Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Producer Stephen Smith talks about Battles of Belief
  Battles of Belief, the latest American RadioWorks documentary, examines a starvation experiment conducted at the University of Minnesota after World War II. The participants, conscienctious objectors to the war, starved for science, so that others might live.6:49 a.m.
• Coffinating Dr. Strangelove
  Over the past decade, Skewed Visions has staged theatrical productions in vacant office buildings, two-story houses and moving cars. The group's latest production uses the basement of an old coffin factory for a sequel to the satirical Cold War movie, "Dr. Strangelove."6:55 a.m.
• Rich contract awarded for I-35W bridge replacement
  Flatiron/Manson won despite submitting the high bid - $233.7 million - and proposing the longest timetable for the work, 437 days.7:23 a.m.
• Deadly deer-cycle collisions rising
  Fall may be the best time of year for a long motorcycle ride. It may also be the most dangerous. Deer are especially active then and more bikers are hitting them.7:28 a.m.
• Minnesota Guard member earns a Silver Star for bravery
  Staff Sgt. Chad Malmberg distinguished himself when he led 15 American soldiers in a fierce, nearly hourlong firefight against 30 Iraqi insurgents on Jan. 27. He will honored for "gallantry in action" at a ceremony Saturday.7:52 a.m.
• Arts commentator Dominic Papatola talks about the Ivey Awards
  Monday night, local theater will applaud itself at the Iveys, an awards ceremony to raise awareness and exposure for local companies.8:30 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• O.J. Simpson Released from Las Vegas Jail
  O.J. Simpson put up $125,000 bail before leaving a Las Vegas jail. He is charged with nearly a dozen felonies as a result of his role in an alleged armed robbery of some sports memorabilia dealers.
• Judge in Spector Case Revises Jury Instructions
  The judge in the Phil Spector murder trial in Los Angeles is giving the deadlocked jury one more chance to reach a verdict. The panel remains split after seven days of deliberations. But to avoid a mistrial, the judge revises his jury instruction about second-degree murder.
• Film of 'Kite Runner' Novel Sparks Safety Concerns
  Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel Kite Runner opens as a film in November. But it is already causing concern in Afghanistan and in Hollywood for its depiction of ethnic tensions in Afghanistan and harsh portrayal of life under the Taliban.
• The CIA Turns 60 — and It's Not a Secret
  President Harry Truman signed the act that created the CIA in 1947, around the start of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. More recently, the agency has suffered intelligence failures and dozens of senior officials walking out in 2004.
• Rally in Jena, La., Protests Students' Treatment
  Thousands of protesters are descending on the small Louisiana town of Jena for a rally in support of six black teenagers jailed for a December schoolyard fight with a white classmate. Activists accuse local prosecutors of being unfairly harsh on the black teens.
• Scientists Find Less Controversial Stem Cell
  Scientists in New York say they may have found cells as promising as embryonic stem cells. Scientists are enthusiastic about the potential for treating a variety of diseases with embryonic stem cells. But obtaining the cells is controversial since it means destroying an embryo.
• Newsman Dan Rather Sues CBS
  A $70 million lawsuit filed by Dan Rather alleges CBS botched the aftermath of a discredited story about President Bush's military service to curry favor with the administration. Rather, 75, was removed from his CBS Evening News post in March 2005.
• Senators Lobby for Regional Primary System
  The rapidly accelerating presidential primary schedule is frustrating some members of Congress. A number of senators want a regional primary system, with the country divided into four regions. Each region would hold a separate primary, one month apart, starting in March 2012.
• Oil Prices at Record High; Experts Look for Fallout
  Oil prices have hit another record, topping $82 a barrel. Despite the rising cost of energy, the global economy keeps growing. But some observers wonder how long that can last, despite the fact that both consumers and companies are better able to withstand high oil prices than they used to be.
• Bill Seeking Down Time for Soldiers Fails
  A bill authored by Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) requiring U.S. troops to spend as much time at home as they spend deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan falls four votes short of the 60 needed to advance. The bill was hailed as the Democrats best shot at challenging President Bush's Iraq policy.
• 59-Year-Old Texan Waits to Play College Football
  Mike Flynt is 59 years old. That's the age when many ex-football players can hardly walk. But he's on the team for Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas. Flynt attended the college decades ago, but he was kicked off the football team for fighting.
• Author Ann Patchett Needs First Reader
  Ann Patchett, author of the best-selling novel Bel Canto, can write anywhere — hotel rooms or airports if need be. And she is not interested in creating fiction based in Nashville, where she has lived most of her life. But what she cannot do without is a "first reader."
• Boy in Iron Coffin Identified
  Smithsonian scientists conclude that the body in a cast-iron coffin discovered by utility workers in Washington, D.C. two years ago is that of 15-year-old William Taylor White, who died in 1852. He was buried in the Columbia College cemetery.
• Layoffs Rampant in the Mortgage Industry
  American Home Mortage filed for bankruptcy last month after falling victim to the weak housing market. Aimee Waltz, a loan officer who recently lost her job with American Home Mortgage, says it's not just irresponsible lenders who've brought on the subprime mortgage crisis.
• Security Contractors in Iraq Under Scrutiny
  Private security contractors such as Blackwater USA are under scrutiny for their role in Iraq. The State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security lacks the manpower to protect its officials so it relies on contractors. Contractors operating in Iraq are immune from prosecution.

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