Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Dr. Jon Hallberg on Obama's nominee for surgeon general
  Dr. Jon Hallberg, regular medical analyst for All Things Considered, talked about President Obama's nomination of Dr. Regina Benjamin for surgeon general. Jon himself is in family medicine at the University of Minnesota.4:45 p.m.
• FBI confirms link between terror indictments, missing Somalis
  A federal grand jury has indicted two men on terrorism charges in connection with the ongoing investigation of about 20 missing Somali-American men from the Twin Cities.5:20 p.m.
• Community colleges could get boost from federal money
  Minnesota higher education officials are applauding a proposal by President Obama to spend $12 billion on the nation's community colleges over the next 10 years.5:24 p.m.
• Andersen Windows cuts office, management staff
  Andersen Corp., the big window and door maker, is cutting some 250 office and management positions nationwide, with about half the job losses coming in Minnesota.5:51 p.m.
• 'Temporary' charity a fixture after 27 years
  One of Minnesota's largest meal programs for poor people was intended to be temporary back in 1982. It's become a fixture.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• California Budget Woes Worry Some On Welfare
  As California lawmakers consider making cuts to the state's health and welfare programs to close the budget gap, people like Gina Jackson, who relies on state aid, are getting worried. Jackson, a single mother of four from Fremont, Calif., says the potential cuts are keeping her up at night.
• Treating Ballast Water Could Fight Invasive Species
  Billions of microscopic eggs or larvae of local marine creatures live in ships' ballast water. When transported across the globe, these invasive species can wreak havoc on ecosystems, costing billions of dollars in cleanup each year. Scientists are developing water treatment systems to remove these organisms from the water.
• For Playwright, TV Gigs Make Theater Possible
  The play may be the thing, but the hard truth is that theater isn't particularly lucrative. Acclaimed playwright Theresa Rebeck is just one of many dramatists who pay the bills by writing for television.
• Senators Grill Sotomayor On Firefighters, Comments
  Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama's nominee to replace Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court, answered questions Tuesday from several members of a Senate panel at her confirmation hearing. At issue were her handling of the New Haven firefighters' case and previous statements about life experience and impartiality.
• Sotomayor, Like Past Nominees, Saying Little
  Judge Sonia Sotomayor gave as little away as she possibly could while still answering senators' questions at her confirmation hearing Tuesday. Her comments on the right to privacy echoed the remarks of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito at their confirmation hearings.
• Democrats Unveil Health Care Measure
  House Democrats unveiled a health care measure Tuesday with provisions for a government-sponsored plan. The measure would require most people to have insurance and for most employers to pay for it. It was missing a key ingredient, however: how it would be financed.
• Reporter: Calif. Nursing Panel Ignored Abuse Cases
  Charles Ornstein, a reporter for ProPublica co-wrote a story in Sunday's Los Angeles Times about why abusive nurses in California were allowed to keep working even after an oversight panel learned of their practices. The report prompted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to fire most of the nursing board.
• Unrest In China Highlights Plight Of Ethnic Minorities
  Recent violence in Urumqi, China, marks the second year of major ethnic unrest in the country's far west, after riots in Tibet last year. The events have prompted renewed debate over the treatment of ethnic minorities in China.
• Japanese Structure Withstands Earthquake Test
  In Miki, Japan, Tuesday, a six-story wooden model condominium was shaken by the equivalent of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake. The test was said to be the largest simulated earthquake ever attempted with a wooden structure. John Van de Lindt, a professor at Colorado State University, says the structure fared "very, very well."
• How States Are Dealing With Budget Gaps
  States are raising taxes and fees to make ends meet in their budgets. But a researcher at the Urban Institute says it's unlikely that the housing crisis will be resolved. So, in a few years, these increases still may not generate enough money to pay the bills.

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