Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Pawlenty praises McCain in Iowa campaign stop
  Pawlenty is the co-chair of McCain's presidential exploratory committee and says he made the trip to give McCain encouragement. Pawlenty's latest trip increases speculation and criticism over his national ambitions.5:20 p.m.
• Flood recedes but tempers rise in Browns Valley
  In Browns Valley some residents are still not able to get into their homes, a day after the Little Minnesota River sent icy waters rushing through town. Although flood waters are receding and that means many of the 100 or so residents evacuated Wednesday morning are starting to assess flood damage to their homes and property.5:24 p.m.
• "Maxed Out" -- why we spend too much
  In his new documentary, "Maxed Out," filmmaker James Scurlock offers a look into the American tendency to spend beyond our means.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Letters: Conservapedia, Torture and 'Someday'
  Michele Norris and Robert Siegel read from listeners' e-mails. We hear responses to our interview on the Web site Conservapedia.com; a reprimand for not warning listeners about a grisly bit of sound; and a mother's story about being moved to tears while driving home.
• U.S. General Cautiously Optimistic on 'Surge'
  The commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad sounds a cautious note of optimism. Maj. Gen. Joseph Fil says that a month after the so called "surge" was launched, attacks in the Iraqi capital are down, as is the number of deaths. But Fil says "pockets of concern" remain.
• Democrats Get Mixed Results on Iraq Timetable
  Congressional Democrats hoping to end U.S. involvement in the war in Iraq move forward with a House funding bill that includes a deadline for a U.S. troop pullout. But Senate Republicans thwarted a binding resolution that included a timeline for redeployment offered by Senate Democrats.
• Dogs Take Vow: To Serve and Herd Penguins
  On Middle Island off Australia, foxes were close to polishing off a colony of endangered Fairy penguins. Then chicken farmer Allan "Swampy" Marsh showed up with his penguin dogs. The canines turned out to do a great job of scaring off the foxes.
• Gov. Patrick Finds Setbacks After Fast Rise
  Despite being in office for only a few months, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has been forced by a series of embarrassing political missteps to scale back his public schedule. Patrick's landslide victory made him the nation's second elected black governor, and he was widely regarded as a rising star.
• Money on the Side: Common, and Unprosecuted
  If it's a crime, why aren't more people going to jail? Michele Norris talks with University of Chicago Law professor Richard Epstein about some of the legal questions raised by the United States' underground economy.
• Getting Paid Off the Books in America
  On a recent day in Washington, D.C., Carlos Juarez of Guatemala waited on a street corner to find day labor. Juarez is part of America's underground economy. So are casual sports gamblers. Office worker Gary Gibbs, speaking at a Maryland sports bar, says that betting in an office pool might be illegal, but it's like jaywalking.
• Sifting Through Mohammed's Confession to Plots
  The Pentagon transcript of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's wide-ranging confession to plotting terrorist attacks has led many to question whether Mohammed could have been involved in all the plots mentioned.
• Austin DJ's Influence Extends Beyond SXSW
  There aren't too many regional DJs with national influence. Andy Langer is one of them. His show, The Next Big Thing, has played on Austin's KROX every Sunday for eight years. Now Langer has become an influential tastemaker.
• Anti-War Groups Seek Breakthrough Moment
  Next Monday marks four years since the United States attacked Iraq. Anti-war groups are planning to protest the conflict over the next several days, at events in Washington, D.C., and around the country. But the anti-war movement struggles to reach the mainstream.
• Leahy, Senate Panel to Subpoena Bush Officials
  The Senate Judiciary Committee votes to give Chairman Patrick Leahy the power to subpoena 11 current and former Bush administration officials regarding the firing of eight U.S. attorneys.
• Candidates' Spouses Take on New Roles
  From Judith Nathan to Bill Clinton, the spouses of the contenders for the presidential nomination in both parties bear little resemblance to the prototypical first lady. Michele Norris talks with Ruth Marcus, columnist and editorial board member at The Washington Post.
• Israel Critical of New Fatah-Hamas Cabinet
  Palestinian rivals Fatah and Hamas have finally agreed on the makeup of a unity government. But Israel has quickly declared that it will have nothing to do with the new entity, calling it a "setback" to Middle East peace efforts.
• Classical Music: Sales Juggernaut of 2006
  The fastest-growing segment of music sales in 2006 wasn't rock, dancehall, or hip-hop; it was classical music, says Nielsen Sound Scan's yearly report card. The news comes after years of ominous predictions of the genre's death. Some attribute the uptick to growing online classical sales.
• Young Conductor at Home with N.Y. Philharmonic
  Alan Gilbert is a young conductor from a musical family that's rooted in the New York Philharmonic. His father played violin with the orchestra for 30 years, and his mother is a longtime member of the first violin section.

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories

Become a Sponsor