Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Some Minn. lawmakers want to make Electoral College irrelevant
  As members of the Electoral College gathered across the nation Monday to make official the state-by-state results of this year's presidential contest, supporters of a national popular vote campaign called for a new method of deciding the presidential race.4:45 p.m.
• Interact's Jeanne Calvit raises the bar for artists of all abilities
  Jeanne Calvit, our latest Art Hero, is the founder and director The Interact Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Minneapolis, which serves 130 artists with a range of physical and developmental disabilities.4:49 p.m.
• FBI searching Sauk River in Cold Spring case
  The FBI is in Cold Spring Monday searching the Sauk River for evidence in the killing of Cold Spring Police Ofc. Tom Decker.5:20 p.m.
• Two more electronic pull-tab makers approved
  The Minnesota Gambling Control Board approved two more manufacturers to provide electronic pull-tabs for bars and restaurants around the state.5:24 p.m.
• In Minn., new tactics to help immigrant students
  To boost English learners' performance, some Minnesota schools are trying new approaches designed to help them more quickly grasp the language. Among them is Kennedy Elementary in Willmar, Minn., which has a growing number of students from Somalia.5:35 p.m.
• NY Mayor Bloomberg meets with son of man killed in Accent Signage shooting
  New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg today met with survivors of recent mass shootings across the country, including the son of a man killed at Accent Signage Systems in Minneapolis in late September.5:50 p.m.
• School shootings: Are Minnesota schools prepared?
  After Friday's school shooting in Newtown, Conn., we wanted to look at how Minnesota schools prepare for such an event. Did schools make changes after the 2005 Red Lake school shooting? How does Minnesota compare with other states?5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Newtown Shooter Had No Connection To School
  Police continued to investigate the mass shooting at Newtown, Conn., on Monday, as the town started to bury the victims. Robert Siegel talks to Quil Lawrence.
• Schools Re-Examine Security After Newtown Shooting
  The Connecticut shootings were on the minds of many at schools around the country on Monday. Some school officials re-examined their security procedures over the weekend, while parents dropped off their kids with a new sense of unease.
• DeMint's Replacement Has Had Quick Political Rise
  Gov. Nikki Haley has selected Rep. Tim Scott to replace South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, who is going to the Heritage Foundation. The choice is full of firsts — Scott will be the only African-American in the Senate, the first black Republican in the Senate in decades, and only the second since Reconstruction. The one-term congressman immediately becomes a national figure, projecting an image with the potential to help Republicans as they struggle to appeal to minority voters.
• Photo Project Tracks Climate Change On Everest
  Filmmaker David Breashears has summited the world's highest peak five times. His latest project matches old photos of Mount Everest and its glaciers with new images to demonstrate how climate change is affecting the mountain. Melissa Block talks with Breashears about the GlacierWorks project.
• Why Writers Can't Retire, Despite Their Best Intentions
  As the year ends, commentator Ben Dolnick reflects on what he thinks is the most spurious bit of news from the world of American writers.
• Some Senators Show Willingness To Take On Gun Laws
  The combination of a powerful gun owners' lobby and a loss of public support for gun control has stymied efforts in recent years to tighten gun laws. But there are signs the Newtown massacre may prompt change on Capitol Hill.
• One Gun Used In Conn. Attack Has 'Rambo Effect'
  The Bushmaster semi-automatic assault rifle used in Friday's attack on an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., is a style of weapon used often in mass shootings. Melissa Block speaks with Malcolm Brady, retired assistant director of what was then known as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, about the style of weapon and why it's so often linked to these tragedies.
• Japan's New Leader Promises Tough Line On China
  Shinzo Abe will be Japan's next prime minister. He last held the position in 2006, but resigned after a troubled year in office. His party, the Liberal Democratic Party, ruled for all but 11 months from 1955 to 2009.
• Not Just For Coffee Anymore: The Rise Of Caffeinated Foods
  Are we getting "Jack'd"? A surge in new caffeine-containing foods leads to new questions about just how much caffeine we're getting in our daily lives. Some advocates are calling for labeling, and they raise concerns about children's and teens' consumption.
• Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (Of Lost Mail)
  A mysterious package arrived last week at the University of Chicago's admissions department addressed to Henry Walton Jones, Jr., otherwise known as Indiana Jones. Audie Cornish and Robert Siegel have more.

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