Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Farmers plan first U.S. biomass ethanol plant
  Spurred on by President Bush, several companies are racing to build the nation's first biomass ethanol plant. A group of Minnesota and South Dakota farmers hope to win the contest.6:50 a.m.
• Weather with Mark Seeley
  University of Minnesota Climatologist Mark Seeley discusses Minnesota weather history and looks ahead to the forecast.6:55 a.m.
• Elder statesmen put out call to Gov. Pawlenty
  Two of Minnesota's most prominent elder statesmen are calling on Gov. Pawlenty and legislative leaders to avoid divisiveness as they debate and create public policy. Former Vice President Walter Mondale and former Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson have sent Pawlenty and legislative leaders a letter outlining their concerns.7:20 a.m.
• Senate passes bonding bill
  The Minnesota Senate took unusually quick action Thursday to pass the primary legislation of this year's session, a bill authorizing the state to borrow money for construction projects.7:25 a.m.
• Whose side is God on in same-sex marriage debate?
  Both camps in Minnesota's same-sex marriage debate are making the case that God is on their side. Opponents of a proposed constitutional amendment to outlaw same-sex marriage rallied at the Capitol Thursday, just as supporters did earlier this week. Both rallies put the focus on religious faith.7:50 a.m.
• Pending sale of Pioneer Press comes in tight job market
  The plan by the McClatchy Co. to sell the St. Paul Pioneer Press comes at time when jobs in print journalism are in decline.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Remembering Sunday School with Ms. Divine
  In childhood, there's often a central figure who leaves a strong impression that lasts a lifetime. For cousins Cherie Johnson and James Ransom, that person was Lizzy Divine. They look back with laughter at the Sunday school teacher and neighbor whom they both feared and loved.
• In Rural California, an Imperial Dynasty Ends
  For 123 years, the Imperial Dynasty catered to foreign leaders and other famous guests who craved its escargot and other tasty dishes. Now its award-winning chef has decided to hang up his apron and close down the family-run restaurant.
• New Orleans Police See Signs of Increased Crime
  An increase in drug busts and murders has people in New Orleans worried about the return of crime to the city. Police admit they're concerned that, while old criminals are gone, there may be new ones who see an opportunity to penetrate a drug market abandoned after Hurricane Katrina.
• Prosecution Rests at Moussaoui Sentencing Trial
  The prosecution rests in the first phase of the Zacarias Moussaoui sentencing trial. Prosecutors, seeking the death penalty, needed to convince the jury that at least one person who died in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks could have been saved if Moussaoui had told authorities about his involvement with al-Qaida's plans.
• FDA Committee Rejects ADHD use for Modafinil
  A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee decides not to recommend approval of a new drug for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The committee was considering modafinil, a drug used to treat narcolepsy. This comes against a backdrop of increased safety concerns about drugs already used to treat ADHD.
• 'Inside Man' Jump Starts the Weekend
  Los Angeles Times and Morning Edition film critic Kenneth Turan says Spike Lee's Inside Man is a terrific heist movie with a plot that unfolds on a need-to-know basis. Denzel Washington plays a New York City policeman, Clive Owen a brilliant criminal and Jodie Foster a Manhattan power broker.
• Rumsfeld Job Watch Keeps Washington Guessing
  Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld again dismisses talk that his time is short as the top civilian at the Pentagon. The Washington rumor mill has put Rumsfeld's job on the line in the past -- and been wrong. Renee Montagne talks to John Hendren about Rumsfeld's status, and the status of the initiatives he brought with him to the Pentagon five years ago.
• Basques Seek Peaceful Way to Independence
  During four decades of violence, the Basque separatist group ETA claimed to be fighting for the Basque people's right to self-determination. But the group ignored the fact that most Basques rejected terrorism as a means to achieve that goal. Now that ETA has declared a permanent cease-fire, Basques are more likely to support the group's aim of Basque independence. Jerome Socolovsky reports.
• Ohio City Investigated for Voting Discrimination
  The Justice Department is planning to file a voting rights suit against a city in Ohio. The last time the department brought a lawsuit alleging a pattern of discrimination against black voters was in 2001.
• Questions Surround GM Buyout Offer
  How will General Motors and Delphi workers fare under a new agreement to offer them early retirement packages? The companies announced the plan, negotiated with the United Auto Workers union and covering 100,000 employees, earlier this week.
• Los Angeles Legend Retires from Bus Yard
  Arthur Winston retired this week, after 90 years of work. For the past 76 years, he has worked as a bus-maintenance man for the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transport Authority, missing only a single day of work in that time. Winston figured it was time to retire when he hit 100-years-old. Hundreds of dignitaries, adoring coworkers and a gospel choir gave him a big send off -- at the newly named Arthur Winston Bus Yard.
• The VP's Modest Travel Requirements
  Rock stars and actors are known for their demanding requirements on the road. When the vice president travels, his needs are more modest. Dick Cheney's "downtime requirements," as they're called, were obtained by the Web site, The Smoking Gun. The Veep prefers a suite with a temperature of 68 degrees, four cans of diet Sprite, bottled water and decaf coffee brewed prior to his arrival.
• Drought Forces Herders to Seek Cattle Through Marriage
  A widespread drought in the Horn of Africa is killing the livelihoods of herders. Hundreds of thousands of cattle, camel and other livestock have perished, with their carcasses now littering the region. Some herders have resorted to marrying off their daughters, some as young as ten, to get dowries that restock their herds. Activists are trying to stop the practice.
• New Drug-Resistant TB Strain Menaces U.S.
  A tough new strain of tuberculosis is circulating around the world, including the United States. This form resists nearly all drugs used to fight TB. The U.S. has about a 100 cases, mostly from people arriving from other countries.
• Greenland Glaciers Moving More Quickly to the Ocean
  When glaciers on Greenland slide, they sometimes create earthquakes. Over the past five years, the number of these quakes has doubled. Scientists say it's another sign that global warming is speeding up the transfer of freshwater locked up in Arctic regions to the oceans, and it's moving faster than expected.

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