Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• A dance explores comfort, intimacy and justice
  A new dance premiering in Minneapolis this weekend explores what it means to hold, to be held, and the consequences of holding on too tightly to something, whether it's a person or an idea.4:44 p.m.
• Census: suburban population boom slows
  U.S. Census figures released Thursday show that the explosive growth in Minnesota's outer-ring suburbs is slowing.5:19 p.m.
• Coal gasification financing still elusive, despite help from carbon concerns
  Financing remains elusive for Excelsior Energy's 600-megawatt coal gasification plant on Minnesota's Iron Range, despite a tail wind from concerns about carbon.5:23 p.m.
• St Cloud lawmaker reacts to area bridge closure
  MPR's Tom Crann speaks with state Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R-St. Cloud after MNDoT closes Highway 23 DeSoto bridge with bent gusset plates.5:48 p.m.
• Officials weigh next steps for the DeSoto Bridge
  After closing of the main Mississippi River closings in St. Cloud, state transportation officials are working through their options to fix or replace the DeSoto bridge.6:19 p.m.
• Jon Hassler, author of 'Staggerford,' dies
  Famed Minnesota novelist Jon Hassler has died. Hassler, 74, had suffered from Parkinson disease. He had a string of novels to his name, many of them examining the intricacies of life in small Minnesota towns. As word spreads of his passing Hassler is being remembered both for his writing and his teaching.6:23 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Addressing Listeners' Economic Concerns
  Keeping up with the fast pace of recent economic news and understanding the ramifications of this week's developments is no easy task. Laurence Meyer, vice chairman of Macroeconomic Advisers, talks with Michele Norris, Robert Siegel and Adam Davidson.
• Bangladesh Cited for Human Rights Violations
  Several hundred businessmen and politicians, including the former prime minister, have been detained since the president of Bangladesh declared a state of emergency 14 months ago.
• China Shutters Town Bordering Tibet
  Residents of Litang — which is 90 percent ethnically Tibetan — are living in fear of the government's tightening control as shops are closed and the use of cars is banned. Simon Elegant, Beijing Bureau Chief for Time magazine talks with Robert Siegel.
• Pa. Mayors' Primary Picks Transcend Race
  Philadelphia's Mayor Michael Nutter has endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY). Lancaster's Mayor Rick Gray is backing Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL). One month ahead of the contest, near-record numbers of voters are registering and a recent poll gives Clinton a 12-point lead.
• Letters: Rev. Otis Moss
  Listener comments about Tuesday's program include reaction to the interview with the Rev. Otis Moss, the pastor who succeeded the Rev. Jeremiah Wright at Barack Obama's longtime church in Chicago. The senator has been under fire for Wright's inflammatory sermons.
• Little Sympathy for Bear Stearns
  Even in the cutthroat world of high finance, Bear Stearns stood out. Did hubris at the powerhouse that helped create the market for risky mortgage-backed securities help bring it to ruin?
• Oscar-Winning Actor Paul Scofield Dies
  Paul Scofield died Tuesday in a hospital near his home in southern England. He had leukemia. Scofield, 86, was best known for his Oscar-winning role as Sir Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons. But his real domain was the stage.
• Small Businesses Squeezed by Credit Crunch
  The credit crunch doesn't just affect Wall Street. Across the country, smaller businesses are also struggling to get loans. Some have put off expansion plans as a result; others are paying much more for the loans they need to do business.
• Web Sites Let Bibliophiles Share Books Virtually
  Bookish people may not be known for their social skills, but a crop of social-networking Web sites aimed at bibliophiles are allowing readers to connect with the page — and with each other — in a brand new "virtual" environment.
• Politics Roundtable: Race, Documents, Mideast Gaffe
  Sparking discussion this week: Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) speech on race; the release of Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) schedules as first lady; and Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) miscue on Iran's training of militants. The Weekly Standard's Matthew Continetti and the Brookings Institution's E.J. Dionne Jr. talk with Robert Siegel.
• Confessions of a Modern-Day Dandy
  Sebastian Horsley has lived a life of decadence for over twenty years. He recently penned a memoir about his experiences called Dandy in the Underworld. Now he answers the question: What does it mean to be a modern dandy?
• FCC Auctions Off Airwaves
  The FCC auctions off a huge new chunk of the airwaves for wireless communication. Verizon Wireless bought the best part of the airwaves, known as the "C" block. AT&T also purchased some of the spectrum.
• Math Major Explains Method to March Madness
  Neil Goodson and Colin Stevenson, two math majors at the College of Charleston, are using a class project to predict who will win this year's NCAA basketball tournament. Goodson talks with Robert Siegel about their work and how their computer models filled out the brackets.
• Obama Turns Embarrassment into Opportunity
  The theme of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's speech on Tuesday was that America can move beyond old racial wounds and not become victims of the past. By addressing concerns about the rhetoric of his former pastor, along with broader themes of race in America, Obama may have strengthened his candidacy.
• Study: Spending Money on Others Makes Us Happy
  A new study, published in the journal Science, suggests that what matters most is not how much money we have but, rather, what we do with it. Spending money on others, it shows, can boost our own happiness.

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