Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• In Sandstone, success is in the bag
  Baggers from the small town of Sandstone, Minnesota are dominating the state's grocery bagging championships. This year's winner heads to the national contest in Las Vegas next week.6:50 a.m.
• Ice storms and mild winters
  Perry Finelli talks with University of Minnesota climitologist about the winter weather.6:55 a.m.
• Old tools and new buildings
  State Historical Society officials are meeting with community leaders in Walker, Minnesota today to talk about an amazing discovery. Archeologists have uncovered ancient stone tools on a hilltop in the northern Minnesota community. They could be 15,000 years old. That would make Walker among the oldest known sites of human habitation in North and South America. The problem is, the archeological site lies in the path of a major city development project. Scientists hope the site can be preserved.7:20 a.m.
• Legislative auditor blasts management of watersheds
  A legislative auditor's report says a Minnesota state agency is doing an inadequate job overseeing local watershed management units. In a report released Thursday, the office says the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources has failed to perform key parts of its mission. The agency supervises some 240 local watershed entities.7:25 a.m.
• Researcher looks to the past for the climate of the future
  Dr. Bryan Schuman, a paleoclimatologist at the University of Minnesota, has been looking at what lakes can tell us about climate history, and he talked with MPR's Perry Finelli about his research.7:50 a.m.
• Charter schools get a boost
  Nineteen Minnesota charter schools will receive a total of $8 million in federal money to renovate their buildings.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• The Little Brother Who Made the World Bigger
  Two years ago today, Lt. Travis John Fuller and 30 others were killed in Iraq when their helicopter crashed in a sandstorm. Small in stature, he left a big impression on his older sisters and family.
• Looking for Trouble: A Search for IEDs in Iraq
  Fifty miles north of Baghdad is the largest U.S. military supply center in Iraq. Supplies come by truck and a section of the road is often under attack. An Arkansas unit clears the path and makes repairs.
• Latest Office Designs Offer Comforts of Home
  Some of today's offices barely resemble their predecessors: grey, steel furniture is giving way to bright colors, soft fabrics and warm lighting. Manufacturers say the trend speaks volumes about the work force employers want to attract.
• A Key Critic's Problem with Jimmy Carter's Book
  Ken Stein, who worked with the president at the Carter Center, says Carter's book Palestine Peace Not Apartheid allows "opinion to get in the way of facts" and is less critical of Palestinians than Israel.
• Favorites from the Sundance Festival
  As the Sundance Film Festival wraps up, several films stand out. Among them are Once, a love story from Ireland and Away from Her, directed by the actress Sarah Polley.
• Consumer Groups Seek Cap on Credit Card Fees
  At a Senate hearing, consumer advocates call on Congress to rein in what they say are abusive lending practices on the part of banks and credit card issuers. They also argued for a cap on credit card fees.
• Is a Divided Government Good for Business?
  Restraint in federal spending is a top priority for many businesses. History suggests that the government is less likely to go on a spending spree when the White House and Congress are not controlled by the same party.
• U.S. Nudges Somalia Toward Moderate Islamists
  Despite recent air strikes on Islamist extremists and al-Qaida operatives, the Bush administration is urging Somalia's fragile government to work with moderate Islamist factions, says Jendayi Frazer, the State Department's assistant secretary for African affairs.
• Credit Cards: Fees, Fees and More Fees
  Credit card fees are rising, rewards are disappearing, and marketing campaigns for new products abound. What is happening in the credit card industry these days?
• Homecoming Plans Disrupted at Fort Drum
  Welcome home signs have been up for weeks at Fort Drum, N.Y., but now comes the news that 3,200 soldiers who were to return from Afghanistan must extend their tour of duty by four months.
• Tyson Foods Faces Suit over Illegal Workers
  Tyson Foods faces a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of hiring illegal immigrants at eight U.S. plants. A similar case went to trial in 2003, ending in acquittals and plea agreements.
• A Time When Partisanship Didn't Mean Enmity
  In the Washington of the 1950s, the families of political rivals formed bonds. In that time, political goodwill wasn't as rare as it is today. Then again, in the post-war days lawmakers had seen real enemies.
• Kabul Intel Center a Diplomatic Effort Amid War
  A NATO-led "joint intelligence center" opens in Kabul, aimed at curbing the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan. Afghan and Pakistani army officials will staff the center amid mistrust over Pakistan's stance on the Taliban.
• Study: Some Strokes Help Smokers to Quit
  New research finds that smokers who have had a stroke that damages part of the brain called the insula can quit smoking with minimal effort. Addiction researchers are taking notice.
• Rice Asks NATO to Boost Afghan Aid
  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice appeals to NATO allies to increase aid to Afghanistan — and send more troops there. The Bush administration has already said it will ask Congress for an additional $10.5 billion for the Kabul government.

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