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Host Renee Montagne shares letters from listeners.

NPR's Mary Ann Akers reports that Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater is assembling a federal task force to monitor airline performance after a summer travel season marred by thousands of flight delays.

Jyl Hoyt of member station KBSX in Boise reports efforts to battle the Rankin fire in central Idaho. This year's western wildfires are the worst in nearly half a century.

Host Renee Montagne talks to Maurice Isserman, about his biography of the late political activist and Morning Edition Commentator, Michael Harrington. Harrington's book, The Other America, had a profound effect on the 1960's debate over race and poverty. Harrington introduced the term, 'the culture of poverty,' which described poverty in socio-economic terms. He was a democratic socialist, who advocated the 'politics of coalition.' (8:30) Maurice Isserman's biography is titled, The Other American: the Life of Michael Harrington is published by Public Affairs; ISBN: 18916

New research suggests that transplanted brain cells can help some people whose brains have been damaged by a stroke. As NPR's Joanne Silberner reports the technique has been tried on only a few patients. But the results are promising.

High School student Melanie Thomasson says when she hears the kids she used to baby-sit playing baseball outside on a summer night, she realizes she's lost her summers to obligations and activities.

NPR's Mike Shuster reports that Mexico's President-elect Vicente Fox is on a two-day visit to Washington to present his proposals on trade, immigration and drug trafficking. Fox defeated the ruling party's candidate, President Ernesto Zedillo, in a July election. He supports opening borders as a way of addressing illegal immigration and helping to develop Mexico's economy. US business and labor leaders are unenthusiastic, but President Clinton has said he wants to hear more about Fox's ideas before expressing an opinion. In addition to visiting President Clinton, Fox met with Vice President Gore and plans a similar session tomorrow with Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush.

Robert and Noah read letters from All Things Considered's listeners. (3:30) To send a letter write to "Letters," All Things Considered, National Public Radio, 635 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC, 20001 or send e-mail to ATC@npr.org.

Host Renee Montagne talks to Judi Bailey, President of Northern Michigan University in Marquette about the Thinkpad Initiative, a new program that provides laptops to all students at the university.

Amy Tardif of member station WGCU in Fort Myers reports on changes in Florida's fire inspection laws. Schools are now required to be inspected by fire marshals, but there's not been enough time to get all schools up to code.