Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Arbor Day volunteers plant trees at the fair
  An Arbor Day party of sorts took place Friday at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Arbor Day is a celebration of trees that's typically observed on the last Friday of April. Volunteers kicked off an effort to reforest the state fairgrounds with disease-resistant elm trees. Since 2002, the fairgrounds has lost more than half its elms.4:48 p.m.
• A bicycle built for seven peddles world peace
  Could the conference bike lead to world peace?4:53 p.m.
• NCAA upholds ban on Fighting Sioux mascot
  The NCAA has denied the University of North Dakota's appeal to continue using the Fighting Sioux nickname in postseason tournaments. It's the second time the University of North Dakota, UND, has lost an appeal on this issue.5:19 p.m.
• Vikings strive to stay in stadium game; Gophers bill stalled
  On Friday the Senate Taxes Committee defeated a bill that would finance a new football stadium for the University of Minnesota; the second day in a row they've done so. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings are now accusing the governor of trying to kill their stadium proposal.5:23 p.m.
• Ali Selim's long trek to "Sweet Land"
  Ask St. Paul film director Ali Selim what he's learned while making his first feature film and he'll answer, "Stamina." His film "Sweet Land" will be presented as the gala finale to this year's Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival Sunday evening.5:46 p.m.
• A new way to do doo-wop
  Some say "doo-wop" music went out of favor when the Beatles and other British groups invaded America in the early 60s. Doo-wop enjoyed a resurgence a decade or so later when nostalgia for the 1950s became embedded in popular culture. Now a group in Minneapolis is putting its own imprint on the genre.5:51 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Iran Defies Security Council, Enriches Uranium
  Iran has enriched uranium -- and defied the U.N. Security Council, says the International Atomic Energy Agency. The finding sets the stage for a showdown in the Security Council, which is expected to meet next week to discuss punitive measures against the Islamic republic.
• Pentagon to Test Bunker-Busting Superbomb
  The Pentagon's "Divine Strake" -- the detonation in the Nevada desert of a record-setting superbomb -- is the test of a new bunker-busting weapon. But experts say it may actually help make the case for new nuclear weapons to penetrate entrenched sites, such as those in North Korea and, it is believed, Iran.
• At West Point, the Meaning of 'Honor' and 'Riot'
  A West Point inspection held after a fire drill incensed the school's cadets, leading to protests and accusations that administrators violated the academy's honor code. The incident report called the acts a "riot." Robert Siegel talks with Greg Bruno of the Times Herald-Record of Orange County, N.Y.
• Problems Plague Ambitious Irrigation Plan in Africa
  Tanzania hopes to jump-start its agricultural production by dramatically increasing the use of irrigation. But existing schemes have had significant, but unintended, consequences: power outages, dried-up rivers, and little, if any, growth in crop yields.
• Economy Shows Brisk Growth in First Quarter
  The U.S. economy staged a comeback during the first three months of the year, according to new figures released by the Commerce Department. The agency reports the economy grew at an annual rate of 4.8 percent in the first quarter, more than twice as fast as in the previous quarter.
• Rule Change May Allow N.J. Drivers to Fill 'Er Up
  Motorists in New Jersey may soon have permission to pump their own gas. Robert Siegel talks with New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine about his proposal to lift the state-wide ban on pumping one's own gas. Corzine says he hopes to initiate a pilot program that will last for three months and apply to stations along the New Jersey turnpike. The goal of the program is to help insulate consumers against the recent hike in gas prices.
• 'How Opal Mehta Got Kissed,' Then Got Pulled
  The coming-of-age novel by Kaavya Viswanathan, a Harvard sophomore, has been recalled from bookstores after numerous passages were revealed to have been plagiarized. Karen Holt, deputy editor of Publishers Weekly, says withdrawing a book is not unprecedented, but it's extremely rare. Melissa Block talks with Holt.
• Circle of Events: A New Kidney, a New Life
  Independent producer Matt Holzman underwent a kidney transplant operation a decade ago. A few days after his operation, he discovered and kept all the messages concerning his kidney. He uses the messages to paint a tale of how the operation that saved his life came about.
• Cities, Businesses Brace for Boycotts Monday
  This Monday, millions of immigrants nationwide are expected to skip work and school in what's being billed as the Great American National Boycott. Several cities already are bracing for mass demonstrations and a shutdown of major business operations.
• Frist Optimistic on Immigration Bill Despite Boycott
  Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist says a new immigration bill may be passed by Memorial Day, as his Democratic counterpart, Sen. Harry Reid, drops his refusal to allow GOP amendments to come to the floor. Hispanic organizers have planned a day-long boycott for Monday.

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