All Things Considered for February 9, 2012 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

Dining with Dara: Dealing with social media critics
Everyone's a critic. The advent of the Internet is opening restaurateurs to the every day voice of blogs, social media and user-driven review sites.3:52 p.m.
Art Hounds
Each week Minnesota Public Radio News asks three people from the Minnesota arts scene to be "Art Hounds." Their job is to step outside their own work and hunt down something exciting that's going on in local arts.4:51 p.m.
Despite funding shortfall, Rybak still confident in Vikings stadium plan
The Minneapolis mayor says he remains confident about his city's stadium bid, despite a substantial funding shortfall outlined in a city analysis.5:18 p.m.
Foreclosure settlement could help 17K Minn. homeowners
An estimated 17,000 Minnesota homeowners who went through foreclosure between 2008 and the end of last year could be eligible for some financial relief under the terms of a long-awaited deal announced Thursday.5:22 p.m.
Farmland holds wealth in sand mining boom
Minnesota farmland is increasingly luring companies that want to explore the earth beneath the soil. But some residents want to preserve the land and its current agricultural use.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

States Hope For Relief With 'No Child' Waivers
Six months ago, President Obama directed his secretary of education to give waivers to states seeking much-needed relief from the federal education mandates prescribed under No Child Left Behind. On Thursday, they granted them to ten. But how much flexibility is the president really willing to give and what is he asking in return?
Study: Young People Hardest Hit By Poor Job Market
Audie Cornish speaks with Kim Parker, Associate Director with Pew Social & Demographic Trends and lead study author about the new Pew report on record high youth unemployment statistics. The study found that negative trends in the labor market have hit 18-34-year-olds the hardest.
Gang Signs And A Sticker: Chicago Pulls Teen's Design
The city of Chicago is scrapping a teenager's winning design for a new city vehicle sticker. Some say the art contains symbols that resemble those of a notorious street gang.
More Than Miso: Food Writer In Japan Records Struggling Region's Cuisine
In a new cookbook, food writer Elizabeth Andoh tells the story of the cuisine of Japan's Tohoku region, which was hard hit by last year's earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident. Andoh says it's important to document the region's cuisine now, because traditional dishes often disappear during periods of upheaval.
Over Bowls Of Soup, Donors Find Recipe For Change
You don't have to have big bucks to join the latest trend in philanthropy. Soup groups around the country let diners pool their money to support deserving local initiatives. In Philadelphia, one dinner raised $225 for a teacher's class project.
Bishops Stand Strong Against Birth Control Mandate
The White House and American Catholic bishops are at a stalemate over a rule requiring many religious organizations to provide insurance coverage for contraception. "If the argument is over religious liberty," says one scholar, "the bishops win. If the argument is over contraceptives, the administration wins."
The GOP Elixir: Candidates Campaign On Tax Cuts
All four of the remaining Republican presidential candidates have proposed cutting business and personal income taxes — the only difference is by how much.
'Chico And Rita' And All That Jazz
An animated Oscar contender follows one on-and-off romance — and traces the development of some of the world's most infectious musical styles.
Paul Simon, The Bard Of Bad Weather
Among the hundreds of songs that remind listeners of winter, one name keeps coming up: Paul Simon.
Sharon Van Etten: Hypnotically Complicated
Van Etten's new album, Tramp, is titled after the touring artist's time of essential homelessness. It's full of unresolved restlessness, infinite-loop longing and expansive vocals.