All Things Considered for April 12, 2007 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

Soldiers in Iraq get Sunday dinner with their families
It's been more than a year since many Minnesota National Guard members serving in Iraq sat down to dinner with their families. Two restaurant owners in St. Paul are teaming up with others to serve Guard members a fancy steak dinner, while their families join them via videoconference.4:23 p.m.
Northwest Airlines and Duluth resolve abandoned hangar issue
State Finance officials say a new deal will pay off the debt on Northwest Airlines Duluth maintenance facility. Duluth officials say it opens the way to find another tenant for the building and relieve them of a multi-million dollar headache.5:45 p.m.
Twins unveil design for new stadium
The Minnesota Twins are showing off the design for their new ballpark. The team assembled a large display in the lobby of the Hennepin County government center with artist renderings of the 40,000-seat stadium Thursday.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Revisiting Tom DeBaggio, and Life with Alzheimer's
For more than seven years, All Things Considered has followed the story of one Alzheimer's patient, Tom DeBaggio. And it's apparent in a recent visit with Tom and his wife, Joyce, how sharply his health has declined.
Q&A: Alzheimer's Disease, Progress and Prospects
Marilyn Albert, co-director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Johns Hopkins, talks to Melissa Block about Alzheimer's patient Tom DeBaggio, how the disease progresses, and hopes for treatment.
White House Admits to Misplacing E-Mails
The White House has acknowledged that it may have lost some e-mails that weren't sent via White House accounts. This has raised questions about the laws governing political activity in the White House, where workers are supposed to send their e-mails over White House accounts unless they're involved in political activity.
Senate Panel Seeks Full Versions of Documents
A Senate committee has voted for more subpoenas in the scandal surrounding eight fired U.S. attorneys. The subpoena votes, almost a weekly ritual since the story broke, are part of a buildup to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' testimony before Congress next week.
Scientists Rush to Save Tasmanian Devils
Tasmanian devils are dying from an unusual communicable cancer, which is apparently spread when animals bite one another. Researchers are exploring ways to save them — including moving healthy animals to islands where there are currently no Tasmanian devils.
Kurt Vonnegut: A Free-Thinking American
Author Kurt Vonnegut called himself a free-thinking humanist. Others said his unerring moral compass, colloquial style, and ability to mix sadness and humor made Vonnegut the Mark Twain of his generation. The author's readers clung to his pointed observations of society and its shortcomings.
A Growing Appetite for Vonnegut's Books
Peter Sagal fell in love with Kurt Vonnegut's writing as a teen. Re-reading the books as an adult only bolstered his appreciation of the venerated writer.
Suicide Bomber Strikes Parliament in Green Zone
At lunchtime, a bomb exploded in a cafeteria inside the Iraqi parliament building in Baghdad's Green Zone. Eight people were killed, including at least three lawmakers. Earlier, an enormous truck bomb exploded on a bridge in northern Baghdad, causing the roadway to collapse into the Tigris River.
Turkish Military Chief Calls for Strikes in Iraq
Turkey's top military officer has called for attacks on bases belonging to Turkish Kurdish rebels who operate in northern Iraq, in the latest escalation of tensions between Iraq and its northern neighbor. Chief of Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit held a rare news conference in Ankara today, saying a military incursion into Iraq is essential.
Arkansas National Guard Feels Burden of War
Arkansas, a small state with a population that is less than many American cities, has shouldered a large burden in supporting the war in Iraq. Roughly half the state's National Guard has been called to duty in the war. Now, 2,800 Arkansas troops are on alert for what would be their second tour in less than two years.