Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• A chat with Target's new CEO
  The weak economy and cautious consumer spending have made it a tough time to take the reins at a major retail company. Gregg Steinhafel did just that on May 1, when he became the new CEO of Target Corp.4:50 p.m.
• Franco guilty on all 24 counts
  A jury in Willmar Wednesday night found Olga Franco guilty of driving a minivan into a school bus and killing four children last February near Cottonwood.5:21 p.m.
• Pawlenty calls for freshened up GOP
  Gov. Tim Pawlenty told two groups in Washington Wednesday that the Republican Party needs to come up with better ideas to appeal to blue collar voters.5:24 p.m.
• Community upset over defaced sculpture
  Residents of St. Paul's east side are trying to figure out how to deal with what police are treating as a hate crime. Several weeks ago, vandals swept through a local park and defaced a popular sculpture.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Nine Feared Dead in Calif. Chopper Crash
  A helicopter crash over a Northern California forest is feared to have killed nine people. The helicopter was carrying 11 firefighters and two crew members when it went down Tuesday night in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.
• South African Woman Speaks Of Living With AIDS
  Thembi Ngubane, a South African woman with AIDS, spoke earlier this week at the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Two years ago, she provided All Things Considered listeners with a gripping narrative of her life with the disease.
• Evidence Against Anthrax Suspect Strong
  Before Bruce Ivins became the focus of the anthrax investigation, suspicion had wrongly fallen on scientist Steven Hatfill. But the evidence against Ivins is much stronger. Investigators say he had the expertise, opportunity and access to carry out the attacks.
• Savoring The Spice In Kung Pao Chicken
  Melissa Block learns how to cook the spicy dish at the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine in Chengdu, China. The spice comes from the Sichuan peppercorn, which has a numbing power.
• Feds: Scientist Acted Alone In Anthrax Attacks
  Federal authorities have said Army scientist Bruce Ivins' guilt in the 2001 anthrax attacks could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. At a news conference, they said Ivins was the only person responsible for the attack that killed five people.
• Union Operative Advocates And Gains Power
  Every presidential election has legions of behind-the-scenes operatives who toil for the candidates and for the major parties. One such operative is union activist Anna Burger of the Service Employees International Union, who helps to lead one of the fastest-growing unions in America.
• Cheek: Darfur Work May Have Led To Revoked Visa
  China has revoked the visa of former Olympic speedskater Joey Cheek. Though he was given no explanation, Cheek says he suspects his Darfur-related activism may have prompted the move. He runs Team Darfur, which highlights the violence in the region.
• Inroads Made Against Potent TB Strain
  Extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has cropped up in 49 countries, including the U.S. Its diagnosis is considered to be a virtual death sentence. But doctors in Peru are reporting cure rates almost as high as ordinary drug-resistant TB.
• Bin Laden's Driver Found Guilty Of Supporting Terror
  A jury of six military officers at Guantanamo Bay convicted Osama bin Laden's driver Salim Hamdan of supporting terrorism in the first war crimes case in the U.S. since World War II. He was cleared of conspiracy charges, but faces the possibility of life in prison.
• Letters: Anthrax Suspect, Club Passim
  Many listeners responded to the coverage of the anthrax case, especially a detail included about the suspect, Bruce Ivins. We also got some feedback on the feature about the legendary folk club, Club Passim.
• Window For Obama VP Pick Seems To Be Closing
  Sen. Barack Obama has appeared with Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), a top candidate for the No. 2 spot. No announcement was made, however. With many Americans shifting focus from politics to the Olympics, the window for an announcement seems to be closing.
• HIV Up Among Young, Gay Black Men
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says annual increases in rates of infection among young, gay black men are the highest in any demographic group in the U.S. One member of the community says it will take more than condoms to change that.
• Democrat Seen As Vulnerable In La. Senate Race
  Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) faces a tough re-election battle against Democrat-turned-Republican John Kennedy. John Maginnis, who writes the newsletter LaPolitics, says that in the western and northern parts of Louisiana, she is seen as a New Orleans Democrat.
• Doctor Who Treated K2 Survivors Recounts Ordeal
  Eleven climbers are confirmed dead on K2. American Dr. Eric Meyer, who treated several of the climbers who managed to escape, says there were too many people in too small an area moving slowly in extremely hazardous conditions.
• Solzhenitsyn Laid To Rest In Moscow
  Writer Alexander Solzhenitsyn has been buried in Moscow. Senior Russian literary and political figures attended the Orthodox Church service. Solzhenitsyn, a Soviet dissident and Nobel laureate, was a fierce Russian nationalist. He died last Sunday.

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