Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Macy's makeover of Marshall Field's continues
  It's been one year since Macy's made its Marshall Field's stores into Macy's stores. The retailer has had a tough time selling Minnesota shoppers on Macy's, especially shoppers who still long for the glory days of Dayton's.4:50 p.m.
• Getting back on the bus
  Traffic congestion has not been as big a problem as many predicted in the metro area. But there has been a sharp increase in one kind of vehicle on Minnesota roads the last couple of days: the big yellow school bus.4:54 p.m.
• Giuliani touts electability during Minnesota stop
  The former mayor of New York City breezed through Minnesota, shaking hands at a St. Paul cafe, sharing coffee with a few patrons and then heading off to a fundraiser at a country club in the suburbs.5:20 p.m.
• Italian tenor Pavarotti dies at age 71
  Pavarotti's charismatic personna and ebullient showmanship - but most of all his creamy and powerful voice - made him the most beloved and celebrated tenor since the great Caruso and one of the few opera singers to win crossover fame as a popular superstar.5:50 p.m.
• Pavarotti remembered
  Luciano Pavarotti is being remembered Thursday for his musical gifts and his charisma. The acclaimed voice of the Italian tenor was silenced this morning. Pavarotti died in his hometown in Modena, Italy. He was 71 yard old, and had been suffering from pancreatic cancer.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Iraqis Flood Refugee Center as Syria Changes Policy
  Syria has long offered an open door to its neighbors in Iraq who want to flee the war. It's the only country to allow Iraqis in without a visa, and more than 1.5 million refugees have taken advantage of that. But the numbers have placed huge burdens on Syria's economy and social structure, so Syria is about to change the policy.
• A Bit of Luciano to Remember Him By
  There have been many tributes to the late Italian tenor, but instead of reviewing them, we commemorate Luciano Pavarotti by playing one of his performances: "Vesti la Giubba" from the opera I Pagliacci.
• Pavarotti's Death Gets Little Attention in Italy
  Despite the worldwide attention paid to the death of Luciano Pavarotti, his passing has received little attention in Italy. Many Italians saw the star as a buffoon, who sold out to commercialism. Meanwhile, preparations are under way for the burial of the tenor in his hometown of Modena.
• GAO Report Criticizes Homeland Security
  The Government Accountability Office criticizes the performance of the Department of Homeland Security in its report, which says that since DHS opened in 2003, it has failed to achieve more than half of the things it has been assigned to do.
• Strategies for Teens with Depression
  Dr. Benjamin Shain, a child/adolescent psychiatrist and assistant professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, wrote a study on suicide in adolescents and offers strategies for parents and doctors.
• Study: Anti-Depressants Lower Teen Suicide Rates
  An analysis of teen suicide rates in different countries shows that in 2003 and 2004, when fewer teens used anti-depressants, suicide rates rose sharply. The new study provides the most direct evidence so far that, on balance, anti-depressants lower suicide rates among teens.
• 'Jones Report' Offers New Insight for Analysts
  Thursday's so-called "Jones Report," an analysis of Iraqi security forces commissioned by Congress, details "uneven progress." Retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert Scales says the best finding in the report comes with its contrasting assessments of Iraq's police and military forces.
• Jones Report Calls for Reducing U.S. Troops in Iraq
  A new report from a panel headed by retired Gen. James Jones calls for significantly downsizing the U.S. force in Iraq and changing its mission. It's another critical report leading up to Gen. David Petraeus' appearance before Congress on Monday and Tuesday.
• Letters: Serial Rapist, Football Upset, Coal Music
  Michele Norris and Melissa Block read from listeners' e-mails. Topics include reaction to a story about serial rapist Brent Brents, the upset football victory of Appalachian State over Michigan, and "The Music of Coal."
• U.S.-Backed Colombian Army Rife with Corruption
  Colombia's most powerful drug-trafficking cartel and rebels from the largest guerrilla group have infiltrated the highest levels of the armed forces — paying an admiral, at least two generals and other officers for information to help them avoid capture, according to the military and other government officials.
• Study May Tie Food Additives to Hyperactivity
  Some parents have suspected for years that certain additives or colorings in processed food seem to have an effect on their children's attentiveness and behavior. Now, a study in the medical journal Lancet suggests that there might be something to that theory.
• Obstacles Limit Flow of Iraqis into United States
  Iraqi refugees trying to come to the United States face roadblocks. Since October, only 719 people have been admitted, even though the United States pledged earlier this year to accept 7,000, says Kristele Younes of the group Refugees International.
• Fred Thompson's 'Last Best Chance' at Office?
  In the docu-drama Last Best Chance — created to help spread the word about the risk of ill-secured nuclear materials — Fred Thompson stars in a role he's prepping himself for in real life.
• Fred Thompson Kicks Off Campaign in Iowa
  Having finally announced his presidential candidacy, Fred Thompson begins a four-state campaign swing in Iowa, a key primary state. The actor and former senator was on everyone's mind during Wednesday night's Republican debate in New Hampshire — which Thompson skipped.
• Stockton Suffers Among Top U.S. Foreclosure Rates
  Stockton, Calif., has one of the biggest foreclosure rates in the country, according to RealtyTrac. Art Godi, a longtime Realtor there and former president of the National Association of Realtors, talks with Michele Norris.

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