Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• 'Lessening Fear Through Creativity'
  A public art project, called "Lessening Fear Through Creativity" opens Friday at the Minneapolis Public Library. It is designed to get people to consider panhandlers in a new light.6:50 a.m.
• Ethanol celebrates a milestone
  It was ten years ago that Minnesota became the first state to require a 10 percent blend of ethanol in all gas. Now, the industry is experiencing a glut and prices are in the dumper. So, is this fledgling industry mature enough so that our policies around it should change?7:20 a.m.
• St. Paul restaurant lives on
  St. Paul has had a slew of restaurant closings this year: Fhima's, Margaux and A Rebours. In one St. Paul neighborhood, patrons were upset when their local restaurant, 128 cafe closed. Now as the restaurant re-opens, local foodies are discussing the importance of neighborhood restaurants to the neighborhood, and to the city.7:24 a.m.
• A "quick-fire" wrap-up of holiday theater with Commentator Dominic Papatola
  There's so much holiday fare on the local theater scene that it's difficult to sum it all up in just a few minutes. But Morning Edition arts commentator and St. Paul Pioneer Press theater critic Dominic Papatola agreed to a lightning-round in which he tries to answer as many questions as possible about what's happening on local stages between now and New Year's Day.8:40 a.m.
• New free clinic in south Minneapolis offers holistic healing
  A student-run clinic at the University of Minnesota's Pillsbury House teaches cooperation between diferent types of medical students as well as unique treatments for patients.8:53 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Seniors Urged to Research Their Drug-Plan Options
  It's the annual six-week open-enrollment period, when Medicare patients can join or switch drug plans for 2008. Medicare officials say that seniors should give their drug-benefit plan a checkup and decide whether it's still the best, most cost-effective option.
• Senate Panel to Vote on Immunity for Phone Firms
  The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on a bill Thursday to revise the federal wiretap law. Within that bill is a provision that would shield phone companies from lawsuits after they gave the government access to their customers' phone calls and Internet traffic without a warrant.
• Report: Airport Security Shows Serious Lapses
  Just before the holiday travel season, an investigation finds serious lapses in airport security. The GAO says its employees were able to sneak components for several improvised explosive and incendiary devices through checkpoints.
• Teen Accused of Stealing Virtual Goods
  A teenager faces charges of stealing furniture that doesn't exist. The youth in the Netherlands was on a Web site where you create virtual people to wander around virtual buildings spending what amounts to real money. The 17-year-old allegedly stole $5,800 of imaginary furniture.
• China Orders Lust Removed from Movie
  China's censors insisted the lust be cut out of Ang Lee's steamy new movie Lust, Caution. What is surprising is that a disappointed movie-goer sued. Graduate student Dong Yanbin says that the removal of most of the on-screen sex infringed on his consumer rights.
• College Basketball Gets Under Way
  Despite twice capturing the national basketball championship, the University of Florida is not ranked among the top 25 college teams in the new season, as a number of star players have joined the pros. Small college teams have demonstrated they can play against larger schools with stronger reputations.
• Democratic Presidential Debate Set for Las Vegas
  With seven weeks to go before Iowa casts the first primary votes, Democrats vying for president are set to make one more pitch in a debate in Las Vegas. Sen. Hillary Clinton, who will be the center of the debate, needs to redeem herself from the last contest, analysts say.
• Romney Faces Questions over Faith in S. Carolina
  Many conservative voters are hesitant to back Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, whose faith is Mormon. The former Massachusetts governor faces a particular challenge in South Carolina, where voters are largely evangelical.
• Economists Predict More Turmoil, Not Recession
  Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal say the credit crisis will continue to take a toll. When asked if the problems in the housing market will spill over into consumer spending, four out of five economists said "yes." Still, they are not predicting a recession.
• Catholic Bishops Offer Voting Guidelines
  U.S. bishops of the Catholic Church say, "Political choices may affect individual salvation." The group has issued guidelines for every presidential election in the past three decades. Instead of endorsing specific candidates, the bishops seek to make fighting abortion a priority in political decisions.
• Ad Dubbing Fresno 'Low Budget' Draws Ire
  Officials in Fresno, Calif., didn't like their city being called a low-budget tourist stop as was the case in a new Toyota ad showing everyone driving fuel-efficient cars. The mayor was so mad he got California Sen. Dianne Feinstein to complain. She convinced the company to delete the Fresno insult.
• Toyota Sees a Drop in Reliability Ratings
  Toyota took a plunge in its reliability rating by Consumer Reports. Overall the Japanese carmaker is still doing well, experts say. But its pickup has problems with the bed; it's tearing itself apart. Toyota has grown so fast it's having trouble keeping up with its own growth.
• Merrill Lynch Picks John Thain as CEO
  Merrill Lynch selects John Thain as CEO. He is currently the head of the New York Stock Exchange, and will begin his new job on Dec. 1. Thain is credited with leading the NYSE through a challenging period that included the exchange's initial public offering and a move into electronic trading.
• Senate to Debate War Spending OK'd by House
  The Senate is due to consider a $50 billion funding measure for the war in Iraq. The House passed it already. Democrats attached strings to the money though, calling on President Bush to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq within 30 days.
• Bush Administration the First Steered by Oilmen
  The Bush White House is the first to be headed by a president and vice president with backgrounds in the oil business. The administration has produced a consistent approach to energy policy: finding new supplies and securing the old.

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