Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• The diva and the ghost writer
  Minneapolis author George Rabasa's new novel, "The Wonder Singer," explores love, opera and the agony of writing.4:50 p.m.
• David Wellstone talks about Wellstone Act
  President Bush signed the $700 billion dollar financial rescue package into law today. But, the Wall Street bailout bill also carried the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act into law. To talk more about the bill we talked to David Wellstone, son of Minnnesota's late U.S. Senator, Paul Wellstone.5:20 p.m.
• Petters arrested in fraud investigation
  Twin Cities businessman Tom Petters was arrested and jailed today on charges he defrauded investors of more than a billion dollars.5:24 p.m.
• Are Minneapolis crime statistics evident on the street?
  Minneapolis city officials say efforts to reduce violent crime by young people are paying off. Friday, members of a youth violence prevention task force released numbers that show that, except for homicide, violent crime involving teens has dipped sharply over the last two years. But those decreases are not being felt everywhere in Minneapolis.5:50 p.m.
• Welcoming the fall colors of Minnesota
  It should be a good weekend for enjoying the fall colors -- and by many accounts this year's display is one of the best in a long time. Tom Crann talked to Northwest Region DNR Parks Resource Specialist Chris Weir-Koetter about what's making this season's leaves so stunning.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Washington Mutual Executive Predicted Collapse
  William Longbrake served as chief financial officer for the failed savings and loan from 1982 until 2002. Longbrake says he started warning management about a housing bubble in 2003. Now, he says the government needs to act to stop irrational panic from making the situation worse.
• Bob Dylan's Latest: A Peek Behind The Curtain
  Tell Tale Signs, the eighth collection of rare and unreleased Dylan recordings, is devoted to the music Dylan made between 1989 and 2006. According to critic Tom Moon, the collection offers rare glimpses into Dylan's artistic process.
• Writer Hampton Transforms 'The Seagull' On Stage
  The latest version of Anton Chekhov's famous play hit Broadway on Thursday. Christopher Hampton, who adapted the play, says he drew on Chekhov's muscular, blunt words for the critically acclaimed production.
• House Passes Financial Bailout Bill
  The House has passed the Treasury's financial rescue plan and President Bush has signed it. The measure's passage marks a turnaround just four days after the House rejected the measure. Many lawmakers switched their votes from no to yes.
• September Job Losses Underscore Depth Of Crisis
  Job losses mounted in the September unemployment report. The Labor Department says businesses cut 159,000 jobs from their payrolls. That's a lot worse than in July and August, a trend that has many economists concerned.
• In Texas, A Search For Hurricane Ike's Victims
  More than 400 people have been reported missing in the wake of Hurricane Ike. Search teams are combing a wildlife refuge in Chambers County, Texas, where tons of debris was blown. This weekend, they'll bring in cadaver dogs and conduct a thorough exploration.
• Wells Fargo Buys Wachovia
  Wells Fargo has stunned financial markets by announcing a merger with Wachovia. Wachovia was involved in a government-brokered deal with Citigroup earlier in the week. The Wells Fargo deal puts the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in an awkward position.
• Study: 'Lack Of Control' Plays With Our Minds
  A recent study found that volunteers conditioned to feel a lack of control were more likely to see patterns that didn't exist. Faced with powerlessness, the human mind seems to make up patterns to explain the world around it.
• Week In Politics Reviewed
  David Brooks of The New York Times says the financial bailout shows a fundamental shift toward corporate progressivism. E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post and the Brookings Institution says it will lead to a neo-New Dealism. On the vice presidential debates, Brooks says both candidates had a good night. Dionne says nothing in the debate changed the momentum toward Barack Obama.
• NHL Season Opens In Europe
  The National Hockey League opens its season this weekend in Europe with games in Stockholm, Sweden, and Prague, Czech Republic. Sportswriter Stefan Fatsis says it makes some sense for the NHL to look to expand its audience beyond U.S. borders.

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