Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Chisholm waits to learn the future of its reservation center
  People in the Iron Range town of Chisholm, Minn., are watching the Delta-Northwest acquisition news with great interest. More than 500 people work at Northwest's Chisholm Reservation Center. Some of the town's residents are confident those Iron Range jobs are secure; while others are more guarded.6:50 a.m.
• Hog farmers 'trying to survive' soaring corn prices
  More than 200 farmers met in Mankato Tuesday to discuss the financial pain that high grain prices are inflicting on livestock producers.6:55 a.m.
• Delta, NWA begin selling the deal, but skeptics abound
  For months, Northwest and Delta airlines wouldn't say much about their much anticipated merger. Now, that it's a done deal, the airlines are talking up the transaction big time.7:20 a.m.
• Politicians may be unable to stop NWA deal
  While politicians can raise concerns about Minnesota losing jobs and a corporate headquarters, they're not likely going to be able to stop the deal.7:25 a.m.
• Lifelong exercise may prevent precursor to Alzheimer's
  A study at the Mayo Clinic finds that people who exercised consistently over 15 years were less likely to lose cognitive function.7:40 a.m.
• Regional airports play a wait-and-see game
  Airport officials throughout the region are wondering what exactly Delta's acquisition of Northwest Airlines will mean for airports outside of the Twin Cities.7:50 a.m.
• Saying goodbye to Northwest like end of high school romance
  Morning Edition commentator Peter Smith has his own, unique, take on the history of Northwest Airlines.7:55 a.m.
• Minnesota Wild tied 2-2 in playoff series
  The Minnesota Wild return to the Xcel Energy Center Thursday night with their best-of-seven playoff series against Colorado tied at two games each. The Wild lost to the Avalanche 5-1 Tuesday night in Denver.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Provisional Ballots Offer Back-Up for Primary Voters
  Pennsylvania voting officials are preparing for heavy turnout expected for the state's primary on April 22. Like voting officials nationwide, they worry about myriad voting problems — and the effectiveness of the fallback provisional ballots.
• High Court Upholds Kentucky's Execution Injections
  The Supreme Court has upheld Kentucky's method of execution by lethal injection. The justices said the state's use of a three-drug combination does not violate the Constitution's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. NPR's Ari Shapiro reviews the high court's opinions with Steve Inskeep.
• ABC's Ads Go Live During 'Jimmy Kimmel' Show
  Advertisers really hate it when people fast-forward through their television ads, and ABC hopes to counter that by going retro. Next month, ads during Jimmy Kimmel Live will be live — just like in the early days of television, when much of TV was live.
• Nothin' Says Lovin' Like Peanut Butter Cookies
  We heard last week from the 1998 Pillsbury Bake-Off winner, who wrote a book about her experience. This year's million-dollar grand prize winner comes from Maryland. After 15 years of entering the contest, Carolyn Gurtz won with her Double-Delight Peanut Butter cookies.
• Russia's Putin Clings to Power after Presidency Ends
  Russia's President Vladimir Putin is holding on to power after he steps down from office in May. He announced Tuesday that he will become chairman of Russia's largest political party in addition to becoming prime minister.
• McCain Outlines Plans for Ailing Economy
  John McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, laid out his economic strategy Tuesday at an address in Pittsburgh. McCain was trying to convince voters that he could bring economic change while separating himself from the Bush administration.
• 'Harry Potter' Author Sues over Encyclopedia
  The author of the Harry Potter books is suing a publisher over its forthcoming book, The Harry Potter Lexicon, an encyclopedia of terminology from the beloved series. J.K. Rowling claims the book is a rip-off of her work.
• Spain's Pregnant Defense Minister Stirs Controversy
  For the first time, Spain's newly re-elected prime minister has announced a 17-member cabinet that has more women than men. One of them is Spain's first female defense minister, who is also seven months pregnant. Her appointment is causing waves in the Spanish media and beyond.
• U.S. Banks Face Government Pressure to Raise Cash
  The country's biggest financial institutions have been raising billions of dollars in new capital after losing money on bad investments in the mortgage market. They're collecting the money from private investors, new stock offerings and foreign governments.
• Germany Pays Workers to Take Out-of-Country Jobs
  In Germany, where the unemployment rate is 8 percent, many citizens leave the country to find work. And officials are doing their bit to reduce unemployment at home. The government is paying a "mobility bonus" to jobless citizens to move with their families anywhere in the world for a job.
• Washington Mutual Shareholders Demand Changes
  Washington Mutual, the nation's largest savings and loan, is in a financial mess because of the housing meltdown. Shareholders looking for accountability voted Tuesday to ask the chairman to step down. They also pressured the company to link executives' bonuses to mortgage losses and foreclosures.
• Pope Seeks to Bolster America's Catholics
  Pope Benedict is visiting the United States for the first time as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. R. Scott Appleby, a professor of religious history at the University of Notre Dame, says the pope's message to America's "Cafeteria Catholics" will likely be a positive one, rather than focusing on differences with the Vatican.
• Boston-Area Seniors Share College Rejection Letters
  Times are tough for high school seniors who are waiting to hear from their first-choice colleges. Schools report record numbers of applicants and rejections. At Newton South High School in suburban Boston, rejected seniors are sharing their misery by posting their rejection letters on a "Wall of Shame."
• Graduates' Job Hunt Tougher as Economy Falters
  This year, the job market for graduating college students is tougher than it's been since the 2001 recession — especially in finance and manufacturing. Career counselors say the days when students got to juggle job offers are over.
• Clinton's Female Base Wavers Ahead of Pa. Primary
  The race between Democratic presidential contenders Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has tightened in Pennsylvania because of the changing support of young professional women. The group originally leaned toward Clinton, but in recent weeks has given Obama a second look.

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