Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Roundabouts coming to intersections near you
  Vehicles are stacking up at an increasing number of Twin Cities intersections controlled by lights or stop signs. During a rush hour it's common for long lines of commuters to wait and then inch ahead. One solution is roundabouts.4:48 p.m.
• That's not my handicap, it's my license number
  Stephen John talks with Lois Gartland leads the Specialty plate division at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in Madison, where the Wisconsin Legislature has approved a new "Golf Wisconsin" license plate. It would become one of 70 different Wisconsin license plates.4:53 p.m.
• Pioneer Press faces unknown owner
  The McClatchy Co., owner of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, announced Monday it will purchase the nation's second-largest newspaper company, Knight Ridder. Knight Ridder owns 32 daily papers around the country, including the St. Paul Pioneer Press -- which it plans to sell off.5:19 p.m.
• Winter makes a mid-March appearance
  An early spring snowstorm hit the Twin Cities and southeastern Minnesota Monday, dumping up to 20 inches of snow in some areas, snarling rush-hour traffic, forcing school closings, delaying flights and knocking out power to tens of thousands of Xcel Energy customers.5:48 p.m.
• No snow day in St. Paul?
  Today's heavy snowfall also created headaches for metro-area school districts. Most suburban schools closed for the day, but Minneapolis schools stayed open with a two-hour delay, and St. Paul schools were open at their normal hours. The decision to keep schools open prompted hundreds of angry phone calls from parents who thought the trip was too difficult or dangerous for their kids. Stephen John talked with Patrick Quinn, executive director of school services for the St. Paul public schools.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• New York Towns Hope Wind Power Will Save Economy
  Tiny towns on upstate New York's Tug Hill Plateau have been losing jobs for decades. Now, they're betting on the power of the wind to pull them out of their economic slump. Tug Hill is home to the largest wind farm in the East, and the turbines are pumping a million dollars into the local economy.
• 'Da Vinci Code' Author Testifies in Plagiarism Suit
  Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code gives testimony in a plagiarism lawsuit filed by co-authors of The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. Both books have had a sales surge since the trial began. Katherine Rushton of The Book Seller magazine talks with Michele Norris.
• McClatchy Will Buy Knight Ridder for $4.5 Billion
  Knight Ridder, the second-largest newspaper company in the United States, announces it is accepting a $4.5 billion dollar offer from the McClatchy Company. McClatchy plans to sell some of Knight Ridder's newspapers such as the Philadelphia Inquirer.
• Making Peace with Storms in Tornado Country
  Commentator Laura Lorson lives and works in Kansas. She describes what it's like to live in tornado country and how people make peace with it.
• Midwest Recovering from Sunday's Tornadoes
  At least 10 people were killed -- and 40 injured -- in the Midwest after a series of tornadoes swept across the Midwest. The bulk of the deaths occurred in Missouri. Crews assessing the damage Monday say it is remarkable more people weren't hurt.
• Bush Urges America to Be Patient with War in Iraq
  In the first of what's expected to be a series of speeches, President Bush asks for patience with the war in Iraq. He also asks Americans to see past the violence in media accounts of the war. The White House is hoping the speeches will shore up declining public support for the war.
• Study: Statin Drug Reverses Coronary Artery Disease
  Researchers at eight U.S. hospitals say they've been able to remove artery deposits with a high dose of a statin drug that cut "bad cholesterol" levels by half and raised "good cholesterol" more than any other study has shown. But more research is needed to see if patients suffer fewer heart attacks or deaths.
• Russians Demand Reform After Military Hazing
  A Russian conscript is recovering after a hazing attack that forced surgeons to amputate his legs and genitals. The 19-year-old was tied to a chair and beaten for three hours by six servicemen. The incident has caused an outrage in Russia, where the defense minister has promised to end bullying.
• Milosevic's Funeral Will Be Held in Serbia
  Slobodan Milosevic's funeral will be held in Belgrade but his wife, Mira Markovic, will not attend. She faces arrest on charges of abuse of office if she returns to Serbia, and has lived in Moscow since fleeing there in 2003. Serbian President Boris Tadic says Milosevic will not have a state burial.
• Judge Halts Testimony in Moussaoui Sentencing Trial
  Judge Leoni Brinkema suspends testimony in the Zacarias Moussaoui sentencing trial after learning that a government lawyer shared trial testimony with upcoming witnesses in violation of court rules. Brinkema calls the action a breach of the defendant's constitutional rights.
• Analysis of President Bush's Speech on Iraq
  Anthony Cordesman, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies offers analysis of President Bush's speech at George Washington University. Cordeman says the political situation in Iraq is unstable and uncertain.
• Former Bush Advisor's Arrest Makes Headlines
  Claude Allen, former domestic policy advisor for President Bush, was arrested last week and charged in a felony theft scheme known as "refund fraud." Michael Fletcher of the Washington Post, who has been covering the Allen story, talks with Michele Norris about the case.
• Sen. Feingold Calls for Censure of President Bush
  Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), a potential candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, calls for a Senate resolution censuring President Bush over the issue of domestic surveillance. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist dismisses the resolution as a political stunt.
• Internet Blows Cover of CIA Employees
  According to a Chicago Tribune story, information about thousands of Central Intelligence Agency employees, as well as other CIA information is easily available on the Internet. George de Lama, deputy managing editor for news at the Chicago Tribune, talks with Michele Norris.
• Iraq's Sectarian Struggle Will Be Biggest Obstacle
  Daniel Schorr, a senior news analyst with NPR, says that in Iraq, it may be harder to contain the sectarian struggle than the insurgency.

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