Morning Edition

In Tucson, Ariz., it was a weekend for remembering. On Sunday, it had been one year since the shooting attack that killed six people and wounded 13 more. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head, was at a few of the memorial events.

A 20-year ban on new mining near the Grand Canyon is expected to be finalized by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Monday. Conservation groups are hailing the decision but the mining industry and some Republicans say a permanent ban would hurt the nation's energy independence and Arizona's economy.

Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney has long held a commanding lead in the polls ahead of Tuesday's primary in New Hampshire. Taking nothing for granted, Romney campaigned in the state on Sunday with two of his top surrogates: former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Behind Mitt Romney in the New Hampshire polls comes Ron Paul, and then several men battling for third. Including Jon Huntsman, the former Utah governor and ambassador to China.

Robert Siegel of NPR's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED has been following him around here in New Hampshire. Hi, Robert.

ROBERT SIEGEL, BYLINE: Hi, Steve.

INSKEEP: What have you seen?

Whoever wins the Republican presidential nomination will face President Obama in November. The Obama campaign got some meaningful news Friday when unemployment figures improved again.

The Labor Department announced Friday that 200,000 jobs were created in December, and the U.S. unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent. The new hiring came largely in transportation and warehousing. Tens of thousands of other people found jobs in retail and manufacturing.

The Church of Kopimisms received approval last month form the Swedish government. The church opposes copyrights in all forms and encourages piracy of all types.

Police in Fresnow, Calif., say a car thief drove too fast, lost control on a curve, shot up a slope, launched over landscaping rocks and landed the car on the sloping roof of a house. A woman nearby thought it had been an earthquake.

Unseasonable temperatures and lack of snow have a lot of New Englanders singing the blues. In Maine, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and Nordic skiing are a big part of the winter economy. Downhill ski areas are making due with man-made snow, but those other industries have no choice but to wait for Mother Nature.