Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Jon Hallberg talks on the new tobacco bill signed by Obama
  President Obama has signed legislation that will place more federal restrictions on tobacco. Dr. Jon Hallberg, our regular medical analyst, stopped by to talk more about the bill.4:45 p.m.
• Ash borer pesticide has birders concerned
  The discovery of the emerald ash borer in St. Paul has not only gotten tree lovers concerned about their trees, it's also prompting bird lovers to worry about what the chemicals used to treat the trees might do to their favorite animals.5:20 p.m.
• Teach For America program expands to Twin Cities
  A national teaching program that targets low-income school districts announced on Tuesday it will expand its program to the Twin Cities.5:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Wisconsin Faces Tough Budget Choices
  Wisconsin faces a $6.6 billion state budget deficit over the next two years. To deal with the shortfall, the governor has proposed an income tax increase for people who earn more than $225,000 a year and reducing the state's capital gains tax exemption. The holdup now is over how to pay for roads.
• Washington State Makes Painful Budget Cuts
  Washington State faced a $9 billion deficit this year. It managed to close the gap by a number of painful decisions. Major cuts were made to higher education and health care for the poor.
• In U.K., 'I Before E' No More
  "I before e, except after c." It's a hallowed spelling rule that's been passed on from teacher to student the world over. Now, teachers in Britain are being told to stop because there are too many exceptions. Ben Schott, blogger and author of Schott's Miscellany 2008: An Almanac, offers his insight.
• Tehran Quieter, But Tension Persists
  After nearly two weeks of postelection unrest that pitted hundreds of thousands of protesters against anti-riot forces, the streets of Iran's capital have quieted down. But New York Times columnist Roger Cohen says the crowds may have ebbed, but the "smoldering anger" has not.
• Tape Reveals Nixon's Views On Abortion
  President Nixon reacted privately to the Supreme Court's 1973 decision legalizing abortion by saying he believed some abortions were necessary, as in cases of rape. The president's thoughts were caught on his Oval Office recording device and released to the public Tuesday, 36 years after the tape was made.
• S.C. Governor Criticized For Mystery Trip
  For four days, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford did not check in with his staff or state officials. On Monday, his office revealed he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer tells NPR Sanford should be accessible at "all times in case of having to make very difficult decisions."
• Metro Was Warned Over Aging Fleet
  Transportation safety authorities say they had warned Washington's Metro system to upgrade its old subway cars, but the transit system did not do so. The age of the equipment is one aspect of the investigation into Monday's crash in which one train smashed into the rear of another stationary train. At least nine people were killed.
• Democrats Occupy New York Senate Chamber
  The battle continues in the New York State Senate, where Democrats actually locked themselves into the chamber Tuesday afternoon to prevent the Republicans from taking control. They say they will let Republicans in before the special session ordered by Gov. David Paterson.
• 'Tonight Show' Sidekick Ed McMahon Dies
  Ed McMahon died early Tuesday morning at the age of 86. From 1962 to 1992, he introduced Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show. Then, after the monologue, he sat next to Carson's desk and laughed at his jokes.
• Obama Ups Iran Rhetoric
  In the fourth formal news conference of his presidency, President Obama said he was "appalled and outraged" by Iran's violent reaction to protests, but he resisted describing potential consequences for the regime's actions. Obama also talked about the cost of health care reform and the role of a public insurance plan.
• Shape Of Health Care Overhaul Unclear
  Debate is intensifying in Washington over the Obama administration's health care ambitions. While President Obama has made it clear he wants to use the power of the federal government to make health care available and affordable for all Americans, what exactly such a plan would look like is less clear.
• Letters: Cuyahoga River
  A rest to the controversy over the pronunciation of Northeast Ohio's Cuyahoga River. Melissa Block and Robert Siegel read from listeners' e-mails.
• Giving Ed McMahon His Due
  Commentator Jake Halpern was disappointed the one time he met Johnny Carson. That's because Ed McMahon wasn't there.
• Rachmaninov Reawakened In Preludes
  Critic Tom Manoff reviews a new recording of Rachmaninov's preludes by pianist Steven Osborne, who opts for innocence over opulence, giving each of the 24 preludes its own distinct and compelling character.
• Moby Returns With A Thoughtful Vengeance
  A full decade after his landmark album Play, techno musician Moby has released an album called Wait for Me. Music critic Robert Christgau thinks it's almost worthy of its great predecessor.

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