Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• House and Senate override governor's veto
  A $6.6 billion transportation bill is now law after both the Minnesota House and Senate voted for the first time to override a veto from Gov. Tim Pawlenty.5:19 p.m.
• Van driver's boyfriend and vehicle pulled over a month earlier
  The woman charged with crashing into a school bus and killing four students last week in southwestern Minnesota has been identified as Olga Marina Franco, 24 of Guatemala.5:46 p.m.
• 50 years of social satire at Brave New Workshop
  When it opened 50 years ago, the Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis was one of the first theaters for improv sketch comedy and social satire in the nation. But can anybody remain Brave and New for 50 years?5:49 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Can Video Games Save the Music Star?
  At last week's Game Developers' Conference in San Francisco, much attention was paid to the musical scores and soundtracks vital to any video game's success. But the worlds of music and gaming are merging in ways that have as yet received far less attention.
• In Indonesia, Gates Seeks to Solidify an Ally's Ties
  U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates continues his trip through Southeast Asia with a stop in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation. With China stepping up its military planning, Washington is increasingly seeing Indonesia as a strategic ally.
• In Lead, Obama Campaign Feels Heat, Snubs
  The growing animosity between the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton escalated further Monday, as the Obama camp accused their Clinton counterparts of "divisive tactics" for distributing a photograph of Obama from a 2006 Africa trip wearing traditional Somali dress.
• A Deal-Making Union Man: Douglas Fraser
  Former United Auto Workers head Douglas Fraser has died at 91. He was known as a skillful negotiator who led the UAW during difficult times for the U.S. auto industry in the 1970s and '80s. Unlike many union leaders, Fraser was also known for being accessible and easy-going.
• Therapists Look to Wii Games for Rehab Benefits
  A game system popular with teens is finding its way into rehabilitation centers. The Nintendo Wii, controlled by users' movements, is being used to help patients recovering from stroke or closed-head injuries. Therapists say the games can ease the sometimes unpleasant task of rehab.
• A Site's New Tack: Walking Away from Mortgage
  An online company is trying to convince some homeowners that losing their home might not be so bad. The Web site, youwalkaway.com, features pictures of happy families; it urges stressed-out homeowners to "use our proven method to Walk Away."
• New York Philharmonic Set for North Korea Show
  The New York Philharmonic will perform Tuesday at the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre in Pyongyang, North Korea. The concert represents an historic occasion, as a prominent U.S. cultural institution visits an isolated nation.
• Amid Bad News, Homeowners Meet with Lenders
  Sales of existing homes fell again in January, marking the sixth month of declines in a row. The median price of those homes also fell, to just over $200,000 — down more than 4 percent from a year ago. In an effort to hold down the rising number of foreclosures, lenders are reaching out to borrowers.
• Turning 'Peter and the Wolf' into an Oscar Winner
  Melissa Block talks with Oscar winner Hugh Welchman. He produced Peter and the Wolf, which won Best Animated Short. The film retells Prokofiev's story in stop-motion animation, with only the orchestral music for narration.
• Dennis Letts, Father of Tracy Letts, Dies at 73
  Dennis Letts was a retired professor and actor who made his Broadway debut this season in his son Tracy's acclaimed production of August: Osage County. Robert Siegel spoke to both father and son in late December on this program. Dennis Letts, who died Friday of cancer, was 73.
• Taking the Pain Out of Cooking with Onions
  Cooks who love onions but hate what the vegetables can do to their eyes may soon find relief, thanks to a group of scientists in New Zealand. The team says it has genetically altered an onion so it's missing an enzyme that's essential for an onion's pungent punch.
• Letters: The Democratic Contest, and Cockroaches
  Robert Siegel and Melissa Block read from listener e-mails about Friday's program. We hear criticism of a story on Texas voters watching a Democratic debate, and of our roundup of political ads. There's also praise for stories on candidates' health care plans and a Turkmen cockroach.
• In Ohio, Delegates May Hinge on Job Issues
  What does it take to win Ohio? Robert Siegel talks with Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Connie Schultz about the upcoming Ohio Primary. Labor and NAFTA loom large. And tempers seem to be on edge as the primaries near.
• After Turkish Incursion, Both Sides Bury Dead
  Four days into the largest Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq in a decade, Turkey has already begun holding funerals for its soldiers killed in action in Iraq. Meanwhile, Kurdish nationalists demonstrated and held a moment of silence for slain guerrillas.
• Maine Roads Illustrate Financial Woes Across U.S.
  One Maine resident has started a "pothole rebellion." Bridges also are in bad shape, wearing out twice as fast as the state can replace them. No one knows where the money to fix the ailing infrastructure will come from.

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