Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Art Hounds: Week of May 14
  Each week Minnesota Public Radio News asks three people from the Minnesota arts scene to be "Art Hounds." Their job is to step outside their own work and hunt down something exciting that's going on in local arts.3:35 p.m.
• What does the Google outage tell us about the Internet giant?
  If you trying to do an internet search earier today or have G-mail, you may have noticed some trouble with access to Google. The internet giant is reporting that some users couldn't access those e-mail accounts, or even the search engine for sometime this morning.4:15 p.m.
• Minneapolis police officer surprises court with guilty plea
  A Minneapolis police officer pleaded guilty to several charges in U.S. District Court as the corruption case against him was about to go to the jury.4:48 p.m.
• Pawlenty says he will balance budget on his own
  Gov. Tim Pawlenty promised Thursday to bring Minnesota's deficit-ridden budget back into balance on his own if the session ends Monday without an accord, using line-item vetoes and executive powers to shave billions in spending.5:15 p.m.
• UND's Fighting Sioux nickname going away
  North Dakota's Board of Higher Education has voted to get rid of the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.5:22 p.m.
• Chrysler lists 20 dealers for closure in Minnesota
  Chrysler LLC wants to close 20 Minnesota dealerships as part of a nationwide move to eliminate 789 dealerships.5:44 p.m.
• Pawlenty: 'There will be significant layoffs'
  Democrats in the Minnesota Legislature are criticizing Gov. Pawlenty's management style in light of a Minnesota Public Radio News report that found the state workforce increased during a hiring freeze. Pawlenty implemented the hiring freeze in early 2008 but thousands of hires have occurred since then.5:48 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Donors Turn To Giving Circles As Economy Drops
  Charitable donations have been declining, along with the economy. But one type of giving appears to be on the rise: giving circles. Many people are forming these groups to pool their funds so they can have a greater impact on a charitable cause.
• Obama Embarks On Mideast Peace Initiative
  President Obama begins a series of meetings on the Middle East when he hosts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, followed by the presidents of Egypt and the Palestinian Authority later this month. The busy diplomatic agenda has set high expectations among many in the Arab world.
• Steve Earle's Hero, Heckler: Townes Van Zandt
  Van Zandt's songs of loners, lovers and misfits made a deep impression on Earle, so much so that he's made a new album of covers. Earle tells Melissa Block about Townes, a tribute to his friend and musical mentor.
• Pelosi Says She Was Misled On Waterboarding
  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday the CIA had lied to her about the use of waterboarding in September 2002 against detainees in the war on terrorism. The speaker said she asked about the technique that many consider torture and was told it was not being used.
• Sri Lanka Fighting Takes Heavy Toll On Civilians
  Tens of thousand of civilians are trapped in Sri Lanka, caught in the crossfire between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels. U.N. spokesman Gordon Weiss says there is good indication that the rebels are holding civilians by force.
• Lobbying Firm's Earmark Role May Not Be Illegal
  The Justice Department is continuing its investigation of a lobby firm that won numerous earmarks while funneling campaign contributions to the earmarking lawmakers. It is far from clear, however, that such a relationship is actually illegal.
• Letters: Credit Card Debt, America's Cup, Corrections
  Listeners respond to the story on credit card debt. Melissa Block and Robert Siegel also offer an update on the story on the America's Cup yacht race, as well as corrections.
• Slain Lawyer's Claims Creates Stir In Guatemala
  A Guatemalan lawyer killed over the weekend left behind a recorded message in which he accused the country's president, Alvaro Colom, of being behind his death. Now, a U.N.-backed commission says it will investigate the explosive allegations. Juan Carlos Llorca, a reporter for The Associated Press who is covering the story, offers his insight.
• Habitat For Humanity Gets $100M Gift
  Habitat for Humanity Board Chairman J. Ronald Terwilliger pledged $100 million to the organization. Habitat calls this a "legacy gift." It will come from Terwilliger's estate after he dies. The organization estimates that amount of money will help some 60,000 families.
• Cannes Film Festival Showcases Directors
  This year's Cannes Film Festival is being called the year of the director. The film festival on the French Riviera opened Wednesday. Xan Brooks, film correspondent for the Guardian newspaper, offers his insight.

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