Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• A lifetime of art remembered
  Concordia College in Moorhead is paying tribute to the man who inspired thousands with his art. David Hetland died earlier this year after decades of creating iconic artwork for the well- known annual Concordia Christmas concert.4:45 p.m.
• Minnesota Orchestra features young composers in concert
  If you think of classical music as an antiquated art form, a concert tonight could change your mind. At Orchestra Hall, in downtown Minneapolis, the ink might still be wet on the pages of the scores on Osmo Vanska's podium. The Minnesota Orchestra will play nine brand new pieces by nine different young American composers.4:50 p.m.
• Pawlenty strengthens bond with McCain
  It's a logical move for Pawlenty, who's grown close to McCain both politically and personally in recent years.5:15 p.m.
• How to succeed in politics
  The Democratic National Executive Committee is meeting this weekend to review last month's midterm elections. The DFL won control of the Minnesota Legislature, and the state has a new DFL senator and two new Democratic members of congress heading to Washington D.C. Given the party's successes here in Minnesota, Democrats nationally may be hoping to learn a few lessons for 2008.5:17 p.m.
• Wahpeton soldier killed in Afghanistan
  The latest North Dakota soldier killed in Afghanistan is a National Guard member from Wahpeton. A Guard spokesman says Cpl. Christopher Kleinwachter, 29, died of injuries in a vehicle rollover Thursday.5:20 p.m.
• Education groups seek a big fix for Minnesota schools
  If the P.S. Minnesota proposal is put into play, it would mean spending another $1 billion or more for schools.5:50 p.m.
• A question of plagiarism at the Star Tribune
  An investigation into the work of Star Tribune editorial writer Steve Berg is underway to determine if Berg plagiarized the work of Hendrick Hertzberg of the New Yorker magazine. MPR's Tom Crann spoke with media analyst David Brauer for more insight into the situation.5:53 p.m.
• It's not all gloom for Doomtree
  Emerging from the shadow of the Twin Cities' dominant hip-hop crew, Rhymesayers Entertainment, is a collective called Doomtree. Members believe their potential for success lies in a group effort driven by a "do it yourself" ethic.6:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Pelosi Chooses Texas Democrat to Head Intel Panel
  Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has picked Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) to lead the House Intelligence Committee. In one of the only contested chairmanships for Democrats, Pelosi had sole discretion in the selection. Robert Siegel talks with Rep. Reyes.
• Between Rumsfeld and Gates, Generals in Spotlight
  As the public face of the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld shielded U.S. military generals from much of the public criticism of the war in Iraq. With Rumsfeld on the way out, the generals now find themselves in the spotlight.
• Where Is the Audacity in Today's Leaders?
  Caution is a disease that can infect both the politicians who start wars and the generals who conduct them, says commentator Dan Goure. Citing examples of audacity like Gen. George S. Patton, Goure says that the United States cannot win a war with consensus; the country needs bold ideas and passion.
• Cowboys Cut Vanderjagt, and a League Pauses
  When a National Football League team cuts a kicker, it usually isn't big news. But when the Dallas Cowboys released veteran place-kicker Mike Vanderjagt this week, heads turned. Robert Siegel talks with Wall Street Journal sportswriter Stefan Fatsis.
• Iraqis Split on Sectarian Lines; Hospitals Follow
  Iraq's Health Ministry is controlled by Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's movement, under an agreement struck by ruling parties, and sectarian influence has impeded healthcare, according to Dahr Jamail, an independent journalist who's been covering Iraq's healthcare system for Inter Press Service.
• Congress Plans to Address Electronic Voting
  The case of disappearing votes in Sarasota County, Fla., has given impetus to Congressional bills to require paper trails on touchscreen voting machines. A draft report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology makes a similar recommendation. But many election experts worry that Congress, in responding too hastily, will only make matters worse.
• Almond Rustlers Nabbed in California
  Robert Siegel talks with Dave Phippen, one of the owners of almond growers Travaille and Phippen of Ripon, California, about the break-up of an almond theft ring in California this week. Trevaille and Phippen had 88,000 pounds of almonds stolen this summer. Only 5,000 pounds of their almonds were recovered, but Dave Phippen says they are still very happy about this development. He says most of their almonds had already been shipped out, and that the recovered almonds had been re-packaged in small, generic packages.
• Tony Bennett Polishes 'San Francisco' Gem
  Singer Tony Bennett originally recorded "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in 1962, and has sung it at every performance since. We go inside the studio with Bennett as he re-records his signature song.
• Beirut Demonstrators Call for Widespread Ouster
  Hundreds of thousands of protesters converge on central Beirut, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and his Western-backed government. The protest by Hezbollah and its Lebanese allies is the first of a planned series of mass demonstrations.
• Ending Delays, L.A. Police Finally Get Car Cameras
  The Los Angeles Police Department will finally get dashboard cameras inside its patrol cars, a decade or more after other police forces across the country have made car cams standard equipment. The LAPD blames the delay on money, but longtime police observers say it's mostly because many L.A. cops were reluctant to have a prying eye constantly looking over their shoulders.

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