Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Cleanup begins in flooded town
  Residents of Browns Valley are beginning to clean up after sections of their town flooded Tuesday night. The town sits on the Minnesota side of the border with South Dakota. Ice jams apparently caused the Little Minnesota River to burst its banks.4:45 p.m.
• Study finds homeless numbers steady in Minnesota
  The overall number of homeless people in Minnesota has leveled off at about 9,200, but the Wilder survey found some troubling increases.5:19 p.m.
• Number of homeless vets is small, but growing
  The number of homeless veterans will likely grow, experts say, because of the kinds of trauma troops are now facing.5:22 p.m.
• Two-dozen employees grab Star Tribune buyout
  The Star Tribune began saying goodbye to 24 newsroom employees on Wednesday. The workers have chosen to take a buyout offer from the paper; Friday will be the last day on the job for many. It's unclear whether the paper's new owner will want even more staff reductions in the future.5:50 p.m.
• Where journalism and blogging overlap
  A ruling from a Dakota County judge may be good news for bloggers. Last week the judge dismissed a lawsuit brought about by public relations executive and political commentator Blois Olson, who accused blogger Michael Brodkorb of defaming him.5:55 p.m.
• Local musicians hope to go national in Austin
  Minnesota musicians hoping to get 'discovered' head to Austin, TX to play at the South by Southwest Music Festival.6:23 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Anatomy of a Scandal: E-Mails Led Up to Dismissal
  The Bush administration announced in December that it was replacing seven federal prosecutors around the country. In the following weeks, Democrats became the majority party in Congress and began holding hearings on the subject. Developments have piled up since then.
• Eagles Vie with Landowners for Waterfront Property
  Development around the Chesapeake Bay is quickly eating up the habitat of a resurgent population of bald eagles. Terrell Bowers' riverfront property is at the center of a controversy over how to protect eagle habitat.
• Happy Pi Day from the Pi Guy
  March 14 (or "3-14") is Pi Day. Pi is equal to a circle's circumference divided by its diameter, and it's usually shortened to 3.14 — but not for Marc Umile. He holds the North American record for memorizing the most digits of pi: 12,887.
• Senate Republicans Change Tack on Iraq Debate
  In a departure, most Senate Republicans joined their Democratic colleagues in voting to allow debate on a new resolution aimed at winding down U.S. participation in the Iraq war. The vote is a new stance for Senate Republicans, who have twice blocked resolutions on an Iraq withdrawal.
• Bush's White House, Built on Partisanship?
  When NPR Senior News Analyst Ted Koppel looks at the flap over U.S. attorneys, it reminds him of a movie and a book — and a pattern of the Bush administration.
• Detecting Safety in the Sound of Air Brakes
  Listener and big-rig truck driver David Huiner says he relies on the sound of his air brakes to let him know that his truck is operating safely. He gives us an example.
• Bush Urges Immigration Changes as Trip Ends
  After talks with Mexico's President Calderon, President Bush says he will press Democrats and Republicans in Congress to overhaul U.S. immigration law. The president ended his Latin American tour in Mexico, after visiting Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia and Guatemala.
• Raid on Illegal Immigrants Brings Chaos to Town
  A roundup of illegal workers in New Bedford, Mass., last week continues to spark criticism about the federal government's handling of the raid. Nursing infants were separated from their mothers, and older children were left in inappropriate care when immigration officials took their parents.
• Immigration Raid Leaves Schools Scrambling
  When a garment company was raided in New Bedford, Mass., last Tuesday, more than 350 workers were arrested — many of them with children enrolled in the town's schools. Fred Fuentes, the district's superintendent for equity and diversity, says his first challenge is to accurately count how many students have been directly affected.
• Playing Tchaikovsky On Spring Break
  Yuja Wang, 20, recently played with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Her chance came after 65-year-old pianist Martha Argerich canceled at the last minute. After just two rehearsals, Wang wowed audiences and critics.

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