Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Toxic dust cleaned from Cass Lake homes
  About 30 homes in the contaminated St. Regis Superfund site in Cass Lake got a thorough cleaning over the past few weeks. The Environmental Protection Agency ordered the house cleanings after tests showed some household dust contained dangerous levels of dioxin and arsenic.6:50 a.m.
• Twins ballpark proposal on the move
  A Minnesota Senate committee considers the proposal for a publicly-funded stadium for the Minnesota Twins that includes money from the team.7:20 a.m.
• Senate approves dedicated state money for outdoors, arts
  The Minnesota Senate has approved legislation that lets voters decide whether to raise sales taxes to benefit environmental programs and the arts.7:25 a.m.
• Edina Realty sues for top spot on Google
  Two Twin Cities real estate companies are in a legal fight with implications for the future of advertising on the Internet. Edina Realty is suing relative newcomer TheMLSOnline.com for trademark infringement and unfair competition. The dispute is over how the newer company uses an increasingly important advertising medium: Internet search engines.7:50 a.m.
• House takes up bill that dedicates fraction of sales tax to environment
  The Minnesota Senate has approved legislation that would let voters decide whether to raise sales taxes to benefit environmental programs. A companion bill comes up Monday in a House committee, but that bill has changed significantly since it was first introduced. Republican Rep. Tom Hackbarth is the author of the House fractional sales tax bill.7:55 a.m.
• Twins open their season
  The Twins open their season Monday night in Toronto against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Twins are hoping that better hitters acquired in the off-season will carry them into the playoffs in the fall. Steve Rudolph, Morning Edition's sports commentator, talks about the Twins and other Minnesota sports teams.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• EPA Weighs Easing Rules on Toxic Air Pollutants
  A leaked document from the Environmental Protection Agency suggests that the agency is considering a significant change in air-pollution rules. It would give chemical factories, refineries and manufacturing plants new leeway to increase emissions of pollutants that can cause cancer and birth defects.
• M1 Charts His Own 'Confidential' Course
  The hip-hop duo Dead Prez made a name for itself in the late 1990s with politically charged and controversial raps. Dead Prez member M1 talks to Steve Inskeep about crime, politics and his new solo album called Confidential.
• Implanted Tissue Repairs Damaged Bladders
  Researchers announce they've grown bladder tissue in a laboratory and used it to successfully repair damaged bladders. The Wake Forest University researchers published their results in The Lancet.
• DeLay Says He's Not Backing Away from a Fight
  Rep. Tom DeLay, the former House majority leader, announces he is resigning from Congress by June. After his decision became public, Andrea Seabrook spoke the Texas Republican by phone and asked him whether he was backing away from a fight.
• Tennessee Bears Brunt of Deadly Storms
  Tornadoes touched down in several states this week, killing at least 27 people. The majority of those killed lived in a handful of rural counties in northwest Tennessee.
• Moussaoui Defiant in Face Death Penalty Ruling
  The jury in Zacarias Moussaoui's sentencing trial decides that he is eligible for the death penalty. Moussaoui was defiant in the face of the ruling, yelling out in court, "You will never get my blood." In the next phase of the proceedings, the jury will hear more testimony and decide whether Moussaoui should receive the death penalty or life in prison.
• Gators Make First Basketball Championship Look Easy
  The Florida Gators are the men's NCAA basketball champions. They won their first national basketball title by beating UCLA 73-57. Steve Inskeep speaks with USA Today columnist Christine Brennan about the game in Indianapolis. Also, she previews the women's final in Boston between Duke and Maryland.
• DeLay Departure Ripples Through Washington
  What will be the political fallout from Republican Congressman Tom DeLay's impending resignation? Juan Williams talks to Steve Inskeep about the future of DeLay's Texas seat, and how his announcement will affect mid-term elections.
• Dogged by Investigations, DeLay to Leave Congress
  Texas Congressman Tom DeLay plans to resign his seat in the coming weeks. The Republican former House majority leader doubts his chances of winning re-election in the face of mounting political troubles.
• Iraq's Shiite Divisions Grow in Visibility
  New York Times reporter Edward Wong is in Baghdad and talks to Steve Inskeep about the growing rivalry between Iraq's Shiite factions.
• Flu Pandemic Controllable with Multifaceted Strategy
  A government-funded project concludes that a flu pandemic could be controlled through widespread use of a weak vaccine. There won't be enough of the vaccine available anytime soon. But officials say the study indicates that a combination of measures, including the vaccine, can blunt the impact of a pandemic.
• Bakeries Get Caught in Iraq's Sectarian Crossfire
  Deaths among Iraqis have increased because of rising tensions between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. Iraqi insurgents have been increasingly targeting bakeries.
• Quarantines Not the Answer to a Flu Pandemic
  Commentator Lawrence Gostin, an expert on public health at Georgetown University, says the government should be very careful about making plans to institute quarantines in case of an influenza pandemic. He says that, besides infringing on individual liberties, quarantines aren't the best tool to use against influenza.
• IRS Considers New Rules to Guard Tax-Payer Information
  Tax preparers receive a lot of sensitive financial information about their clients, and some of them share it with third parties. Federal guidelines require preparers to first obtain permission before sharing their clients' information. But clients often don't understand what they are consenting to. Wendy Kaufman reports.
• Starbucks Enters Film Business
  Starbucks' latest foray is into the film business. The company is equity partners in a film called Akeelah and the Bee, scheduled for release at the end of April. The company believes it has become such a trusted brand that it can now have an editorial voice in popular culture. Deborah Wang of member station KUOW reports.

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