Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Small pharmacies concerned about drug bill
  Lawmakers will debate whether they should change a 70-year-old law that protects against predatory pricing. Some lawmakers say an exemption should be made for prescription drugs.7:20 a.m.
• Medtronic begins TV ad campaign for heart devices
  For years, drug companies have bought ads in the mainstream media pushing pills that treat everything from depression to impotence. Now, Fridley-based Medtronic is breaking new ground with a TV ad about a stopwatch-sized medical device that can restart a failing heart.7:25 a.m.
• Parents debate HPV vaccination
  Minnesota parents debate the pros and cons of a proposal to require an HPV vaccine for 12-year-old girls.7:54 a.m.
• World premiere of "Easter Parade," the musical
  Chanhassen Dinner Theatres becomes a member of the local world premiere club when it opens a brand new production of "Irving Berlin's Easter Parade."8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Some Top Students Look for Hidden-Gem Colleges
  It's a mini-trend among high school students. Some are choosing small, lesser-known schools over more prestigious colleges. They say they want to go to a college that fits who they are.
• Army War Critic Wilkerson Awaits Sentence
  A conversation with Army Spec. Mark Wilkerson, who will be sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to leaving his Army unit. Wilkerson went AWOL rather than return to Iraq, then turned himself in last fall.
• Iraq Insurgents Turn to Chlorine Bombs
  Insurgents are deploying a new and deadly tactic against Iraqi civilians, authorities say: bombs combining explosives with poisonous chlorine gas. At least five people died in such an attack Wednesday, the third in a month.
• Costume Designer Dips into Hollywood's Closet
  Hollywood costume designer Julie Weiss has clothed celebrities from Marlon Brando to Demi Moore. She shares some favorite stories, including how she earned an Oscar nomination for her designs in the 2002 film Frida.
• Army Probes Reports of Neglect at Walter Reed
  The U.S. Army is investigating conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The investigation follows a Washington Post report that says many wounded war veterans face neglect in the Army's medical system.
• Democratic Hopefuls Gather in Nevada
  The addition of the Nevada caucus to the list of early presidential contests for 2008 makes it a "must-visit" state for Democratic candidates. A candidate forum drew many of those in the race to Carson City on Wednesday.
• Democrats Go West in Search of Electoral Votes
  Republicans have held a near lock on the South's electoral votes for the past 10 presidential elections. So Democrats are heading West. They are holding their 2008 national convention in Denver and focusing on western votes.
• Departing U.N. Food Chief Reflects on World Hunger
  After five years, James Morris is leaving his post as head of the U.N.'s World Food Program. He says he will remain haunted by the knowledge that 400 million children are living in hunger. He says it's a problem that the world should be able to resolve.
• Disaster Would Overwhelm Hospitals, Author Warns
  Are United States hospitals equipped to handle a flu pandemic or a major terrorist attack? Stephen Flynn, author of The Edge of Disaster, sizes up the United States medical system and finds it sorely lacking.
• Fluorescent Bulbs: A Better Idea?
  The debut of the "18 Seconds Movement" encourages Americans to replace incandescent light bulbs with more energy-efficient "compact fluorescent bulbs." You'll see ads on the Internet and in movie theaters.
• How Do We Close the Income Gap?
  Income inequality has been a popular topic recently among politicians. There are many ways to address the problem, but most solutions are not likely to win enough political support to make them effective.
• Prodi Steps Down as Italian Prime Minister
  Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigns after a foreign-policy defeat. His commitment to Italian troops in Afghanistan and the expansion of a U.S. military base in Italy angered left-wing members of his coalition.
• Letters: Muslims, Religious Activism, Gay Athletes
  Letters from listeners include praise for a series on the origins of the split between Shia and Sunni Muslims, questions about an interview with Michael Cromartie on religious activism, criticism for a Frank Deford commentary on reaction to gay athletes, a style point on Harvard's first woman president and aversion to the Electric Slide. Also, two corrections: Ted Koppel's essay about President Nixon's trip to China should have identified Chao En-Lai as China's premiere. And in a story about delayed flights out of Newark, N.J., our reporter gave an incorrect location for Stewart International Airport, which is near Newburgh, N.Y., in the Hudson Valley.
• Cisco, Apple Agree to Share 'iPhone' Name
  The computer-networking company Cisco Systems and Apple settle a dispute over branding. They also will "explore opportunities to work together in areas like security and communications."
• Drugmaker's HPV Vaccine Push Raises Questions
  Mandating vaccines for school children is a common U.S. practice. But a lobbying campaign by drugmaker Merck appears to have backfired when it comes to the HPV vaccine, which is given to girls to guard against cervical cancer.

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