Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Minnesota farmers boost corn acres
  Minnesota's mix of crops will be a little different this spring. Farmers will plant more corn. The underlying reason for the decision is the growth of the ethanol industry.5:20 p.m.
• Court system asks for more judges, more drug courts, and better security
  Minnesota's chief justice says the state's court system needs more funding, more judges, and more staff to keep up with rising caseloads.5:50 p.m.
• This weekend's action is at the Concertina Bowl
  Football fanatics still have another week before their big day, Super Bowl Sunday, arrives. But for fans of a certain kind of accordion, the biggest bowl event of the year happens Saturday in Blaine, Minnesota -- the Concertina Bowl.5:53 p.m.
• Mashout attracts hundreds of home brewers to Twin Cities
  Beers brewed for sipping, not chugging, compete in the 2007 Upper Mississsippi Mashout.6:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Tancredo on the Presidency, and Immigration
  Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO), who is hoping to secure his party's nomination for the presidency, has built a reputation on his tough stances on illegal immigration. Melissa Block talks with Tancredo.
• Anti-War Rallies to Focus on Congress
  A large-scale anti-war demonstration is planned for Washington, D.C., and other cities around the world this Saturday. The demonstrations are the work of the United for Peace and Justice Coalition and like-minded groups calling for a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq — and seeking to shift the focus from President Bush to Congress.
• Nine Convicted in Long Beach Hate-Crime Trial
  In Long Beach, Calif., a juvenile court judge has convicted eight black girls and one boy of beating three white women on Halloween night last year. One girl was acquitted of all charges. The defendants range between 12 and 18 years old. The racially charged case included allegations of witness intimidation.
• An Asian Pygmy and his Pal from Far Rockaway
  Alan Rabinowitz, a scientist from New York, felt compelled to walk 600 miles into the Himalayas to visit one of the last surviving Asian pygmies and show him a picture of Rabinowitz's baby son.
• Pakistan Weighs Solutions, as U.S., NATO Press
  The tribal areas along Pakistan's border are a haven from which a resurgent Taliban has been launching attacks into Afghanistan, U.S. and Afghan officials say. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's military ruler, has tried both military force and appeasement to rein in the pro-Taliban militants in the country's lawless tribal areas.
• Iraq Asks for More Weapons; U.S. Backpedals
  Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says he wants more military hardware from the United States. President Bush is providing more money for items like armored Humvees and BlackHawk helicopters, while the Iraqis want more unspecified firepower. The Pentagon is reluctant to give them too much weaponry, fearing it will fall into the wrong hands.
• Playing Nice Isn't Always a Natural Instinct
  With the shift of power in Congress, both political parties have talked about the importance of reaching across the aisle and working together. But research indicates that playing nice isn't always in our nature.
• Not Missing, Just Lonely: Welsh Faces on Milk Jugs
  Five single, yet hopeful, Welsh farmers are trying a novel way of getting dates: They've attached stickers with pictures of their faces on thousands of milk jugs. Melissa Block talks to one of the farmers, Elen Morris, 23, about the idea.
• Sounds of Soccer: A New Love for the Game
  Listener Elizabeth Brauer submits a Sound Clip of her soccer team practicing. Brauer, 58, says she came to the sport late in life. To her, the sound represents a life change to females who never had Title IX to bring them into sports in school.
• African Union Sessions to Focus on Crisis in Somalia
  When member nations of the African Union meet this weekend, representatives hope to find a way to stabilize Somalia, where a weak government has beaten back Islamist forces with the help of Ethiopian troops. There is concern that the fighting will resume unless peacekeepers are introduced into the country.
• The Bells of Philadelphia: The Day Is Over
  For as long as anyone can remember, the Philadelphia library had ended its day with music. Stephanie Marudas sends an audio postcard from the main branch.
• Ah, the Joys of Sushi — and the Green Monster
  A proposal at Boston's Fenway Park could have Red Sox fans eating sushi during baseball games this season. Red Sox officials say the idea came about because fans want healthier fare at the ball park — and because of the debut of Japanese pitching sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka. We imagine what it would be like if it becomes a reality.
• Missouri Compromise: A Win-Win for Clay
  Sen. Henry Clay, known as "the Great Compromiser," brought about the Missouri Compromise of 1820. House of Representatives historian Robert Remini says Clay's feat resulted from his ability to make each side — in this case, the South and North — feel as that it had won something in the bargain. Michele Norris talks with Remini, the author of Henry Clay: Statesman for the Union.
• Iraq Is Iraq; Vietnam Was Vietnam
  Commentator Dinesh D'Souza is tired of hearing all the comparisons between the Iraq war and the Vietnam War. He's not convinced they are at all alike.
• Lobbyists Adjust to New Zero-Sum Budget Rules
  New federal budget rules will force Congress to balance any tax cuts or spending increases with budget cuts. In response to the measures, lobbyists who advocate for a pet provision are now submitting ideas of what should be cut, as well.

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