Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Smoking ban has cleared the air, but businesses suffer
  Minnesota's smoking ban is now more than a year old. Thousands of hospitality workers are healthier because of the ban, but some bar owners say it's devastated their business6:50 a.m.
• So bad she was good
  Long before the U.S. had American Idol, the nation had Florence Foster Jenkins.6:55 a.m.
• Despite final NTSB report, some still have questions
  The final report on the causes of the I-35W bridge collapse will be discussed Thursday in Washington. Minnesota Public Radio News has learned NTSB investigators will report that under-designed gusset plates and weight added to the bridge deck were the primary causes of the collapse.7:20 a.m.
• U of M wants to sell beer at football games, if you can afford it
  The University of Minnesota Board of Regents this week takes up a proposal to sell alcohol at the new TCF Bank stadium, set to open on campus next September.7:25 a.m.
• Key panel named in Minn. Senate recount
  The jury that will rule on disputed ballots in the Minnesota Senate recount includes the Democratic secretary of state, two Supreme Court justices appointed by a Republican governor and two district judges whose politics are harder to gauge.7:40 a.m.
• Coleman: Allegations should be investigated
  Sen. Norm Coleman, responding to a call Tuesday for investigations into allegations that a friend and political donor attempted to steer $75,000 to him, said he would welcome any investigation.7:45 a.m.
• Future Tense with Jon Gordon
  Craigslist attempts to limit prostitution ads.8:20 a.m.
• Younger audiences are the target of orchestra and opera groups
  Step into an orchestra concert or opera hall, and you expect to see an audience of a certain age -- patrons perhaps better acquainted with AARP than iPod. But Minnesota's major classical music organizations are aiming to change that demographic -- or at least add to it -- with programs designed to attract younger audiences.8:25 a.m.
• Delta faces tough workplace issues in takeover of NWA
  Delta and Northwest Airlines are in the early stages of knitting together their two operations. One of the trickiest issues ahead is how to combine the two workforces.8:35 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Calif. Gay-Marriage Backers Go To Court Over Ban
  In California, protesters are still marching more than a week after voters approved a change in the state constitution — to ban gay marriage. Critics have filed a stack of lawsuits hoping to overturn the measure, known as Proposition 8. They're also turning up the heat on some individuals who supported it.
• Many Patients On Cholesterol Meds Stop Treatment
  While statins have been shown to cut the risk of heart attacks and strokes, about half of patients quit taking the medicine after a year. One recent study shows that people stop statins for two reasons: They lack a clear understanding of how the medicines work, and they don't trust their health care providers.
• The Making Of A Posthumous Best-Seller
  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is an unlikely best-seller — it's the first book in a trilogy of thrillers written by Stieg Larsson, a previously unknown Swedish journalist who died of a heart attack in 2004.
• Republican Governors Search For Party Rebound
  Gathering in Miami a week after their party's worst election defeat in decades, Republican governors are trying to figure out what went wrong and how their party can regain its footing. Louisiana's Bobby Jindal says the GOP needs to get back to the basics of fiscal conservatism.
• Gov. Pawlenty: GOP Needs 'Sam's Club Voters'
  Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is widely regarded as one of the Republican Party's future leaders. He says his party has to attract new voters, including women, Hispanics and blacks, while staying true to its core values. He says the GOP has to reach out to "Sam's Club voters" — people who are focused on bread-and-butter issues.
• Bankruptcy Could Help Fix Automakers' Problems
  President-elect Barack Obama wants to give U.S. automakers federal funds. Critics say funding without conditions would be like pouring gas into a broken-down clunker. Paul Ingrassia, a former Detroit bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, says bankrupty might be a better option.
• Like U.S. Firms, French Automaker Stalls
  The slowing economy is hitting Renault and other European automakers, forcing them to slash production. In the French car racing town of Le Mans, the temporary shutdown at the Renault factory has many worried about the future.
• In Lowering Cholesterol, How Low Do You Go?
  This week's new study showing that a cholesterol-lowering statin drug can cut the risk of heart attack or stroke has opened up a debate over how aggressive doctors and patients should be when it comes to using statins — and who should take them.
• Swiss Bank Official Indicted In U.S. Tax Probe
  A U.S. grand jury has indicted a top UBS bank official with conspiring to help 20,000 wealthy Americans hide their assets from the IRS. Raoul Weil is the chairman of global wealth management at UBS in Zurich. Prosecutors say his bank helped U.S. clients dodge taxes with false documents. Weil's attorney has said his client is innocent and intends to fight the charges.
• Trying To Fast-Track Mortgage Fixes
  Preventing more foreclosures is one of the keys to fixing the economy, but making that happen is extremely difficult. The House Financial Services Committee had a hearing Wednesday to figure out what more can be done to speed up the process of fixing troubled mortgages.

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