Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Pawlenty's motivation is part politics, part personal
  Gov. Tim Pawlenty is determined to modernize high schools, to better prepare students for the competitive world they'll face after graduation. Pawlenty's crusade is both political and personal.4:48 p.m.
• House tax bill passes
  The Minnesota House approved a tax bill Friday that would help ease property taxes statewide, while increasing income taxes for the state's highest earners.5:20 p.m.
• Lake Superior's low levels cause problems for shippers
  Lingering drought is blamed for near record low water levels on Lake Superior. That's a major headache for lake shippers, who need to lighten their cargo loads to avoid hitting bottom. It's stirred a long simmering frustration over the federal government's harbor dredging program.5:24 p.m.
• What doctors learn when you open up and say "Aah"
  Dr. Jon Hallberg talks about the important information doctors get from performing a physical exam.5:44 p.m.
• What's worth hearing with these hearing aids?
  Commentator Gordon Stewart forgot how noisy the world really is.6:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Calipers and Chimes at the Bike Repair Shop
  Ron George, a bicycle mechanic in Moab, Utah, sends along a tape that permits us to eavesdrop on his workplace. Southern Utah is home to a community of serious mountain bikers and road bikers.
• Frank Outlines Internet Gambling Bill
  Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts has introduced legislation that would allow online gambling. It's seen as a long shot, coming a year after the House passed a bill that banned the use of credit cards or checks for online gambling.
• Tenet Blasts Bush Team on Run-Up to Iraq
  The former CIA director says the decision to invade Iraq and remove Saddam Hussein was made without "serious discussion." He says intelligence that did not support an invasion rationale was ignored.
• Farmer Seeks to Make a Mammoth Deal
  A Wisconsin farmer is seeking a six-figure deal for bones belonging to a 12,000-year-old mammoth. Experts say the skeleton in John Hebior's basement is the best mammoth specimen ever found in North America.
• Skybus Sets Out to Undercut Rivals
  A low-fare airline will be launched next month, with headquarters at the airport in Columbus, Ohio. Skybus will offer one-way fares for as little as $10 to Burbank, Calif., Richmond, Va., and other locations.
• Article Cites 'General Failure' of War Leaders
  Lt. Col. Paul Yingling is an active-duty commander of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. On Friday, he published an article in Armed Forces Journal charging Army generals with incompetent leadership in Iraq.
• Sun Sets on St. Louis Weatherman's Long Career
  After 35 unpaid years on St. Louis public radio, KWMU meteorologist Ben Abell is retiring. Those years have featured succinct and thoughtful forecasts from the professor of meteorology at St. Louis University.
• NFL Draft Has Turned into a TV Hit
  The NFL's draft of college players has become a glitzy TV extravaganza likely to attract more viewers than an NBA playoff game or a NASCAR race. Tune in this weekend to see what ESPN has done with the draft.
• Scandals Stain Republican Representatives
  House Republicans are still dealing with a flurry of ethical problems. FBI raids on a home and a business have knocked two lawmakers off key committees. And several elected officials have engaged defense lawyers.
• Bloomberg Sets Sights on New York Climate Change
  New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg discusses his broad policy initiative to address climate change. Among his proposals is an $8 charge for vehicles entering Manhattan.
• Does Backing Biofuels with Public Money Work?
  Congress is using financial incentives to encourage the biofuels industry as a way of responding to concerns about global warming. Are public dollars really buying the environmental benefits we expect?
• Video Game Pioneer Kutaragi Leaves Sony
  The "father of the PlayStation" is leaving Sony Computer Entertainment. Ken Kutaragi departs as Sony's PlayStation 3 is struggling with rivals Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii. Gamers weigh in on what's hot and what's not.
• CDC's Flu Games Simulate a Pandemic
  More than 300 CDC employees took part in what was supposed to be a 48-hour drill simulating how pandemic flu might spread and how the agency would respond. Officials hope that identifying mistakes in a drill will help with managing a real outbreak.
• Yo Yo Ma Reflects on Rostropovich
  The cellist Yo Yo Ma looks back at the life of master cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, who died Friday at 80 at a Moscow hospital. Ma credits Rostopovich for invigorating the cello repertoire, both as a performer and through dozens of new works commissioned from great composers.
• South Carolina Swarms with Democratic Hopefuls
  A day after the first major debate of the 2008 campaign, Democratic presidential candidates press the flesh in South Carolina. The annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner is Friday night, followed by a fish fry hosted by Rep. James Clyburn.

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