cutting expenses as they react to a drop in consumer spending on recreational vehicles.5:20 p.m.
• Same job, smaller paycheck
  As the economy continues to struggle, more U.S. companies are cutting employee pay. It's a business tactic rarely seen since the Great Depression.5:24 p.m.
• U of M medical school reorganizes; dean out by summer
  A reorganization will put the Dean of the University of Minnesota Medical School out of a job by this summer.5:50 p.m.
• Twin Cities restaurateur raises money for food shelves at Super Bowl
  Superbowl Sunday is almost here. It's a day for sports, sure, but also for snacks. But none of us will be eating as well this weekend as Wayne Kostroski. For the last 16 years, Kostroski has organized a superbowl feast featuring top chefs from all 31 NFL cities. He's the co-founder of Cuisine Concepts, based in Edina, which owns Bar Abaline, Tejas and the Franklin Street Bakery.5:53 p.m.
• Recipe: Clam and Corn Chowder
  Canton, Ohio, chef Micheal Meffe offers this comfort food recipe as part of the Taste of the NFL benefit for food shelves in NFL cities across the country.5:58 p.m.
• Recipe: Chicken and Pomegranate Chili
  Arizona Chef Eddie Matney's recipe for Chicken and Pomegranate Chili with Chickpea Polenta Cakes5:59 p.m.
• NewsCut on Campus: MCTC
  Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Collins continues his multi-week "college tour" to hear how students are dealing with the economic downturn. This week, Bob introduces us to students from Minneapolis Community and Technical College.6:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Obama Gives Keynes His First Real-World Test
  British economist John Maynard Keynes believed government spending could pull an economy out of recession. After deficits ballooned in the 1970s, his ideas were widely discredited. Now, with the Obama administration's $825 billion stimulus plan, Keynesian economics gets its first real-world test.
• Iraqi Candidates Hit Old-Fashioned Campaign Trail
  The relative lack of violence in Iraq has allowed a new kind of campaigning ahead of Saturday's provincial elections. The streets of Baghdad are festooned with political posters, and candidates, in the thousands, are hitting the campaign trail for retail politicking.
• Serotonin Boost Turns Locusts Into Social Swarms
  New research shows that the common brain chemical serotonin triggers gregarious, swarming behavior in locusts. The study, published in Science, says that when the normally solitary insects come together, the sight, smell and touch of other locusts causes a spike in serotonin levels, turning them into social creatures.
• GOP In Balancing Act As Obama Reaches Out
  Congressional Republicans find themselves on the receiving end of a White House charm offensive right now. Conversations with a new and popular president may keep even an out-of-power party newsworthy. But disagreeing on policy without being disagreeable in tone poses challenges for the GOP.
• Grassley Weighs In On Stimulus Package
  The $825 billion economic stimulus package passed the House of Representatives Wednesday without a single GOP vote. It now goes to the Senate where the finance committee adopted a suggestion from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to include an additional $70 billion in tax cuts. Grassley offers his insight.
• Reporter Talks About Frozen Homeless Man
  Charlie LeDuff of The Detroit News received a tip about the location of the body of a homeless man lying frozen in an abandoned building. The body lay there for perhaps a month, seen by people but not reported. LeDuff told authorities of the body's location and wrote about the story.
• Despite Losses, Ford Rejects Federal Loans
  Ford Motor Co. lost nearly $6 billion in the last quarter of 2008, and burned through $5.5 billion in cash. The company insists, however, it will not need to tap federal bridge loans. The company is optimistic it can take a different path to recovery than Chrysler and GM.
• Ford Worker Copes With Uncertainty
  Troy and Brandy Foote got married in September and now care for 12 children, including four each from previous marriages. Troy Foote has worked at a Ford plant outside Kansas City, Mo., for 15 years, but hours have been cut back as has overtime.
• Letters: Economic Crisis
  Listeners respond to the coverage of the economic crisis with both criticisms and recommendations. Robert Siegel and Michele Norris read from listeners' comments.
• Tainted Peanut Product Recalls, Illnesses Grow
  More companies are recalling products containing peanuts since the government them to an outbreak of salmonella now tied to the deaths of eight people. More than 430 products have been pulled from shelves so far, and nearly 500 illnesses have been linked to the outbreak.

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