Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• National champs for the second year in a row
  Concordia University's women's volleyball team has now won two straight national titles. The team, which competes at the NCAA's Division Two level, has generated plenty of enthusiasm on campus.6:20 a.m.
• Weather with Mark Seeley
  University of Minnesota Meteorologist and Climatologist Mark Seeley looks back at what happened with the weather in November and what we can expect this weekend.6:55 a.m.
• Canvassing board to take up recount ballot questions
  The Minnesota state canvassing board meets Friday to discuss rejected absentee ballots and those missing Minneapolis ballots.7:20 a.m.
• Job outlook grim
  Bad news just keeps coming in the job market. Next week, Minnesota officials will report how the state's job market fared in November, when the nation lost 533,000 jobs.7:25 a.m.
• Minneapolis closes budget year on strained note
  The Minneapolis City Council meets Friday for the last time this year. Before council members take a holiday break, they will vote on the 2009 budget and a hiring freeze. Both measures have either been shaped by, or made necessary because of local and national financial woes.7:40 a.m.
• Homeowners ask why property valuations are up
  Hundreds of taxpayers descended on the Ramsey County truth-in-taxation hearing last night. Many asked why their property valuations are going up7:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• John Patrick Shanley On Dogma And 'Doubt'
  The writer and director is no stranger to doubt. Shanley — whose Pulitzer-winning play has been adapted for the screen — went to Catholic school as a child and says he knew the priests didn't play by the rules.
• A Mortgage Banker In Amish Country
  When the Amish of Lancaster, Pa., need to buy a farm, they turn to one local banker for credit. Bill O'Brien says he has never lost money on an Amish deal. Amid the national mortgage crisis, his Hometowne Heritage Bank is having its best year yet.
• A Bent For Building, From Father To Daughter
  In some families, a specific talent seems to be passed down through the generations. That could be the case for Ledo Lucietto and his daughter Anne, who share a passion for mechanical engineering.
• Obama Focused Despite Hometown Political Scandal
  At a news conference in Chicago, President-elect Barack Obama named Tom Daschle as his choice for Health and Human Services Secretary. If confirmed, the former Senate majority leader will use the post to help overhaul the health care system. Obama also addressed the federal corruption investigation involving Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
• Blagojevich's Politics Went Beyond Mutual Favors
  Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is accused of trying to auction off the Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama for personal gain. Illinois politicians have a long history of bending the rules, but some say the governor went too far.
• Islamic Extremists Detained In Belgium
  Police in Belgium picked up 14 suspected al-Qaida-linked extremists in raids Thursday. Six been have been charged with being members of a terrorist organization. The sweep came hours before a European Union summit brought together the heads of 27 countries in Brussels.
• Frum: GOP Is The Party Of The Old
  David Frum, a former speechwriter for President Bush, says the Republican party has lost its way. Frum says he is starting a new Web site to encourage Republicans to rethink their approach. NewMajority.com launches the weekend before the presidential inauguration.
• Rules May Make Hiring Foreign Farmworkers Easier
  The Bush administration is posting new rules for bringing foreign farmworkers into the U.S. The goal is to make it easier for farmers to find a work force that is here legally. Critics say the new rules will drive down wages and housing benefits, and put Americans out of work. The regulations would take effect over the next year, starting in January.
• U.S. Urges Zimbabwe's Neighbors To Act
  Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe says an outbreak of cholera has been contained, but U.S. officials disagree — adding that it's just one of many ongoing problems that the people of Zimbabwe face due to Mugabe's leadership. They're calling on Zimbabwe's neighbors to impose economic sanctions on the nation to bring down Mugabe's government.
• Five Years Later, How They Got Saddam Hussein
  Former Army Staff Sgt. Eric Maddox talks about his role in the capture of Saddam Hussein five years ago. Maddox used non-violent interrogation methods to discover Saddam's whereabouts by closing in on Saddam's inner circle of bodyguards. Maddox talks with Steve Inskeep about how he got the information to get Saddam.

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