Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Schools prep for new statewide physical education standards
  Schools in Minnesota have long had statewide standards to follow in subjects like math, reading and science, but now they'll have to do the same for physical education, thanks to legislation signed into law last month.3:50 p.m.
• Civic participation on the rise in Indian Country
  In Bemidji, there are Native American candidates running for the state Senate and House of Representatives. A Native American is running for Bemidji city council and another is seeking a seat on the county board.3:54 p.m.
• Court lets Vatican-sex abuse lawsuit move forward
  The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for St. Paul attorney Jeff Anderson to sue the Vatican on behalf of sex-abuse victims.5:20 p.m.
• Civic participation on the rise in Indian Country
  In Bemidji, there are Native American candidates running for the state Senate and House of Representatives. A Native American is running for Bemidji city council and another is seeking a seat on the county board.5:24 p.m.
• Schools prep for new statewide physical education standards
  Schools in Minnesota have long had statewide standards to follow in subjects like math, reading and science, but now they'll have to do the same for physical education, thanks to legislation signed into law last month.5:50 p.m.
• Siah Armajani named 2010 'Artist of the Year'
  The McKnight Foundation has named Minnesota-based sculptor Siah Armajani as the 2010 McKnight Distinguished Artist. The award, which includes $50,000, recognizes individual Minnesota artists who have made significant contributions to the quality of the state's cultural life.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• The Many Voices Of Lauryn Hill
  The singer and rapper last released a recording eight years ago. She rarely performs in the U.S., and she almost never gives interviews. But her fans haven't forgotten her: They're still pleading for her to come back. Hear an interview with Hill, whose voice is the story of the hip-hop generation.
• Senate Panel Opens Kagan Confirmation Hearings
  The Senate Judiciary Committee opened confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan on Monday.
• West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd Dies At 92
  Robert Carlyle Byrd, the longest-serving U.S. senator ever, died early Monday in a hospital near Washington. Byrd, 92, was an institution himself, serving more than 51 years in the Senate and six in the U.S. House. A West Virginia Democrat, Byrd was a master of Senate rules, author of its definitive history and provider of hundreds of millions of dollars for his home state.
• Stormy Weather Could Delay Oil Spill Cleanup Efforts
  A tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico is threatening to become a hurricane, but at this point it doesn't appear to be headed toward the blown-out oil well off Louisiana's coast. Still, BP says high seas will probably delay for a week the company's efforts to improve its oil-collection systems.
• Posting Of McChrystal Article Raises Ethics Questions
  Many established news organizations published the Rolling Stone article about Gen. Stanley McCrystal, and did so without permission and before Rolling Stone itself had put the article on its own website. Michele Norris and Bill Grueskin of the Columbia Journalism School discuss what's fair in the new world of Internet publication, and how it affects traditional magazines such as Rolling Stone.
• An Oldie Is New Again: High-Tech Soap Box Racing
  Since 1934, people have competed in the All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio. But in the past six years, a special race has allowed some competitors to showcase high-tech cars. Organizers hope this new angle to soap box racing will help reinvigorate the graying pastime.
• Post-Taliban Reprisals, Expulsions In Pakistan Valley
  A year after a Pakistan army offensive dislodged the Taliban from Swat Valley, local residents are taking the law into their own hands, with the help of the army. And the families of known militants are receiving harsh treatment as a result.
• A Reunion Of Afghanistan Peace Corps Veterans
  The U.S. military has had a full-time presence in Afghanistan since shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But there's a small group of Americans who know Afghanistan very well from their time in the Peace Corps.
• Cobain's Journals: The Writer Behind The Rock Star
  Page after page of Kurt Cobain's terrible handwriting is reproduced in faithful facsimile — covering forthcoming gigs, favorite songs, prophecies of fame, janitorial wages and the firing of terrible drummers. Author Karan Mahajan says these funny, self-aware writings are much more than a pacifier for weepy fans.
• Letters: Jim Thorpe; The New iPhone
  Michele Norris and Melissa Block read listener letters reacting to Friday's program. Today's topics include Jim Thorpe, Pa.; dropped calls with the new iPhone; and mysterious music thumping from subwoofers during one bicyclist's commute.

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