Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Dayton picks Habitat head to chair Met Council
  Gov.-elect Mark Dayton filled another cabinet post Wednesday with his selection of Susan Haigh as Metropolitan Council chair.4:49 p.m.
• Mpls. commercial kitchen an incubator for food-based small businesses
  Nearly a dozen cooks, caterers and small food business owners use a shared commercial kitchen in north Minneapolis to make money. Some believe the small business will help revitalize a part of the city that has long suffered from underdevelopment.4:53 p.m.
• North High supporters ready their recruiting efforts
  For North High School in Minneapolis, a crucial deadline is now just three months away. Supporters are working with the Minneapolis district to recruit 125 students to attend the school next year as ninth graders. They must do so by the end of March to keep the school open for another year.5:20 p.m.
• Metrodome roof won't be fixed till March
  A spokesman for the Metrodome says the collapsed roof won't be fixed until sometime in March, affecting hundreds of college baseball games and the annual Twins Fest.5:24 p.m.
• Pledges aside, partisan showdowns loom at Capitol
  Despite public pledges today of cooperation in the coming 2011 legislative session, DFL Gov.-elect Mark Dayton and the new Republican leaders of the Legislature appear to be headed toward some unavoidable showdowns on issues ranging from taxes to energy policy.5:48 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• At Bagram, War's Tragedy Yields Medical Advances
  U.S. deaths in Afghanistan topped 500 this year, with thousands more wounded. Many of the injured pass through the hospital at Bagram Air Field. Treating so many war wounds brings its own grim benefits: New data are helping save lives in ways that were impossible only a few years ago.
• Army Revises Its History Of 2008 Afghan Battle
  The Washington Post reported Wednesday on the Army's history of the July 2008 Battle of Wanat in Afghanistan. Post reporter Greg Jaffe saw an early draft of that history in the summer of 2009, and he reports that it's markedly different from the final version that was released late this year. NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Jaffe for more on that story.
• Three Unpretty Pictures Open Just In Time For Oscar
  Three films -- the Spanish drama Biutiful, the bitter romance Blue Valentine and an English ensemble film called Another Year opened in limited release this week, hoping for Oscar attention. Critic Bob Mondello says none offers much holiday cheer, but all feature award-worthy performances.
• Letters: Lampshade; Amazon Gift Exchange
  Several listeners had critical reactions to our piece about the investigation of a lampshade found at a rummage sale in New Orleans, and our piece about Amazon.com patenting a way for people to exchange gifts they don't want before they are ever shipped. NPR's Robert Siegel and Audie Cornish read from listeners' e-mails.
• A Review Of 2010's Cyberwar Developments
  Three U.S. presidents have now identified the prospect of cyberattacks as a threat to U.S. national security, but only in the past year has awareness of the danger approached a critical level. Several simulations of possible cyberwar scenarios have underscored the vulnerability of critical U.S. infrastructure -- power grids, transportation systems and financial networks -- to cyberattacks. Also this year, the discovery of the "Stuxnet" virus demonstrated that sophisticated cyberweapons have already been developed, with tremendous significance for both offensive and defensive cyberwar planning. Audie Cornish talks to NPR's Tom Gjelten for a review of 2010 cyberwar developments.
• Extreme Travelers Go The Distance For Destinations
  The drive to see the world has led to competitive traveling, where tourists tally up their passport stamps and visas. Two Americans are near the top of a group of 9,000 competitive travelers who keep track at mosttraveledpeople.com.
• The Halls Of Fame That Aren't So Famous
  NPR's Robert Siegel Checks the Halls -- with a survey of who has been inducted into various Halls of Fame nationwide this year. We stop in to the insurance, burlesque, meat, mascot, billiards, mining and the polka halls of fame.
• Frustration Mounts Over Northeast Snow Cleanup
  The Northeast is still digging out from last weekend's snowstorm. But also buried in the white stuff is the political future of local politicians. The cleanup is going slowly in some parts of New York City and New Jersey, and residents there are looking for someone to blame.
• Some N.J. Politicians Feeling Heat Over Blizzard
  While Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker is delivering diapers to residents and shoveling the snow himself, Gov. Chris Christie is vacationing at Disney World. Paul Mulshine, columnist for The Star Ledger, joins guest host Audie Cornish to discuss the politics of snow cleanup in New Jersey.
• Is Eco-Conscious Fur An Oxymoron?
  When you were trying to figure out what to buy for the environmentalist on your holiday list, fur probably didn't cross your mind. Some ecologists and fashion enthusiasts are trying to rekindle a market for fur made from nutria -- rodents that are destroying Louisiana's marshes. It's being promoted as guilt-free fur.

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