Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Cities worry about further cuts in state aid
  As the state grapples with a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall, some city officials worry Pawlenty might dip into the money cities get from the state.7:20 a.m.
• Proposal would restrict hallucinogenic plant
  During the summer months, it is pretty common to see the dark purple or scarlet flowers of the salvia plant in gardens around the region. However, there is a type of salvia that some Minnesota lawmakers want to add to a list of controlled substances: Salvia divinorum.7:25 a.m.
• Can the pilots kill off industry consolidation?
  Can Northwest and Delta pilots kill industry consolidation if they fail to reach agreement on combining seniority lists?7:50 a.m.
• New St. Paul school honors the achievements of Gordon Parks
  Gordon Parks High School will be a fitting tribute to the artist and photographer, his family says.7:55 a.m.
• A first look at the Guthrie's 'Little House on the Prairie'
  The Guthrie Theater will premiere a new version of "Little House on the Prairie" this summer. The musical is based on the popular series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and arts critic Dominic Papatola got a first look at the show this week.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• GOP Leadership Gets Behind McCain
  Having amassed enough delegates to become the Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona is consolidating GOP support. President Bush hosted him Wednesday for a White House lunch, and McCain also met with Republican National Committee leaders.
• Who Will McCain Pick to Run for VP?
  When the next president is inaugurated, Sen. John McCain — the presumptive Republican nominee — will have turned 72. Will his age affect his choice of a running mate?
• Independent Group Airs Anti-McCain Ad
  Even before John McCain clinched the Republican presidential nomination, an obscure liberal group fired the first shot of what's expected to be a wildly expensive advertising war in the White House race.
• Afghan Mission Has Two Goals: Security, Farming
  Much of the international focus in Afghanistan has been on fighting the insurgency. Efforts to improve life for civilians have lagged. Defense Secretary Robert Gates blames Kabul's ineffectiveness and a lack of coordination.
• Rice Seeks More NATO Help in Afghanistan
  U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is asking NATO to send more troops to Afghanistan. On a visit to Brussels Thursday, she will also urge additions to the alliance, including two former Soviet republics.
• Motives of Grand Canyon Flush Questioned
  The federal government has begun unleashing a two-and-a-half day flood in an attempt to improve the habitat for endangered fish. It's the third artificial flood in the past 12 years, but some say the experiment doesn't go far enough.
• Put Your Money Where Your Girth Is
  Trying to lose weight? Two Yale professors have started a new company that allows people to wager on their weight loss — and, they say, the method's a good bet for success.
• Study Sheds More Light on 'Placebo Effect'
  A new study indicates that people get better results from taking expensive pills — even when the "expensive pill" is a placebo with no active medical ingredients.
• Fidelity Investments Draws SEC Fine
  The SEC fines Fidelity Investments, the nation's largest mutual fund manager, more than $8 million. More than a dozen current and former employees of the Boston-based firm were accused of improperly accepting about $1.5 million in luxury gifts.
• Merrill Lynch to Drop Subprime Mortgages
  Another big brokerage is trying to straighten out its finances after an ill-fated foray into subprime mortgages. Citing the deteriorating market for home loans, Merrill Lynch says it will cut 650 jobs and stop offering subprime mortgages through its subsidiary, First Franklin Financial.

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