All Things Considered for February 18, 2009 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

Standoff over in Mahnomen; deputy still critical
A Mahnomen County sheriff's deputy was in critical condition Wednesday after being shot several times in an incident that sparked a nine-hour standoff with police and locked down an area in this northwestern Minnesota town.4:50 p.m.
St. Cloud seniors miss the newspaper's bridge column
Many newspapers have cut back print space to deal with the economic downturn. At the St. Cloud Times, the newspaper decided to eliminate the column devoted to bridge, the card game. Many seniors are upset and they want the bridge column back on the paper.4:54 p.m.
GOP plan would cut pay for state politicians
A group of Republicans in the Minnesota House and Senate want lawmakers and constitutional officers to take a 5 percent pay cut.5:20 p.m.
Levels of mercury in pike and walleye increasing
Data shows that mercury levels are increasing in pike and walleye in Minnesota over the last 20 years.5:24 p.m.
Homebuilders, suppliers have mixed reaction to stimulus bill
Minnesota is likely to get billions of dollars from the federal stimulus plan President Obama signed into law yesterday, but exactly how much and where the money will go in the state remains unclear. Still, some businesses say they're already seeing results from the huge federal spending plan, while others doubt they'll see any benefit at all.5:50 p.m.
Stimulus could free up funding for alternative energy projects
The Obama stimulus package has brightened the outlook for wind power and other forms of renewable energy in Minnesota and one of the most helpful features of the legislation may be tax credits designed to boost production.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Report: Forensics Rife With 'Serious Problems'
The National Academy of Sciences calls for the creation of an independent agency to overhaul the nation's forensic science system, saying faulty analyses and a "case by case" courtroom approach may have contributed to wrongful convictions.
Hard-Hit Boomtown Considers Emergency Measures
Only a couple of years ago, Port St. Lucie, on Florida's Atlantic coast, was the fastest-growing city in America. But desperate times have led the county commission to consider declaring itself a disaster area.
Clinton Aims To Build Up U.S.-Indonesia Partnership
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is trying to strengthen ties with Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation. She is visiting the country as part of a swing through Asia to show that the administration of President Barack Obama is eager to reach out to new partners.
Obama Unveils Mortgage-Relief Plan
President Barack Obama unveiled a $75 billion plan Wednesday to help up to 9 million homeowners avoid foreclosure. He made the announcement in suburban Phoenix, which has been badly affected by the real estate crisis.
A Close-Up Look At The Foreclosure Crisis
Broward County, Fla., has been one of the hardest-hit by the real estate slump. Phyllis Brown, a mortgage counselor who works for the Broward County Housing Authority, says her agency receives anywhere from 700 to 800 calls a week from families facing foreclosure.
Wisconsin Car Dealership Hiring Despite Times
A Milwaukee area car dealer says, believe it or not, people are buying his GM cars. He held the second of a two-day job fair Wednesday to try to find dozens of new salesmen and auto techs to staff his dealership.
Va. County Uses Phones To Bring Meetings Home
One county in Virginia has found a new way to reach taxpayers: An automated phone system calls thousands of residents and asks them to participate in school board meetings. It has proven successful.
Coming Soon: Universal Phone Chargers
The mobile phone industry promised Monday to standardize phone chargers by 2012 at a trade association meeting in Barcelona, Spain. Most major handset manufacturers agreed to this, except for Apple.
Little Mention Of Poverty In Public Discourse
Until he had his stimulus bill, President Barack Obama talked little of poverty. He did not make a point of the fact that the plan contains large benefits for the poor in the form of food stamps, services for the homeless and expanded Medicaid coverage.
Maine Lumber Company Switches To Toys
Robbins Lumber watched the market for its clothes-drying racks and other wooden housewares disappear to China. So the 125-year-old Maine company began making wooden toys, hoping to find favor with consumers who are anxious about the safety of Chinese toys.