Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Wood products industry layoffs create ripples of pain
  Home construction and real estate agents may have been the first wave of people to lose out from the mortgage crisis. Now, the Ainsworth mill in Bemidji has shuttered its facility and 140 are out of work.12:35 a.m.
• Few women are judges on the U.S. Courts of Appeals
  If you lose your case in a Minnesota federal court, you can appeal to the Eighth Circuit, based in St. Louis. There, you'll only find one woman judge, Diana Murphy.1:47 a.m.
• MPR's Michael Barone talks pipe organs and Pipe Dreams
  Organ music lovers are rabid, but that's not my word, that's Michael Barone's. Our colleague here at Classical Minnesota Public Radio should know. He's one of the rabid ones.2:20 a.m.
• USDA study confirms link between ethanol by-product and E. coli
  A U.S. Agriculture Department study shows a significant increase of potentially harmful E. coli bacteria in cattle that are fed an ethanol by-product known as distiller's grain.2:50 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Levi Stubbs, Four Tops Lead Singer, Dies
  Levi Stubbs, lead singer of the Four Tops, has died at the age of 72. The Motown star's hits included "Baby I Need Your Loving," "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" and "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)."
• Letters: 'Joe the Plumber'
  Many letters from listeners have been about a certain plumber named Joe. That's 'Joe the Plumber,' of course, and many listeners didn't think the coverage yesterday was appropriate, or funny.
• Stevens Testifies At Trial
  Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has testified in his own defense at his corruption trial in Washington. He denied he knew of any free renovations being done on his home. He said he had arranged a loan to pay for the renovations and intended to pay for everything.
• In Baseball, Red Sox Live To Fight Another Day
  The Boston Red Sox made up a seven-run deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Rays and stay alive in the American League Championships. Sportswriter Stefan Fatsis says the Rays can recover from the loss by focusing on their next game.
• Neb. Safe Haven Law Draws More Than Infants
  Nebraska's new safe haven law allows parents and guardians to drop unwanted children off at a hospital emergency room. Most children dropped off have been over 11. Courtney Anderson, a social worker in the Emergency Department at Immanuel Hospital in Omaha, Neb., says their goal is to support the child, keep them safe and keep the situation as calm as possible.
• Chicago Eyes Layoffs Amid Meltdown
  Cities — like many of the people who live in them — are struggling to make ends meet as the economy sours. Chicago's budget shortfall for next year is nearly $500 million. To close that gap, Mayor Richard Daley plans to lay off close to 1,000 city workers.
• Obama's Evolution From Organizer To Politician
  Barack Obama says he got his best education as a community organizer in Chicago, where his aim was to turn grievances into action. Lessons learned during that time can be seen in his run for president.
• Economic Woes Hit County Budgets Hard
  County budgets are down across the nation. In King County, Wash., home to Seattle, executive Ron Sims has announced that as many as 255 jobs could be eliminated.
• With Revenues Shrinking, Mass. Cuts Services
  Massachusetts has watched its tax revenues shrink in response to the slow economy. Now Gov. Deval Patrick has proposed painful cuts to state services.
• Week In Politics Reviewed
  This week, Barack Obama and John McCain had their final debate at Hofstra University in New York. David Brooks of The New York Times says McCain should press the idea of a divided government as both the Senate and the House look likely to have strong Democratic government. E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post says it's difficult for McCain to dig himself out of the hole he's in.
• As Meltdown Unfolds, CNBC Adapts
  CNBC has tripled the number of analysts it has on the air each day, and the financial news channel drew the biggest audience in its history last week. But some worry that CNBC and other channels' intense coverage of the markets is helping to drive some of the broad swings in stock values.
• For Next President, Historic Power Over Economy
  : The next president will lead a country gripped by the worst financial turmoil in generations. But he will also assume more direct control over the economy than his recent predecessors and may have the opportunity to reshape it.
• Next President Faces Growing Crisis In Afghanistan
  When a new administration takes over in January, it will face challenging and overlapping problems in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan, two countries that are critical to U.S. national security. The conflict in Afghanistan, once called "the forgotten war," has been escalating in recent months.
• West Virginia Voters Wrestle With Race, Rumors
  Though Barack Obama lost West Virginia's primary to Hillary Clinton by a wide margin, recent polls show the Democrat is now running neck-and-neck with Republican John McCain in the state. Still, some residents are struggling with supporting a black presidential candidate.
• The First Black Woman To Run For President
  The congresswoman from New York launched a spirited campaign in 1972 for the Democratic nomination. Chisholm said she ran for the office, despite the hopeless odds, to challenge the status quo.

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