Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Hurricane-dampened MLK memorial plans have a St. Paul connection
  Those disappointed by the turn of events included a delegation from St. Paul, which has a special connection to the MLK memorial: Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin.4:50 p.m.
• The Short Version: A Fraud!
  Briefly noting the birthday, on August 26, of an American inventor whose most familiar contributions helped make Classical MPR (and everything else on the radio) possible.4:57 p.m.
• Bachmann vs. Perry: How similar are they?
  Recent polls show Texas Gov. Rick Perry leading Rep. Michele Bachmann in the race for the GOP presidential nomination. Analysts say the candidates are vying for the same socially conservative voters and self-identified members of the tea party.5:20 p.m.
• Shootings prompt police to increase patrols to city parks
  Police are increasing patrols in north Minneapolis where a series of shootings have killed two teenagers and wounded several others.5:24 p.m.
• NDSU students show off super-efficient 'passive house' at State Fair
  Based on German designs, a "passive house" needs only the equivalent of nine light bulbs to heat it -- even in a cold Minnesota winter.5:50 p.m.
• Friday festivals: Barnseville Potato Days
  Longtime Barnesville resident and Potato Days Festival organizer Teresa Olson joins MPR's Tom Crann to talk about the annual festival.5:56 p.m.
• The Dinner Party Download featuring TV On The Radio
  Indie band TV On The Radio is the guest of honor on this week's show.6:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• For Vera Farmiga, A Search Leads To 'Higher Ground'
  The Oscar-nominated actress, who has appeared in Up in the Air and The Departed, talks about her directorial debut, a film about a woman's search for faith. Farmiga, who calls herself a "seeker," also stars in the film.
• NYC To Shut Down Public Transit
  Cities along the East Coast are bracing for Hurricane Irene. New York City's public transportation will shut down around noon on Saturday, says New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
• Hurricane Irene Approaches N.C., Va.
  Hurricane Irene has spent the day churning toward the United States. While the eye of the storm is far offshore, rain bands from the tropical system are already lashing the Carolinas. NPR's Greg Allen speaks with Melissa Block with the latest from Virginia.
• Hurricane Irene: A Storm's Character Profile
  Robert Siegel gets a profile on Hurricane Irene from Bill Read, director of the National Hurricane Center.
• Letters: Town Halls; Leslie Lanier and Beaver Tillett; Attorneys General
  Melissa Block and Robert Siegel clarify a report and update a story from Thursday's show, and Robert presents a defense to his use of the grammatically incorrect term "Attorneys General."
• Week In Politics: Obama's Vacation; Republican Presidential Hopefuls
  Robert Siegel discusses this week in politics with David Brooks of The New York Times and Joy-Ann Reid, managing editor for Grio.com — an NBC News site focused on the African-American community.
• Looking Into Libya's Most Notorious Prison
  One of Moammar Gadhafi's last major strongholds in Tripoli has fallen to rebel forces. Among the survivors of the ferocious street fighting are prisoners from the Abu Salim prison, some of whom have been jailed for more than two decades.
• A Grim Situation In Libya's Abu Salim Hospital
  Dozens of corpses of men and women have been discovered at Abu Salim Hospital in the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Doctors and nurses reportedly fled after clashes erupted near the hospital between rebel forces and fighters loyal to Moammar Gadhafi. Melissa Block speaks with Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons for details on the grim situation in the hospital.
• 'In My Time': Dick Cheney's Unapologetic Memoir
  Call it spin, score settling or setting the record straight: Former Vice President Dick Cheney's new memoir of his extraordinary political career is out next week. Robert Siegel talks with Charlie Savage of the New York Times. Savage got an early copy of the book, entitled In My Time.
• Hurricane Irene Cuts Short Jersey Shore Summer
  As Hurricane Irene approaches the East Coast, communities from the Carolinas to Maine are preparing. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered, including the small town of Stone Harbor, N.J.

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