Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Whose hoot
  Every Friday night, the basement at Java Jack's coffee shop in Minneapolis is overtaken by the The Mad Ripple's Friday Night Hootenanny. Organizer and singer/songwriter Jim Walsh, aka the Mad Ripple, says the hootenanny is a rare chance for local musicians and the audience to make a connection.4:50 p.m.
• St. Paul residents still seek answers after triple homicide
  One of St. Paul's most horrific crimes in recent years remains unsolved, and feelings are still raw in the community where it happened.5:20 p.m.
• The Shues tell their story through film and soccer
  Say the name Elisabeth Shue to many people, and they'll bring up the actress' popular films like "The Karate Kid" and "Adventures in Babysitting." And, of course, her Oscar-nominated performance in "Leaving Las Vegas." Shue now has a very different kind of film about to open. "Gracie" is a fictional story, based on her experiences as a teenage athlete.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Minnesota's Democratic Rep. Walks Line on Iraq War
  Freshman Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) ousted a six-term GOP incumbent in 2006 by running on an anti-war platform. He was among the House Democrats who voted for an unsuccessful amendment calling for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq within 90 days. Still, Walz went ahead last week and voted for the supplemental war funding.
• Fade to Gray: California Tries New Eye Test
  The state of California is considering changes to its driving test - specifically, to the eye charts they use to test vision. They are trying it out at six DMV offices right now. Instead of using the familiar scenario - lines of letters that get progressively smaller - they have charts that have letters that are the same size, but the print gets progressively lighter.
• Home-Schooled Student Wins Spelling Bee
  Evan M. O'Dorney is the 2007 champion of the 80th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee. Last night, the 13-year-old beat out 286 champion spellers from around the world by spelling "serrefine," a noun of French origin describing the small forceps used in surgical procedures. O'Dorney, a home-schooled eighth grader from Danville, Calif., won a $35,000 prize, a $5,000 scholarship, and a $2,500 savings bond.
• An Auteur Finds Funding in Recyclables
  A filmmaker is trying to finance his first movie with money made from recycling cans and bottles. He needs $75,000. And he's hoping he can get a famous actor to play the starring role.
• Lebanon's 'Wild' North Smolders Beneath Calm
  There is a tenuous calm in Tripoli, where the Lebanese army is battling a surprisingly well-armed band of Islamists. But beneath the calm, the city is a hotbed of activity. This is the "wild" north, where local Sunnis hunted down one member of Fattah al Islam, recorded his killing on a cell phone and sent it to other young men as a trophy.
• Lawyer: Doctors Deemed His TB Not Contagious
  Andrew Speaker, who traveled back and forth to Europe while carrying an extensively drug-resistant form of tuberculosis, says his doctors told him his infection posed no risk to others. Speaker's TB is considered an active case, but he has no symptoms.
• Kidnappers Release Video of BBC Reporter
  The kidnappers of Alan Johnston, a BBC correspondent in Gaza, have released a video of Johnston, the first sign that he might be still alive since he was captured. Johnston was abducted 11 weeks ago, apparently by Islamist militants linked to al-Qaida. The video was undated.
• 'Sgt. Pepper,' an Album That Shaped an Era
  The Beatles', Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was released June 1, 1967, in Britain, and on June 2 in the United States. The album became a phenomenon, and its sound was perfect for the then-new frequencies of FM.
• LeBron James Rises to Occasion in Playoff Win
  Thursday night's NBA playoff game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons featured a memorable performance from LeBron James, who led the Cavaliers to a double-overtime victory by scoring his team's final 25 points. Fatsis says that at 22, James is a studious player with a rare kind of vision that invites comparisons to Michael Jordan.
• Subjects of 'Kabul Beauty School' Face New Risks
  The real-life subjects of a book about how Afghanistan women cope with their country's restrictive taboos say the book's success has exposed them to a variety of risks. They also claim that Deborah Rodriguez, the author of Kabul Beauty School, broke a promise that she would help them.
• What Would New Ownership Mean for 'Journal'?
  The Dow Jones Board, and specifically the Bancroft family, announced Thursday a desire to entertain purchase offers, including one from Rupert Murdoch that will be tough to beat. What would The Wall Street Journal look like if Murdoch, who has a long track record at The Times of London, becomes boss.
• California Considers Leasing Out Its Lottery
  Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is exploring the possibility of contracting out the lottery to private investors, hoping to reap an upfront multibillion-dollar lease payment and fatter jackpots. Critics say the move would hurt education funding.
• Iraqi Artist Makes a Point with Virtual Paintballs
  Iraqi artist Wafaa Bilal, who left his country in 1992 but still has family there, wanted to bring into sharp focus what it's like to be constantly worried about personal safety. So he moved into a gallery in Chicago and invited computer users across the country to shoot paintballs at him — through the Internet.
• Ex-Chief Calls for Scrapping Justice Dept. Watchdog
  A respected former head of the Office of Professional Responsibility says the Justice Department-controlled office should be abolished. The unit helps monitor ethics at Justice — but it is controlled by the attorney general. The other Justice watchdog, the Office of the Inspector General, is independent.
• Frenzy Highlights Lack of Knowledge About TB
  The recent travel plans of Andrew Speaker, the man afflicted with a drug-resistant strain of tuberculosis, sparked public outcry and a bit of media hysteria — much of it caused by a lack of understanding about the disease. The situation hits home for commentator Amy Nicole Blaszyk, who recently had a positive TB test.

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