Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• WeatherTalk with Mark Seeley
  Cathy Wurzer spoke with University of Minnesota climatologist Mark Seeley about last month's heat, current drought conditions and upcoming chances for rain.6:54 a.m.
• Minnesota's swing voters draw national pols
  About 230 Republican Party leaders from across the country will continue discussing their political strategy for the upcoming midterm elections at a Bloomington hotel today. The meeting caps off a week where national leaders from both major parties were in Minnesota. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi spent the past two days touring the state touting the Democrats' agenda and raising money for congressional candidate Patty Wetterling.7:20 a.m.
• BWCA fires contained, but impact fears smolder
  The Cavity Lake fire is now just a scatter of smoldering vegetation. But some outfitters and resort owners are nervous about how it will affect their bottom line.7:24 a.m.
• U.S. Senate approves pension bill, could help Northwest Airlines
  The airline is in the midst of a dispute with its flight attendants, who have threatened to go on strike later this month. Instead of a total walkout, the flight attendants plan to use a strategy called CHAOS, in which only carefully selected flights are targeted. Cathy Wurzer spoke with Jerry Glass, who tracks labor trends in the airline industry. He is the president of F and H Solutions Group, a labor and HR consulting firm in Washington, D.C.7:53 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• 10 Presidents, One Dictator: U.S.-Cuba Policy
  Fidel Castro took power in Cuba in 1959, at the height of the Cold War and the peak of U.S. concern over communism. Follow Washington's policy toward Cuba through 10 U.S. presidencies.
• An Old-Time Hoofer with New Tales to Tell
  For Henry Belcher, learning to dance was a snap. After a friend taught him the basics, he picked up steps from dancers at shows -- and on the streets, where he earned money for "hoofing," a form of tap dance. After a long break, Belcher is back at it.
• 'Talladega Nights' Might Make You Laugh
  Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is from the same pit crew that brought us Anchorman. Dutifully, Talladega Nights does for NASCAR what the earlier movie did for journalism.
• EPA Bans Pesticide Blamed for Bird Deaths
  The Environmental Protection Agency is banning the use of carbofuran, a pesticide that has killed millions of birds and other wildlife. Environmentalists are thrilled. But a company that manufactures the chemical under the name Furadan says the pesticide's threat is exaggerated.
• Senate Democrats Kill Wage, Estate-Tax Bill
  Senate Democrats have blocked legislation that would have raised the minimum wage. Though the federal minimum wage hasn't been raised in a decade, Democrats would not support the bill because it also would have permanently cut estate taxes.
• Israel Presses Forward After Deadly Day
  Israeli ground troops continue to fight in more than a dozen villages across south Lebanon, a day after Hezbollah guerrillas killed 12 Israelis. Thursday was one of the deadliest days for Israel during the three-week-old war. Four Israeli soldiers died in ground fighting, and civilians died in a massive barrage of Hezbollah rockets.
• Israel Struggles to Gain Upper Hand in Lebanon
  Israeli warplanes destroy several bridges in the Christian heartland of northern Lebanon, shifting focus from bombing raids on eastern and southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, Hezbollah guerrillas continue to battle Israeli troops in several Lebanese villages along the southern frontier.
• Teddy Bears and the Law of Unintended Consequences
  A children's museum in England had almost a million dollars worth of rare teddy bears -- including one once owned by Elvis Presley. It was so valuable that the insurance company required guard dogs. Bad idea. One of the Dobermans went on what museum officials describe as a rampage, shredding hundreds of teddy bears, including the King's -- who had his head ripped off. The museum says this is one hound dog that'll be retired to a farm where he can chase real chickens.
• Partners in Life, Partners in Home Buying
  Among home buyers, one of the fastest growing groups is unmarried couples or friends who pool incomes together to buy a house. Joint investments by unmarried couples or groups can lead to messy disputes over property. And those disputes are usually governed by different laws than those for married couples.
• Taiwan Comes to Terms with Caffeine's Dangers
  The Taiwanese government is warning against drinking too much coffee after studying the effects of caffeine and finding -- surprise -- too much caffeine can cause stomach aches, anxiety and bad moods. So starting this week is a first: coffee shops in Taiwan are displaying color coded advisories indicating caffeine level. A grande latte gets a red flag. Starbucks has begun handing out caffeine-alert leaflets.
• Merck Fights Vioxx Cases One at a Time
  Thousands of people have sued pharmaceutical giant Merck over Vioxx, its one-time blockbuster painkiller. The company is fighting the lawsuits one case at a time, instead of settling with large groups of plaintiffs. Observers are debating Merck's strategy.
• Working for Less than the Minimum Wage
  While Congress debates raising the minimum wage, many workers still do not earn the current minimum. Community organizers in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn are running a local campaign focused on grocery baggers who receive only tips from customers.
• Senate Control in Question as Election Looms
  Upcoming elections are seeing some incumbent senators under pressure from unhappy voters. Democrat Joe Lieberman and Republican Lincoln Chafee are just two of the puzzle pieces that will determine the future of the Senate.
• Fighting Fails to Sink Israeli Economy, So Far
  Weeks of fighting have taken a heavy toll on certain sectors of the Israeli economy. But growth is still expected to be a healthy five percent this year, and the stock market is only down slightly. But if it drags on, economists say consumer confidence and foreign investment could both suffer.
• Exiles Ready Plans for Post-Castro Cuba
  In the Miami area, each generation of Cuban-Americans has had its own plans for what to do if there's political change in Cuba. Fidel Castro's illness earlier this week, and his subsequent handing of power to his brother, brought many of those emotions and hopes to the surface.

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