Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• DIY invention show gets public television premiere
  A new TV show produced here in Minnesota premieres on public TV stations across the country this weekend. MAKE:TV highlights creative do-it-yourself projects that tinkers can do at home. However, one look at the show and thoughts of This Old House or Martha Stewart will quickly dissipate.1:50 a.m.
• The shape of elections to come
  From bar-coding absentee ballots to setting up polling places early, lawmakers are coming up with a long list of remedies to solve the kinds of problems that arose in the recent U.S. Senate race.2:20 a.m.
• Minneapolis Wi-Fi network still faces barriers
  The builders of the Minneapolis Wi-Fi network have worked through several major snags to get wireless service to city residents. There have been technical problems, but the network remains unfinished and some of the remaining barriers are man-made.2:24 a.m.
• Rob Nelson and the B List
  One of the side effects of the video and DVD revolution is people are able to easily watch films of yesteryear. The National Society of Film Critics is trying to help you find the good ones with a series of books of new reviews of older films.2:50 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Missions Leave No Soldier Behind In Afghanistan
  No American soldiers are listed as missing in action in Afghanistan, thanks in part to the emphasis on helicopter rescue and recovery missions. One recent nighttime mission to recover a dead soldier required precision flying and harrowing rescue maneuvers.
• Richard John Neuhaus, Author And Theologian
  The Catholic theologian, who helped create an influential coalition of conservative Catholics and Protestants, died Jan. 8 at the age of 72.
• Unemployment Rate Spikes to 16-Year High
  The U.S. Labor Department says the nation's unemployment rate in December rose to a 16-year high of 7.2 percent. Employers cut 524,000 jobs during the month. The report also showed that 2.6 million jobs were lost in 2008, the most since 1945.
• Some Companies Stay Firm To No-Layoffs Pledge
  Although unemployment is rising, some companies are looking into alternatives to the chopping block. Four-day work weeks and pay cuts are being considered. Some companies such as Southwest Airlines have kept their no-layoff policy intact.
• Red Cross Official Details Gaza Situation
  The International Committee of the Red Cross has criticized Israel for restricting access to civilians in Gaza. Katharina Ritz, head of mission for the ICRC in the Palestinian territories, offers her insight.
• Inauguration Day: Hooray, Hooray!
  To Calvin Trillin, inauguration is the day the nation's hopes go on display. If all goes well, he notes, we'll rise up like a good souffle-- 'til life's just like a cabaret!
• Obama Names Panetta, Blair To Intel Team
  President-elect Barack Obama has named former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta as his choice to head the CIA. He also picked retired Adm. Dennis Blair to be director of national intelligence, which oversees all intelligence operations.
• New Mormon Temple: Sacred Or Secret?
  A new Mormon Temple in a Salt Lake City suburb is a public relations opportunity for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected before the Draper Temple is dedicated for religious use in March — and then closed to all but worthy Mormons.
• Big Easy's Historic Mahalia Jackson Theater Opens
  New Orleans has had a rebirth as the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts reopened more than three years after Hurricane Katrina. The 2,100-seat theater is home to the city's symphony, ballet and opera. City officials hope it's the first of many more public venues to reopen this year.
• Home Depot Ends Program For Olympians
  Bree Schaaf of Bremerton, Wash., won the women's title Sunday at the U.S. National Bobsled Championships. She found out Wednesday she would lose her Home Depot sponsorship. The company, which gives Olympic athletes part-time jobs and full-time pay, cited the tough economic climate for ending the program. Schaaf talks about what happened.

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