Phil Picardi is a newscaster for MPR News, and occasionally fills in as Morning Edition host when Cathy Wurzer is away.  He also produces the MPR News Update, a daily podcast summarizing the top stories of the day.  His duties include compiling, writing and delivering newscasts, and writing news banner headlines and news stories for air later in the day.  He's been in broadcasting for 25-plus years, doing public radio news in Missouri, Virginia, Wisconsin, and now, for the past decade, here in Minnesota. Phil grew up in St. Louis, MO and graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.  He reads non-fiction and knows all kinds of obscure facts about the American Civil War.  He also watches way too much football.  Phil likes most musical genres but cannot carry a tune or remember lyrics.