Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• UMD Bulldogs success leads to championship game
  The University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs football team will be in Alabama on Saturday to play in the NCAA Division II national championship game. The undefeated Bulldogs will take on Northwest Missouri State University.6:55 a.m.
• Another big Iraq deployment for Minnesota Guard
  More than 1,000 Minnesota National Guard soldiers deploy to Iraq next spring for a year-long mission.7:20 a.m.
• Minneapolis goes to court over new voting style
  The City of Minneapolis goes to court today to defend the constitutionality of instant runoff voting, the system it intends to use in city elections, starting next year.7:25 a.m.
• Lawmakers may eye Legacy amendment to close budget shortfall
  With the state facing a projected $5.2 billion shortfall, lawmakers and others are looking at a variety of solutions to close the deficit. But should money from the Legacy Act -- a constitutional amendment passed by voters this fall -- be part of that solution?8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Booksellers' Picks For Your Holiday Lists
  Small-town America may or may not be the heart of the country, but it sure is at the heart of many of the books suggested by the independent booksellers this year.
• Mining For Diamonds In The Canadian Rough
  A surge of diamond mining in northern Canada aims to be a boon for the economy. Running a mining operation in the remote tundra region of the Northwest Territories is costly and challenging, but demand for conflict-free diamonds is high.
• Post-Bankruptcy Twinkies Face Uncertain Future
  Interstate Bakeries, the maker of the iconic snack cake, declared bankruptcy four years ago, but a judge approved a reorganization plan last week. Now the company is trying to figure out how to market its product for a more health-conscious generation.
• Ill. Politicians Distance Themselves From Blagojevich
  Just a few days ago, some Illinois politicians were jockeying to fill the Senate seat left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama. But with Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich facing federal corruption charges, those hopefuls are now trying to avoid the taint of the governor's scandal.
• Examining Potential Legal Strategy For Blagojevich
  Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has denied any wrongdoing, and his legal team is presumably already at work preparing a defense against the corruption charges. What might the legal strategy look like? Criminal defense lawyer Stanley Brand talks with Steve Inskeep about potential defense strategies in the case.
• Actors Union Sets January Strike Vote
  The Screen Actors Guild plans to send strike authorization ballots to more than 100,000 union members Jan. 2. Votes will be counted on Jan. 23. That is nearly two weeks after the Golden Globe Awards ceremony, but ahead of the Feb. 22 Academy Awards show, which is the most important date on the Hollywood calendar.
• Defending Vaccines: Actress Dispels Link To Autism
  A prominent scientist and actress have teamed up to assure the public that childhood vaccines don't cause autism. Actress Amanda Peet and vaccine expert Paul Offit want to encourage parents to investigate the facts about vaccine safety.
• FDA Advisory Panel Weighs In On Asthma Drugs
  The Food and Drug Administration has taken on a difficult challenge: determining the safety of medication for severe asthma. Many doctors and professional groups say the drugs are lifesavers. But the agency is considering whether long-acting beta agonists may make asthma worse, or even prove fatal.
• Washington Post Co. Sets Cuts at 'Newsweek'
  Newsweek is the latest news organization planning to cut staff, according to The Wall Street Journal. Aiming to lower costs, the magazine's owner, The Washington Post Co., also may reduce the number of pages in the magazine and shrink its circulation base.
• Revenue Decline Forces Cuts At NPR
  Because of a sharp drop in corporate underwriting, National Public Radio has announced the elimination of 64 filled and 21 unfilled positions as part of cuts throughout the organization. Two shows, News & Notes and Day to Day, were canceled.

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