Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Hospitals pledge 'healthy food in health care'
  Fresh sauteed organically grown kale. Free range, antibiotic-free, oven-roasted chicken. Locally grown apples and Minnesota maple syrup reduced to a simmering sauce. It sounds like a menu at a fine restaurant. But sustainable, locally grown, organic foods like these are showing up in hospitals around the country.4:44 p.m.
• Minnesotans who died in 2007 in Iraq and Afghanistan
  Since the beginning of 2007, 17 people with strong ties to our region have died in hostilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. On New Years Eve 2007, we take a brief look at who they were.4:53 p.m.
• Pipestone's Hiawatha Pageant to close after 60 years
  A summertime play in Pipestone seen by more than a half million people is ending. It's one of several outdoor dramas around the country that have closed in recent years.5:19 p.m.
• FBI renews interest in D.B. Cooper
  The 36-year-old case of D.B. Cooper remains unsolved. The FBI announced Monday it is renewing pursuit of the man who hijacked a Northwest Airlines flight in Washington state back in Nov. 1971. The agency is featuring artists' renderings of Cooper, photographs of evidence and other details of the case.5:23 p.m.
• 'Madness in a bottle' makes a comeback
  For the first time in nearly a century, absinthe is legal in the United States. That means Monday you can party like it's 1899.5:50 p.m.
• Songwriting in earnest
  We've heard how the musicians reacted when they first saw the lyrics to Stephen Burt's "Afternoon Song." This time we check in as they try to turn those words into music.6:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Mississippians Divided on How to Spend Katrina Aid
  There's a debate in Mississippi over how to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money granted after Hurricane Katrina. Advocates for low-income people claim Mississippi is not providing enough of the funds to its poorest residents.
• Kenya's Vote Count, Election Process Scrutinized
  More than 100 people have died in riots sparked by election results in Kenya, and the United States says it's not ready to recognize the winner, President Mwai Kibaki, because of serious concerns with the vote count and a lack of transparency in the process.
• Huckabee Wavers, Then Shows Critical Romney Ad
  Three days before the Iowa caucuses, Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee had an unusual news conference. He had promised to unveil a negative ad about Mitt Romney. But at the conference, Huckabee said he would take the high road by not airing the ad. But then he played it.
• It's Time for 'Locavores' to Shut Up and Eat
  The New Oxford American Dictionary chose "locavore" as its 2007 Word of the Year. Commentator Amy Stewart says it's time to change the subject and end the year of eating locally.
• What's Ahead in 2008
  On this last day of 2007, rather than look back at the year that was, All Things Considered is getting a jump on events to come in 2008. There are the biggies of course: the U.S. presidential election in the fall and the summer Olympics in Beijing. But there are a host of other milestones and commemorations to note.
• NASA Releases Cryptic Airline Safety Study
  NASA on Monday dumped 29,000 lines of raw data onto the Internet to fulfill a promise to release information about the safety of air travel. NASA declined to say what the data meant, but the space agency previously had refused to release the information at all because it feared scaring the public and hurting the aviation industry.
• Edwards in Iowa's Spotlight as Finish Line Nears
  Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards lags in national polls, but he remains very much in the race in Iowa, where he has a tight organization and strong rural support. Will that translate into a top-two finish in Thursday's caucuses, as it did in 2004?
• In 2007, 'Top 10' Doesn't Do Hollywood Justice
  It was a bonanza year for blockbusters — four topped the $300 million mark — but there was a trove of art-house gems, too. Herewith, Bob Mondello's 10 favorite films of 2007, plus an additional baker's dozen that deserve another mention at year's end.
• Report Gives 'Measure of Assurance' on Pakistan
  Here's a bit of good news about Pakistan amid recent chaos: An American Arms Control Association report concludes that there is little reason to worry about Pakistan's nuclear weapons.
• 65 Little Monkeys Chattering in Maui
  From Maui, Hawaii, Lucy Lerner Wormser brings us the sounds of her primate sanctuary. These small monkeys come from pet stores, homes and labs. This is the first time they have been in the wild. As part of our "SoundClips" series, we hear 65 of them chattering.
• Our Characters, Ourselves: 'In Character' From NPR
  From Darth Vader to Scarlett O'Hara, the best fictional characters reflect something about who we are and how we got here. In Character, a six-month series from NPR, explores indelible American characters from fiction, folklore and pop culture.
• Sex Abuse Scandal Catches Up with Religious Orders
  Father A.J. Cote, a Dominican friar, was sued two years ago for allegedly abusing a minor. Depositions in the case reveal the Dominicans operate under a system where warning signs can go undetected and a problem priest can find refuge in new assignments for years.
• In a Forest's Breath, Deciphering Climate Clues
  The world's forests currently soak up 25 percent of the carbon dioxide created by burning fossil fuels. But as forests age, they may start releasing more CO2 than they absorb. Scientists have put Harvard Forest under the microscope to find out which way trees will sway.

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