Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Minneapolis wants input for 2030 plan
  The City of Minneapolis is focusing on the year 2030, as it works on a strategic plan for the city's long-term growth . City planners have a draft of that plan -- they call it a "plan for sustainable growth." And starting tonight, they want input from citizens. Host Tom Crann talks with Karin Berkholtz, Community Planning Superviros for the City of Minneapolis.4:45 p.m.
• When can drinking become deadly?
  It appears that alcohol has led to the death of another college student in Minnesota. Dr. Jon Hallberg joined MPR's Tom Crann to discuss the effects of alcohol on the body, and when it can become fatal.5:20 p.m.
• Few takers for ignition program aimed at drunk drivers
  A pilot program in Hennepin and Beltrami counties offers repeat DWI offenders a chance to get their license back sooner, if they use a breath analyzer in their car. So far, only a few people are participating.5:24 p.m.
• Auditor: Minn. Secretary of State didn't misuse mailing list
  A state investigation has concluded that DFL Secretary of State Mark Ritchie did not violate the law when he used a state mailing list for political purposes.5:50 p.m.
• Marilyn Carlson Nelson hands over reins to non-family member
  Travel operator Carlson Cos., owner of the Radisson hotel chain and dozens of other travel brands, named Hubert Joly as chief executive on Tuesday, ending a dispute over who would take over one of the nation's largest family-run companies.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Husband's Moped Triggers Anxiety, Nostalgia
  Beating the high cost of a petroleum-fueled commute can be a chore. Or sometimes it can be a way to turn back the clock. When her husband brought home his gas-guzzling solution, it triggered anxiety as well as happy memories for Charlotte Observer columnist Mary Curtis.
• Leno's Return to TV Tests Bounds of Writers Union
  The Writers Guild of America is unhappy with Jay Leno, particularly with his opening monologues. It's not smarting from Leno's jokes about the ongoing writers strike. Instead, it's mad that the Tonight Show host is preparing jokes in advance of the show. That's a violation of union rules, it says.
• Low-Income San Franciscans Get Boost into Banking
  About 11,000 low-income San Franciscans have opened bank accounts in the past year. The city is working with commercial banks and some nonprofit organizations to help people who have never had checking accounts get into the banking system.
• EPA Launches Cell Phone Recycling Effort
  The Environmental Protection Agency is launching a campaign to get Americans to recycle their cell phones. The agency, which is joining with phone manufacturers and providers to collect the phones, says recycling will save energy and reduce greenhouse gas pollution that contributes to climate change.
• War Crimes Trial Resumes for Liberia's Taylor
  The war crimes trial of the former Liberian president has resumed in the Hague. A survivor of the atrocities provides grim testimony to the brutality inflicted by rebel soldiers in Liberia. Charles Taylor is accused of orchestrating rape, murder and mutilation and using child soldiers during the civil war in Sierra Leone.
• California Faces Drastic Steps to Fix Budget Deficit
  California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers his annual State of the State address Tuesday, in the middle of a worsening financial situation for the Golden State. The governor has said he will propose deep budget cuts Tuesday and declare a "fiscal emergency" within a month.
• Yale to Tap Its Endowment in Student Aid Overhaul
  Yale University plans to spend more of its endowment to help students pay for school, a move aimed at helping middle-class families. Yale's announcement follows similar ones by Harvard and other elite universities.
• Electronics Show Buzz: Broadband on the Go
  The word at this year's Consumer Electronics Show is wireless, and the hot products are mobile and connected. WiMax may be next big thing. The technology broadcasts broadband from a large area so the signal can be picked up while users are moving.
• High Murder Rate Hits Home for Oakland Family
  For years, Oakland has been devastated by high murder rate. In 2007, 127 people were murdered. But the toll reaches far beyond the California city's streets, affecting untold numbers of family members and friends of the dead. One mother there is struggling with the death of her son.
• Starbucks Fires CEO; Founder Returns to Helm
  With its stock price down sharply from a year ago, Starbucks has fired its CEO. Howard Schultz, the company's founder and chairman, will take over as chief executive. Starbucks executives say it's time to refocus on the customer experience. The company also plans to slow its domestic growth and shift resources to foreign expansion.
• Primary Day on the Streets of Manchester, N.H.
  On the streets of New Hampshire's largest city, basking in the unseasonably warm weather, NPR's Robert Smith tries to find out what primary day means to the people of Manchester. Along the way, he finds some stories you might not have heard. For example, one candidate's name you won't soon forget: Vermin Supreme.
• Diversifying the 'Change' Rhetoric
  Everybody is talking about "change" — all of the presidential candidates are, anyway. The word factors into every debate and every campaign speech. We think it may be time to diversify the rhetoric a little bit. Michele Norris and Robert Siegel offer a few alternatives to "change."
• N.H. Polls Marked by Heavy Turnout, Independents
  At polling places in Milford, Antrim, and Hillsborough, N.H., local officials said Tuesday that they're seeing very heavy turnout. Some are afraid they'll run out of ballots before the day is through. We'll hear from voters in these towns about how they voted and why.
• Traits of a Good Concession Speech: Brevity, Grace
  By the end of Tuesday night, a few presidential candidates who had hoped for victory in New Hampshire will have to admit defeat. Political speech writers Kerry Tymchuk and Eli Attie talk about the art of crafting a concession speech. They say a good concession speech should be brief, free of bitterness and overwhelmingly gracious.
• What's at Stake in the New Hampshire Primary
  We've barely had time to interpret the results of last week's Iowa caucuses, and now it's New Hampshire's turn. What statement — if any — will the voters in the "Live Free or Die" state make Tuesday? How will the independents vote? What will the results mean for the winners — and for the losers? And where do the candidates go from here?

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