Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Capella is rising -- and profitable -- star in online learning
  Educators from traditional institutions typically turn up their noses at online degrees. But Capella University's enrollment -- and share price -- is booming.5:35 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Cajun Town Needs a Bard
  The city of Lafayette, La., is growing quickly, and it risks losing its Cajun culture. The area needs a great writer to keep check on the dissolution of the Acadiana way.
• 'Dinner' and a Show: Race, Romance in Pop Culture
  Just months after Loving v. Virginialegalized interracial marriage, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner broke Hollywood's official ban on interracial romance onscreen.
• Reagan Confronted Communism and Triumphed
  Tuesday is the 20th anniversary of President Reagan's celebrated speech on communism, when he uttered those famous words, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." Richard Lowry, editor of the National Review, explains how Tuesday's dedication of the Victims of Communism Memorial is further evidence of Reagan's triumph.
• The Exoneration of Larry Peterson
  Larry Peterson spent more than 17 years in prison before DNA testing led a judge to overturn his conviction. The first story in a two-part special report chronicles how he ended up behind bars for rape and murder — and fought to prove his innocence.
• Sturgeon and Humans Collide on the Suwannee
  Drought conditions have caused crowding in the Florida river — for fish and for boaters, a state Wildlife official says. During the weekend, a 32-year-old Jet Skier was knocked unconscious by a jumping sturgeon, and in 2006, 10 people were hurt in sturgeon-human incidents in Florida.
• Democrats Building Energy Bill Face Competing Goals
  This year, Democrats get their shot at an energy bill. It's a sprawling effort that aims to reduce global warming, curb dependence on foreign oil and keep energy costs low. But those can be contradictory goals.
• Bush, GOP Senators Talk Immigration on Capitol Hill
  President Bush made a rare visit to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to have lunch with Senate Republicans — and plug the immigration bill that he supports but which many GOP senators oppose. It was unclear whether he gained any new votes.
• Voter-Fraud Activist on Election Panel Faces Hearing
  President Bush put Hans von Spakovsky on the Federal Election Commission via a recess appointment — no Senate hearings required — in January 2006. Now, the former Justice Department employee faces a confirmation hearing.
• Jamaican Police: No Foul Play in Coach's Death
  Jamaican police say Pakistani cricket coach Bob Woolmer was not murdered during a March competition, but instead died of natural causes. Woolmer died in Jamaica after the high-ranked Pakistani cricket team was dealt a humiliating defeat in the Cricket World Cup.
• IPO Expected to Draw Billions for Blackstone Execs
  One of the most powerful private equity firms is selling shares to the public. About 10 percent of Blackstone Group will be made available to investors in an initial public offering later this month, and key executives are expected to get a windfall.
• Professional Dish-Washer Shares Tales From the Pit
  Washing dishes was not a stepping stone for Pete Jordan, but a calling that spanned 12 years and 50 states. He takes readers to the heart of the kitchen — the dish pit — in "Dishwasher: One Man's Quest to Wash Dishes in All 50 States.
• U.S. Tariffs On Shoes Favor Well-Heeled Buyers
  Some of the biggest tariffs in the U.S. are on shoes. And, oddly enough, the cheaper the shoes, the higher the tariff — so poorer people pay a larger share. Even so, an effort in Congress to get rid of the shoe tariffs might not succeed.
• Palestinian Crisis May Spread to Egypt, Jordan
  The Palestinian Authority is under intense pressure, as a unity government formed by the warring Hamas and Fatah factions is in danger of collapsing. If the central Palestinian government attempts to split into two states, says Middle East expert Ghaith Omari, it could force Egypt to go into Gaza and Jordan to go into the West Bank.
• Western States, Provinces To Set 'Green' Region
  Six Western states and two Canadian provinces have agreed to develop their own regional system to combat global warming by reducing greenhouse gases. While their approach has its detractors, it has political advantages for Western governors who'd like to burnish their "green" credentials and set the course for a national program.
• Fatah, Hamas Battle in Gaza Threatens Government
  In heavy fighting across the Gaza Strip, the latest battles between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have left more than 20 people dead in the past three days, with more than 80 killed in the past month. Fatah leaders now warn that the precarious "unity government" with their Hamas rivals may not last.

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