Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• State economist says Minn. is in a recession
  Minnesota's new job numbers paint a grim economic picture. The state economist has even suggested that Minnesota is in a recession, although the governor is not convinced. There's no denying recent job losses, though. The state lost 2,300 jobs in December and ten times that number over the past six months.6:25 a.m.
• 56 businesses warned on smoking ban
  Officials with the Minnesota Health Department have warned more than 50 businesses about possible smoking violations. A state ban prohibits most indoor smoking in public places.6:50 a.m.
• There's method behind the madness of performing movie music live
  The Minnesota Orchestra is about to launch a film festival. It is called "Sounds of Cinema." Beginning Thursday it will play classic movie music and even perform live accompaniment for two silent screen classics. Orchestra officials say it is not as simple as it sounds.6:55 a.m.
• Transport funding battle still looms in wake of NTSB findings
  Gov. Tim Pawlenty says the NTSB's findings on the I-35W bridge collapse largely exonerates his administration from responsibility for the disaster. The NTSB found flaws with the original design of the bridge. The findings dramatically alter the debate, but not the disagreement, over transportation policy in Minnesota.7:20 a.m.
• Process for scrutinizing bridge design has changed
  A lot has changed since the 1960s, when the first I-35W bridge was planned and built. Today there's a different process for scrutinizing bridge designs. MPR's Cathy Wurzer talked with MnDOT's Terry Ward, one of the people in charge of quality control during the construction of the new I-35W bridge.7:25 a.m.
• How might antitrust regulators view a NWA merger?
  Airline analysts have largely agreed that now is the time for a Delta/Northwest or Delta/United merger.7:50 a.m.
• Fixing bridges not Minnesota's only transportation problem
  Potholes are popping up all over on state roadways. The crews fill them, but with the cold and the traffic they are soon back. One reason crews are having a tough time keeping up is that they are strapped for money.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• An Astronomy Book the Blind Can Appreciate
  Astronomer Noreen Grice translates celestial images into tactile objects with raised lines and special textures in hopes of making astronomy accessible to blind people.
• Wisconsin Moves to Prevent Cold Feet
  Wisconsin abolishes a law in an effort to prevent cold feet. After enduring a very snowy month of December and a really cold start to 2008, Wisconsin lawmakers lifted its statewide ban on heated sidewalks, stairs and entrances. The ban was put in place in the 1970s.
• GOP Presidential Race a Three-Way Bid
  Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney wins the Michigan primary by a wide margin over John McCain. Mike Huckabee places third. Romney put a lot of money into last-minute ads in Michigan, persuading independent voters. The GOP candidates head to South Carolina next.
• Baseball Union Upholds Anti-Doping Stance
  Former Sen. George Mitchell outlines his report on the usage of performance-enhancement drugs in Major League Baseball to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The report alleges more than 80 players have used steroids.
• U.S. Grapples with Holding Iraqi Detainees
  One result of the U.S. troop surge in Iraq is an increase in suspected Iraqi insurgents in U.S. custody. They total nearly 24,000. The U.S. military is trying to figure out how to hold those detainees without allowing the detention camps to become recruiting centers for radical militant groups.
• House Committee to Probe Ruin of CIA Tapes
  The House Intelligence Committee is due to convene a hearing on the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes. U.S. Rep. Jane Harman, a Democrat from California, discusses the role of congressional oversight in intelligence matters.
• Pet Insurance Increasingly Popular Work Benefit
  The nation's largest pet insurer says more and more corporations are signing up for pet insurance. Comcast and Home Depot are among thousands of companies that now offer insurance for their employees' dogs, cats and birds. The perk allows companies to appear thoughtful, at no cost.
• Germans Debate Executive Pay
  The salaries of German business leaders are usually much lower than those paid in the United States. But recent news of huge paychecks and severance packages for German CEOs trigger a national debate about executive pay.
• More Turbulence for Boeing Dreamliner
  Boeing is expected to announce more delays for its new 787 aircraft. The so-called Dreamliner is Boeing's biggest investment in commercial aircraft in more than a decade. The company has more than 800 orders for the new plane. But production problems have hampered plans.
• Supreme Court Blocks Suits by Defrauded Investors
  The Supreme Court gives the business community a major victory. By a 5-3 vote, the justices block almost all efforts by investors to recover losses from secondary players in schemes to defraud stockholders. The ramifications involve suits like the one brought by Enron investors.
• Huckabee Disavows Misleading Campaign Tactics
  GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee says he lost the Michigan primary to Mitt Romney because Romney is a Michigan native and he spent a great deal on ads. Huckabee insists he is doing well among non-evangelicals, including union members, the middle class and small-business owners.
• Presidential Hopefuls' Plans to Rouse Economy
  The U.S. appears closer to a recession: The government's report on retail sales was bad, consumers are buying fewer cars, and the Fed is signaling a readiness to cut interest rates. Presidential candidates from both parties claim to have ideas on how to curtail a recession.
• Romney Victorious in Michigan
  Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney emerges victorious in Michigan primary. The former Massachusetts governor wins by a margin of 9 percent over John McCain. Now three different Republican presidential hopefuls have won each of the three major contests.
• Asian Stock Markets Spooked by U.S.
  News of the U.S. mortgage crisis hitting banking giant Citigroup as well as the slowdown in retail sales depress Asian markets. In Tokyo, the Nikkei average falls 3.5 percent. Hong Kong's market index plunges more than 5 percent. Markets from Australia to the Philippines also tumble.
• Democrats Cordially Spar at Las Vegas Debate
  Democratic presidential candidates meet in Las Vegas for their last debate before Nevada Caucuses on Saturday. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton soften their tone towards each other after feuding for several days over race and gender.

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