Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Art Hounds: Week of Feb, 11
  "Art Hounds" is a new weekly feature from MPR News. It's a glimpse of what's going on in the regional art scene through the eyes and ears of members of Minnesota's arts community.4:44 p.m.
• U of M exhibit celebrates 200 years of Darwin
  If you've been looking for a way to observe today's 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution, it's not too late. A new exhibit opens this evening at the Bell Museum of Natural History at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.4:50 p.m.
• Lawyers say jury given improper info about Dru Sjodin's killer
  The only death penalty case in Minnesota in nearly a century has entered a crucial phase in federal court in St. Paul.4:54 p.m.
• Minn. officials say stimulus will ease budget pain
  With the U.S. House and Senate expected to vote soon on a $789 billion economic stimulus bill, officials at the Minnesota State Capitol are still trying to figure out what it means for them. Lawmakers held a meeting this afternoon to discuss how the money could be spent.5:20 p.m.
• Conversation leads to controversy between board and band
  Tensions are heating up between St. Louis County Commissioners and the county's two Ojibwe communities. County officials are concerned about a loss of taxable land to the bands, and a band leader is accusing some commissioners of bias.5:24 p.m.
• Same-sex marriage bill gets renewed attention at the Capitol
  A proposal to legalize same-sex marriages in Minnesota is getting renewed attention at the State Capitol, even though one of the bill's authors doesn't expect more than a single hearing.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Big, Bad Business: Hollywood's Corporate Villains
  Movie critic Bob Mondello says we get the villains that are perfect for our time — and when we're feeling jumpy, Hollywood likes to cast big business as the boogeyman.
• Kindles and Drugs In The Pursuit Of Happiness
  Our pursuit of happiness remains both intact and awake. We want the best and we want it now. It's an improvement over the slogan of the last century, "We want the world and we want it now." We don't want the world anymore; we just want the best it has to offer.
• Sen. Gregg Withdraws Commerce Nomination
  President Barack Obama hit the road again Thursday, hoping to cement the deal for his stimulus bill. But while he was in Illinois, his nominee for Commerce secretary, Judd Gregg, withdrew his nomination over "irresolvable conflicts." The GOP senator from New Hampshire cited differences over the stimulus plan.
• NTSB: Canada Geese Caused Hudson Splashdown
  The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday Canada geese disabled the two engines on US Airways flight 1549, forcing the aircraft to land in the Hudson River. Carla Dove, a researcher at the Feather Identification Lab at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, says the information can be used to answer management and engineering questions.
• Tax Expert Breaks Down Stimulus Incentives
  A significant portion of the economic stimulus package is devoted to tax cuts. Clint Stretch, managing principal of tax policy at Deloitte Tax, says the $400 Make Work Pay Credit that workers would get could give the economy a boost.
• States Have Limited Leeway For Stimulus Spending
  The Obama administration wants the economic stimulus money spent fast, and it's relying on states to do much of the spending. But Washington state's stimulus czar says Congress seems to be flagging most of the money for specific uses. That may leave states with less discretion over funds than they had hoped.
• NASA Studies Satellite Collision Over Siberia
  NASA is trying to understand the consequences of the collision in space of two large satellites. A NASA spokesman says it is possible that the debris resulting from the collision could hit nearby satellites and spacecraft, including the International Space Station.
• From St. Louis, A View Of Stimulus
  Reaction is mixed in St. Louis on the $790 billion economic stimulus package. Some say they are not very optimistic. Others hope it will give a boost to their battered retirement account. There is also hope that it will give the housing sector a boost.
• As Calif. Nears Budget Deal, DMV Under Stress
  California lawmakers appear to be on the verge of a deal to fix the state's massive $42 billion budget deficit. As the state runs out of money, it has closed many of its offices twice a month, resulting in unpaid furloughs for 200,000 state workers, including those at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
• Court Rules Against Vaccines-Autism Claims
  The U.S. Court of Federal Claims ruled Thursday against families who claimed a link between vaccines and autism. The claimants say they should be compensated under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Doctors are praising the ruling.
• Immigrant Detention Centers Face Opposition
  The immigration crackdown of recent years has been possible, in part, because the Bush administration has greatly expanded its detention space. This is set to continue in next year's budget, with new centers planned in several states. But some are meeting local resistance.
• Letters: Immigration, Video Store, Pomegranate
  Listeners responded to the story on the country's overburdened immigration system, the Montana video store saved by a happy customer, and the Pomegranate's harmonica function.
• Details Still Sparse On Stimulus Bill
  The House and the Senate agreed Thursday on a $790 billion economic stimulus package. The deal provides about 35 percent in tax cuts and 65 percent in spending, along with billion in aid to the states, as well as a tax cut for most working families. Few other details are forthcoming, however.
• Examining Darwin On His 200th Anniversary
  The work of Charles Darwin, who was born 200 years ago Thursday, transformed our understanding of life on Earth and underpins the whole of modern biology. His work challenged just about everything the Victorians believed in.
• Lincoln's Manuscripts Reveal A Constant Reviser
  Abraham Lincoln changed the way leaders talk to the American people, says author Harold Holzer, editor of In Lincoln's Hand, a collection of the 16th president's manuscripts. Lincoln used simple language to speak to a broader audience, and the documents reflect his efforts to find the right words.

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