Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• PoliGraph: Emmer exaggerates impact of health provision
  The new federal health care law has cropped in attack ads, in speeches, and most recently in a three-way debate between the gubernatorial candidates. Republican Tom Emmer said the law is flawed because it's a federal intrusion on state's rights. He said the law includes a lot of surprises unrelated to health care policy.4:49 p.m.
• Among black voters, support for the president, but waning enthusiasm
  In the fall of 2008, some African-American voters said they were excited and moved by the prospect of electing the country's first black president. Now, some of those same people say they still support Barack Obama, but voter enthusiasm among the black community is waning.4:51 p.m.
• Candidates debate issues for control of rural 7th District
  Wednesday's debate is one of only two held in the mostly rural district that covers nearly the entire western half of the state.4:55 p.m.
• For Emmer, focus on jobs means tax cuts, small gov't
  In the first part of a series on the major-party candidates for governor, we profile Republican Tom Emmer, a state representative from Delano who insists that he's the only candidate who would cut taxes and reduce government regulations.5:20 p.m.
• Excessive force verdict against Mpls police breaks pattern of settlements
  Earlier this week, a jury awarded the family of an unarmed man killed by two Minneapolis police officers nearly $1.8 million for using excessive force in the encounter.5:24 p.m.
• NTSB issues report on near miss at MSP
  There's a little more out today about last month's near collision between two airplanes departing the airport in Minneapolis. Here's the initial report from the National Transportation Safety Board.5:51 p.m.
• Big firms cite financial interests in hiring minority suppliers
  Most big companies these days want to boost the number of women- and minority-owned firms they do business with, like Zydeco Design in the Twin Cities, but the reason has more to do with the bottom line than altruism.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• For Army, Preventing Soldier Suicides Starts On Day 1
  The Army says 79 percent of suicides occur within the first three years of service, whether soldiers have been deployed or not. The trend points to major transitions within the soldier's life as one of the main causes.
• Man Charged In Alleged D.C. Subway Bomb Plot
  Federal authorities have charged a Virginia man with plotting to bomb the Metro subway system in the Washington, D.C., area. The man, Farooque Ahmed, is said to have tried to assist people he believed were members of al-Qaida. Authorities say the public was not in danger at any time. Michele Norris talks to NPR's Dina Temple-Raston.
• Money Has Poured Into Colorado's Senate Race
  A campaign finance policy think tank says outside groups have spend nearly $30 million on the tight contest between Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet and Republican Ken Buck, making it one of the most expensive in the nation.
• Supreme Court OKs Foreign Lethal Injection Drug
  The regimen previously upheld by the court includes injection with a dose of FDA-approved sodium thiopental. But in recent months, the sole U.S. manufacturer of the drug has been unable to meet demand, leaving death penalty states scrambling to find alternatives.
• A Look At The Next Crop Of Potential House Leaders
  Republicans expecting to take control of the House next week may dream of repealing health care and slashing spending, but given the president's veto pen (among other obstacles), they're likely to achieve more as oversight watchdogs. And who will these new overseers be? From Darrell Issa on the Oversight Committee, to Dave Camp at Ways and Means, to Lamar Smith at Judiciary, expect to see investigations launched and Cabinet secretaries called in to testify. But wait -- there is a potential obstacle for some of the new chairmen: House GOP rules say you can only serve three consecutive terms as chairman or ranking member.
• Senate Leadership Roles May Shift After Midterms
  NPR's Michele Norris talks to Politico congressional correspondent Manu Raju about a possible shuffle in Senate leadership positions after the midterm election.
• With Oil Set To Flow, Ghana Ponders The Future
  Off the coast of Ghana, crude oil is expected to begin flowing from new finds by the end of the year. But with the hope of profits for the West African nation come worries that oil production will harm the environment. Local fishermen already complain that their catch is down.
• Book Review: 'The Turquoise Ledge'
  Author Leslie Marmon Silko is a successful novelist and story writer. Now, she's published a memoir describing her Native American heritage and experiences growing up and living in the Southwest U.S.
• A Common Thread: Music Of Spain And Mexico
  When Spain invaded the Americas in the 15th century, the cultural collision caused reverberations on both sides of the Atlantic. A new recording by Jordi Savall and Tembembe Ensamble Continuo turns an ear to the musical results of that clash.
• Question Marks Surround Key Election Advertiser
  Conservative strategists describe the Commission on Hope, Growth & Opportunity as one of three important advertisers in the Republican drive to win a big House majority. But the group isn't a formal political committee. And it doesn't say anything -- in public, at least -- about promoting GOP candidates.

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