Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Mille Lacs stands by decision on ousted executive
  The Mille Lacs Band Assembly stands by yesterday's decision to remove Melanie Benjamin as chief executive of the tribe. A petition with supporting Benjamin's removal, outlines several instances where she allegedly used tribal money for personal use.6:35 a.m.
• Failed levies take toll on school board members
  More than 50 Minnesota school districts will ask voters for more money in the November election. Some districts pass these levy and bonding issues the first time, others try many times with little success. The failed votes affect students directly, but also have an impact on school board members.6:50 a.m.
• Dozens of school districts seeking tax hikes next month
  Thousands of voters across the state will decide on Nov. 4 whether to raise their property taxes for local school district.6:55 a.m.
• Poll finds split on outdoors amendment
  A new Minnesota Public Radio News/University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute poll shows the level of support might not be sufficient to pass a constitutional amendment.7:20 a.m.
• Economic pain stresses people and services
  The number of people seeking food, shelter, medical care and other necessities is up and social service agencies are feeling the demand.7:25 a.m.
• Future Tense with Jon Gordon
  Why internet service providers are trying to limit traffic on their networks.8:20 a.m.
• A guide to the St. Paul Arts Crawl
  The 26th St. Paul Art Crawl opens tomorrow, giving art lovers the chance to immerse themselves in St. Paul's Lowertown neighborhood and to sample the wares of more than 300 artists.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• It's A Sign Of The Times
  The National Debt Clock has run out of numbers. The giant sign in New York City changes constantly as the federal debt increases. It was put up years ago by a real estate developer horrified that the debt was approaching $3 trillion. Some years ago, the clock stopped when the U.S. started running a surplus. But now it's running again, and when the debt struck $10 trillion recently, the owners had to improvise an extra number one.
• China Holds On To Its Purse Strings
  There has been hope and speculation that Asian countries, particularly China, might step in and buy stakes in failing U.S. financial institutions. China is the world's fastest growing economy, and it has the world's largest foreign exchange reserves. But for now, China is not expected to rush to the rescue.
• British Rescue Plan Brings Collective Sigh Of Relief
  It's been one day since a multibillion-dollar rescue package was put forward by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Politicians in Britain warned Wednesday against measuring the success of the plan by looking at the stock exchange. Public reaction has been one of relief, although ordinary investors are angry that the banks are being bailed out.
• Richardson: Rift Has Healed With Hillary, Not Bill
  New Mexico is one of the battleground states in next month's presidential election. Gov. Bill Richardson says the state is still up for grabs. Richardson, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, now supports Barack Obama. He says if the state's Hispanic votes help Obama win, then the new administration will recognize the growing power of the Hispanic vote.
• Financial Advisers' Phones Ringing Off The Hook
  The Wall Street bailout plan was supposed to calm financial nerves and markets. But since it was passed by Congress, the Dow Jones industrial average has plunged more than 1,000 points. Many investors are looking for guidance from their financial advisers.
• Is The Financial Storm About To Break?
  Financial experts say the current financial crisis isn't an echo of the Great Depression. Instead, it will look more like the worldwide downturn of the early 1980s. Central banks around the world have reduced their official interest rates, but little has changed. World financial leaders are meeting in Washington to discuss formulas to end the meltdown.
• Obama Campaign Marches Into GOP Battlegrounds
  The Democratic presidential ticket put in a full day of campaigning Wednesday. Barack Obama has been mining for votes in states that have been considered Republican turf, like Indiana — which President Bush won twice. Vice presidential nominee Joe Biden began his day in Tampa.
• Dodgers, Phillies Meet In Philadelphia
  The Major League Baseball playoffs resume Thursday with Game 1 of the National League Championship Series in Philadelphia. The American League series starts Friday in Florida. Two of the regular season's best teams, the Los Angeles Angels and the Chicago Cubs, are no longer in contention.
• Millionaire Follows Dad's Footsteps — Into Space
  Richard Garriott, a famous video game developer, is paying millions of dollars for a ride on a Russian rocket to the International Space Station. He has wanted to go to space since he was a kid. His father and all of his neighbors were NASA astronauts. It's the first time the child of an American astronaut will blast off into space.
• Glowing Gene's Discoverer Left Out Of Nobel Prize
  The Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded this week to three scientists working in the United States with a jellyfish protein that glows in the dark. But the scientist who isolated the gene for that protein, and gave it to the eventual Nobel winners, is no longer working in the field. He now drives a shuttle bus for an auto dealership.
• French Novelist Wins Nobel Prize In Literature
  The Swedish Academy praised Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio for his adventurous novels, essays, non-fiction and children's literature. His work is often about wanderers, people on a quest for meaning and grappling with national histories.
• Fast, Citywide WiFi Launches In Baltimore
  The nation's first rollout of WiMax has launched in Baltimore. Steve Inskeep talks with tech commentator Mario Armstrong about the fourth-generation Internet service. It's a wireless connection that is fast and allows a subscriber to roam across the city.
• Wachovia Deal Still In Legal Limbo
  It will be at least one more day before Citigroup and Wells Fargo can settle their dispute over which company gets to buy banking giant Wachovia. Citigroup and Wells Fargo agreed to extend their legal standstill until Friday. Meanwhile, at Wachovia's home base in Charlotte, N.C., anxious workers await their fate.
• Judge In Stevens Trial: Some Evidence Tainted
  A federal judge has ruled that some key evidence in the trial of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens will be struck from the case. Judge Emmet Sullivan will tell the jury to disregard it because of prosecutorial misconduct. Stevens is accused of not including gifts and services he received on his Senate financial disclosure forms.
• Canada Tops List Of Soundest Banking Systems
  The credit crisis is forcing investors to ask, "Which banks are safe?" According to a survey from the World Economic Forum, Canada has the world's most solid banking system. Next on the list are Sweden, Luxembourg and Australia. The U.S. ranked 40th, behind Germany, Chile and Namibia. Britain, which used to be ranked in the top five, dropped to 44th place.

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