Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• DFL leaders call for overhaul of state development agency
  DFL legislative leaders are blaming a lack of jobs, and the agency responsible for job creation, for the state's staggering projected $5.2 billion budget deficit.5:20 p.m.
• Wal-Mart to pay $54.25 million to settle Minn. lawsuit
  Retail giant Wal-mart has agreed to a $54 million settlement of a class-action lawsuit filed by workers in Minnesota. The settlement ends a long-running case in which the employees had accused Wal-mart of denying them pay for time worked and violating other work rules.5:24 p.m.
• Dealing with diuretics
  The Minnesota Vikings' are preparing for this Sunday's away game against the Arizona Cardinals, but whether the "Williams Wall" will be allowed to play is still unclear. Our regular medical analyst, Dr. Jon Hallberg, deals with this issue often.5:50 p.m.
• Minnesota students fare well in global comparison
  A new study finds that Minnesota students perform well in math and science compared to students in other countries.5:54 p.m.
• Dead Sea Scrolls coming to Minnesota
  A renowned piece of antiquity will be coming to Minnesota. The "Dead Sea Scrolls" will be on display at the Science Museum of Minnesota in early 2010.6:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• 10-Year-Old Makes Plea To Interview Obama
  Since September, Damon Weaver has been creatively finding ways to get Obama's attention for an interview — even enlisting Miami Heat basketball players' help. The fifth-grader from Pahokee, Fla., who has interviewed Joe Biden and Caroline Kennedy, tells NPR what he would ask Obama first.
• Thousands In Las Vegas Seek Mortgage Workouts
  Tens of thousands of homeowners in Las Vegas would love to have their mortgage loans modified to reduce their monthly payments. But despite many programs designed to help lenders and borrowers strike a deal, it's not happening quickly enough to stop the rapid erosion of home prices in Las Vegas.
• Death's Absence, Writ Large And Small
  Two new novels explore the consequences of a personified Death who fails to perform expected duties. Jonathan Carroll's The Ghost in Love focuses on an individual saved from Death, while Jose Saramago's Death with Interruptions examines an entire nation.
• Ill. Governor Arrested On Corruption Charges
  Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been arrested on charges of plotting to sell an appointment to Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat. Prosecutors say Blagojevich, a Democrat, was heard telling associates the Senate appointment is "a valuable thing — you just don't give it away for nothing."
• Will Blagojevich Arrest Affect Obama?
  President-elect Barack Obama comes from the same city and state as Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and it was the Obama seat in the Senate that Blagojevich is accused of trying to sell. Is it possible this scandal will leave the new president unsinged?
• With Arrest, Blagojevich Joins Other Ill. Governors
  Gov. Rod Blagojevich is the latest in a string of modern Illinois governors who have run afoul of the law. He follows in the footsteps of George H. Ryan, Daniel Walker and Otto Kerner.
• House Panel: Fannie, Freddie Ignored Warnings
  The top executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have appeared on Capitol Hill to answer questions about why they ignored warnings that they were taking too many risks. The House Oversight Committee released e-mails showing that the two mortgage giants ignored warnings that they stay away from riskier loans.
• Texas Residents Watch Hurricane Ike Debris Mount
  It has been almost three months since Hurricane Ike roared ashore and left a hulking pile of debris along a 30-mile stretch of the Texas coastline. As the state and federal government squabble over who will pay to remove it, residents are getting frustrated.
• Should FEMA Be A Standalone Agency?
  The Federal Emergency Management Agency could look much different under the Obama administration. Although it is part of the Department of Homeland Security, some feel it would run better as a standalone agency that deals directly with the president. Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who shares this view, offers his insight.
• S.C. Governor Opposes Obama Infrastructure Plan
  South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford has expressed several reservations about president-elect Barack Obama's proposal to invest billions of dollars for infrastructure projects to stimulate the economy. He says it gives the federal government too much power.

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