Flyover land: The airport, the FAA and the unhappy homeowners
In the MPR News Update today, the Metropolitan Airports Commission puts part of a controversial new flight path proposal on hold, a Minnesota Marine has died in Afghanistan, and the winningest coach in the history of college football hangs up his clipboard after 60 years.
FLYOVER LAND: The Metropolitan Airports Commission has voted to support partially implementing a proposed change in flight patterns at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The compromise is an effort to appease angry Minneapolis and Edina homeowners who fear they're suddenly going to live under a jetliner superhighway.
SYMPATHY FOR THE HOMEOWNERS? Should homeowners have protection from new and unanticipated changes in air traffic patterns that might affect the value of their homes? Tell us what you think in Today's Question.
MARINE DIES: JoLyn Means says the Marines told her family Sunday night that her 23-year-old brother, Lance Cpl. Dale Means, was killed by an improvised explosive device in southern Helmand province. It was his first tour of duty.
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BOXED IN: Best Buy Co. reported another dismal quarter on Tuesday. The electronics big-box retailer is struggling to reverse a years-long decline in its business as competition from online stores and discounters increases, and consumers' tastes shift from more profitable items like TVs and desktop computers toward less profitable smart phones and tablets.
SPAMMED: In other quarterly results, continued strong sales of Spam and Jennie-O products helped Hormel Foods as its net income climbed 13 percent in its fourth fiscal quarter. The Austin, Minn., company also increased its annual dividend by 13 percent to 68 cents per share.
HEALTHY TRUCKERS? SERIOUSLY: Long-haul truckers, a notoriously unhealthy bunch, will soon have to face a potential road block: Federal regulations that will soon require them to undergo medical exams from certified health professionals designed to identify conditions that could pose a hazard while driving. A Mayo Clinic physician tells us about the work.
WOUNDED KNEES: Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio is back practicing with his teammates this week, after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL in his left knee in March. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson suffered an ACL injury last December. He's not only back on the field, he's one of the most valuable players in the NFL this year. How'd they recover so fast? Jeffrey Macalena, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Minnesota, explains.
WINNINGEST COACH EVER: John Gagliardi came to St. John's in 1953, and built a legendary career: 489 wins, four national titles, and he's the only active coach to ever be named to the College Football Hall of Fame. Now, he says, it's time to hang up the clip board.
GET TESTED: Speaking of health, there's a new push to make testing for the AIDS virus as common as cholesterol checks. Draft guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that Americans ages 15 to 64 get an HIV test at least once.
GET SOBER: You've been warned. As the holiday season approaches, the Minnesota State Patrol plans to step up enforcement against drunk drivers, starting Wednesday in the 13 Minnesota counties where most drunk driving crashes occur.
IRONED OUT: Iron ore mining is a classic boom and bust industry. When times are good, they can be really good. Of course, the opposite is true when the economy slows. For proof, one need look no further than Cliffs Natural Resources, the nation's largest taconite producer. Last year the company earned a record $1.6 billion, up nearly 60 percent from the previous year. But that was then. This is now.
LIGHT RAILED: The St. Paul NAACP and Rondo neighborhood community members want light-rail planners to speed up a study on the effects of Central Corridor Light rail construction on businesses. This is the latest development in a court battle that has drawn out for nearly three years. The plaintiffs say they are still fighting for the business analysis even though construction is mostly complete.
DEBATING ISLAMISTS: The Middle East finds itself at the center of yet another armed conflict, this time between Israel and the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip. Listen to this timely Intelligence Squared debate, which examines the popular uprisings of Arab Spring and considers the leadership of Islamist majorities. Will there be radicalization and increased anti-Americanism in the region, or will the spread of democratic values bring about a more liberalized Arab world?
WING YOUNG HUIE: Born and raised in Duluth, photographer Wing Young Huie is best known for his public art installations, most recently the University Avenue project, in which he turned a six-mile stretch of the thoroughfare into an outdoor photo gallery. The project was all about confronting the prejudices with which we categorize others, based solely on how they look. It's an existence Huie knows well, and why we call him our latest Art Hero.
CONSIDER THE CRANBERRY: Take a moment to consider a delicacy that has an important place on the Thanksgiving table and throughout the holiday season: the lowly cranberry. Did you know it has a locavore connection? Learn more here.