Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Sen. Klobuchar draws three Republican challengers
  After a slow start, the Republican U.S. Senate endorsement campaign in Minnesota is now in full swing.3:50 p.m.
• Dining with Dara: Locally grown tomatoes in winter
  If you've been in a Minnesota grocery store during the last year you've surely noticed them: Minnesota tomatoes, being sold in months that shouldn't have Minnesota tomatoes -- months like March, April and May. Our food and dining correspondent, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine's Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, explains this tomato phenomenon.3:54 p.m.
• Best Buy closing 50 stores, cutting 400 jobs
  Best Buy Co. said it plans to close 50 U.S. big box stores and open 100 small mobile locations in the U.S. in fiscal 2013 and cut $800 million in costs by fiscal 2015. The news came Thursday as the Minnesota-based electronics retailer posted a fiscal fourth quarter loss of $1.7 billion.5:20 p.m.
• GOP lawmakers square off with Dayton over education bills
  Two education-related bills by House and Senate Republicans headed toward DFL Gov. Mark Dayton appear to be facing certain vetoes.5:24 p.m.
• Sen. Klobuchar draws three Republican challengers
  After a slow start, the Republican U.S. Senate endorsement campaign in Minnesota is now in full swing.5:50 p.m.
• Dining with Dara: Locally grown tomatoes in winter
  If you've been in a Minnesota grocery store during the last year you've surely noticed them: Minnesota tomatoes, being sold in months that shouldn't have Minnesota tomatoes -- months like March, April and May. Our food and dining correspondent, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine's Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, explains this tomato phenomenon.6:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Neighborhood Watch Under Fire After Teen's Death
  Each day seems to bring more questions about the case of Trayon Martin, an unarmed black teen was shot to death in Florida. Martin was killed by a white Latino neighborhood watch captain. Some say that while guns are at the heart of the issue, community policing groups need more regulation.
• Parents Make Child's Death Their Cause
  Trayvon Martin's parents have been going public to bring attention to their son's death over a month ago. Melissa Block talks with two mothers, Annette Nance-Holt and Candace Lightner, who also spoke out publicly after the death of their children. Nance-Holt helped start a group called Purpose Over Pain and Lightner founded Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
• Austerity Measures Prompt Spanish Workers To Strike
  Workers walked off the job in Spain on Thursday, halting public transport, closing schools and leaving hospitals with emergency staff only. The general strike was called by unions in response to the conservative government's labor reforms, which let companies opt out of collective bargaining agreements and fire workers more cheaply. But more punishing austerity could still be to come, as Spain tries to whittle down its budget deficit under pressure from Brussels.
• Vatican Leaks Raise Questions Over Finances
  An archbishop who complained of corruption was sent to the United States, and the Vatican is carrying out a rare criminal investigation to see who leaked documents purporting financial misdeeds.
• Thinking The Unthinkable: What If The Whole Affordable Care Act Goes Down?
  Health lawyers aren't sure, but their opinions range from "God only knows" to "bedlam" to "chaos."
• New Law Raises Funding Hopes For Startups, Worries Over Fraud
  The Jobs Act could make it easier for tech startups to raise money by allowing anyone — not just millionaires — to invest. But many are concerned it will also lead to a new wave of financial fraud. "I think we can expect to see ... African princes inventing cold fusion any second now," says one entrepreneur.
• The Sobering Odds Of Winning The Lottery Jackpot
  The jackpot for Friday's Mega Millions lottery is $540 million. Robert Siegel talks with Aaron Abrams, a mathematician at Emory University in Atlanta, about why it's still a bad bet.
• Review: 'Running The Rift'
  A new novel from Naomi Benaron tells the compelling of a long distance runner from Rwanda who is struggling to reach the Olympics as his country suffers dreadful ethnic violence. Alan Cheuse who teaches writing at George Mason University, has a review.
• Headed For The Butcher, Chinese Dogs Are Rescued
  The Chinese have a long tradition of eating dogs. But increasingly, dogs are becoming pets. And animal rescue groups have taken to saving truckloads of dogs on the side of the road before they reach the butcher's shop.
• Republicans Barrel GOP Budget Through House
  The House debated the budget plan of Representative Paul Ryan, an ambitious blueprint that would cut taxes and spending. But some fellow Republicans still opposed it for not cutting the deficit fast enough.

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