Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Neil Gaiman's busy year
  Fantasy writer Neil Gaiman burst onto the international scene two decades ago with his Sandman comic. Since then he's written novels, plays, filmscripts, and children's books. Now his new collection of short stories has already cracked the New York Times Bestsellers List.4:50 p.m.
• Stem cells, railroad make for fireworks in governor debate
  In their first and only post-primary debate outside of the Twin Cities, the two frontrunners and Independence Party candidate Peter Hutchinson were forced to address the medical research issue and a railroad expansion that both loom large in the state's third-largest city.5:19 p.m.
• Gonzales discusses FBI's congressional e-mail inquiry
  Attorney General Alberto Gonzales faced questions in Minneapolis about the e-mail scandal involving former Republican Congressman Mark Foley.5:49 p.m.
• Light Rail neighbors complain about squeel
  Some South Minneapolis residents are making noise about light rail. Neighbors of the Hiawatha line are complaining about the squealing they hear from some of the trains as they roll over curved sections of track. To talk more about the squealing, and what's being done to address it, MPR's Tom Crann talked with Metro Transit Chief Operating Officer Vince Pellegrin.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• An Elk Sounds Off, and a Season Begins
  Rode and Audrey Hagen of Jackson Hole, Wyo., share a SoundClip with us. It's the sound of an elk bugle, an eerie sound that is a sure sign of autumn, when the animals enter rutting season.
• At Suburban Florida Beach, 'Weeds' for Real
  Florida's Treasure Coast has become a hot spot for a new suburban drug problem: marijuana grow houses. Authorities have busted more than 50 grow houses in the Port St. Lucie that were part of an ingenious scheme. Drug bosses bought houses for people who wanted to move to the beach community and were willing to raise pot on contract.
• Indiana's Hostettler in Tight Race for Re-Election
  In an Indiana district known as the Bloody Eighth, Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) is in a close campaign with Democrat Brad Ellsworth in Indiana. Hostettler has held this seat ever since his party took control of the House 12 years ago. A strong social conservative Baptist, Hostettler faces a tough challenge from Brad Ellsworth, a conservative Democrat who is a county sheriff.
• Sudan Puts Nations on Notice Over Peacekeepers
  In a warning letter to nations that might contribute troops to a peacekeeping force in Darfur, Sudan has said it would consider such forces hostile and a prelude to an invasion. The United States ambassador to the United Nations lambasted Sudan for trying to intimidate U.N. member nations.
• Dow Rises, Despite News of Cooling Economy
  The economy slowed significantly in the second quarter, and there are plenty of reasons to think it might slow even more in coming months. Signs of weakness don't seem to be bothering investors, though. They have pushed the Dow index to record highs in recent days.
• Uncovering the 'True' History of the Funerary Violin
  A forthcoming book traces the lost history of a musical genre too good to be true: funerary violin. Despite questions about the authenticity of the material, the book's U.S. publisher says it's an "amazing piece of work."
• 'L.A. Times' Publisher Fired by Tribune Company
  Jeffrey Johnson, publisher of The Los Angeles Times, has been fired after refusing to make job cuts ordered by the paper's Illinois-based owner, Tribune Company. The cutbacks have caught the attention of a newspaper industry that has been under pressure to make cutbacks in an age of multimedia competition.
• Special Inquiry Needed, Former Ethics Chair Says
  The former head of the House Ethics Committee says a special counsel or independent task force may be the most appropriate way to investigate Congress's handling of the Mark Foley scandal. Rep. Joel Hefley (R-CO) says the move is needed to help dispel the perception that members of Congress were involved in a cover-up.
• Hastert Seeks Inquiries of Foley Case, Page System
  House Speaker Dennis Hastert says he takes responsibility for the scandal stemming from resigned Rep. Mark Foley's communications with a former congressional page. But he said he has no intention of resigning as speaker, vowing to seek another term after the November elections.
• All-in-One Reporters at Nashville Station
  As part of a strategy to cut costs and improve its newsroom, one Nashville TV station has converted its staff to a collection of all-in-one producers. Everyone in the newsroom, from anchor to camera man, has the power to produce, edit and broadcast their own stories -- the so-called "Video Journalism" model.
• New Districts May Ease GOP's Election Troubles
  The news has been mostly bad for Republicans this week: a scandal on Capitol Hill; a new book that sharply critiques the White House's anti-terrorism strategy; and a report of ties between the White House and Jack Abramoff. But with districts across the country drawn to protect the Republican majority, less than 1 in 10 House races are close.
• Five Weeks Out: Here Come the Negative Ads
  With elections less than five weeks away, House races around the country are heating up. And in many instances, they are also getting ugly. All Things Considered speaks with reporters at newspapers about races in North Carolina's 11th District, Colorado's 4th District, and Wisconsin's 8th District.
• U.S. Weighs Threats, Credibility with Sudan, N. Korea
  U.S. officials say a nuclear test by North Korea would be a provocative act and pose an unacceptable threat to world peace and stability. The threat of confrontation or retaliation sounds similar to others made recently by administration officials to the governments of Sudan and Iran. But what can the Bush administration do to back up its threats?
• Spate of Violence Mars Ramadan in Iraq
  Predictions of another bloody Ramadan in Iraq have already been confirmed. Insurgents have escalated attacks against U.S. and Iraqi forces since the holy month began, particularly in Baghdad. And there has been no let-up in the sectarian blood-letting.
• Letters: Foley, Precisionist, and Cleaning Graves
  Melissa Block and Michele Norris read letters from listeners about Mark Foley, the former member of Congress who sent inappropriate emails to Congressional pages, specifically our interview with Paul Weyrich. There are also letters about Precisionist, the champion race horse put down last month at the age of 25; the proper way to clean gravestones; and people who live in towers as fire lookouts.

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