All Things Considered for February 25, 2008 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Monday, February 25, 2008

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

House and Senate override governor's veto
A $6.6 billion transportation bill is now law after both the Minnesota House and Senate voted for the first time to override a veto from Gov. Tim Pawlenty.5:19 p.m.
Van driver's boyfriend and vehicle pulled over a month earlier
The woman charged with crashing into a school bus and killing four students last week in southwestern Minnesota has been identified as Olga Marina Franco, 24 of Guatemala.5:46 p.m.
50 years of social satire at Brave New Workshop
When it opened 50 years ago, the Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis was one of the first theaters for improv sketch comedy and social satire in the nation. But can anybody remain Brave and New for 50 years?5:49 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Afghan Farmers Turn to Cannabis as Cash Crop
Frustrated by government raids on opium poppy crops, more and more Afghan farmers are turning to a lucrative alternative that's just as illegal: cannabis, the source of marijuana and hashish. The new crop has taken hold in Kandahar province.
Elmer Gantry, a Flawed Preacher for the Ages
Elmer Gantry, the traveling evangelist who loved whiskey, women and wealth, was conceived by Sinclair Lewis in a best-selling 1927 novel and continues to resonate with modern audiences.
Watching Peru's Oceans for Cholera Cues
Warming oceans were behind Peru's cholera outbreaks in the 1990s, and global warming may cause future outbreaks. Some scientists in Peru are closely watching microscopic marine life, hoping to catch an outbreak before it begins.
After Turkish Incursion, Both Sides Bury Dead
Four days into the largest Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq in a decade, Turkey has already begun holding funerals for its soldiers killed in action in Iraq. Meanwhile, Kurdish nationalists demonstrated and held a moment of silence for slain guerrillas.
New York Philharmonic Set for North Korea Show
The New York Philharmonic will perform Tuesday at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre in Pyongyang, North Korea. The concert represents an historic occasion, as a prominent U.S. cultural institution visits an isolated nation.
In Ohio, Delegates May Hinge on Job Issues
What does it take to win Ohio? Robert Siegel talks with Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Connie Schultz about the upcoming Ohio Primary. Labor and NAFTA loom large. And tempers seem to be on edge as the primaries near.
Letters: The Democratic Contest, and Cockroaches
Robert Siegel and Melissa Block read from listener e-mails about Friday's program. We hear criticism of a story on Texas voters watching a Democratic debate, and of our roundup of political ads. There's also praise for stories on candidates' health care plans and a Turkmen cockroach.
Taking the Pain Out of Cooking with Onions
Cooks who love onions but hate what the vegetables can do to their eyes may soon find relief, thanks to a group of scientists in New Zealand. The team says it has genetically altered an onion so it's missing an enzyme that's essential for an onion's pungent punch.
Dennis Letts, Father of Tracy Letts, Dies at 73
Dennis Letts was a retired professor and actor who made his Broadway debut this season in his son Tracy's acclaimed production of August: Osage County. Robert Siegel spoke to both father and son in late December on this program. Dennis Letts, who died Friday of cancer, was 73.
Turning 'Peter and the Wolf' into an Oscar Winner
Melissa Block talks with Oscar winner Hugh Welchman. He produced Peter and the Wolf, which won Best Animated Short. The film retells Prokofiev's story in stop-motion animation, with only the orchestral music for narration.