Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Clark's visibility fuels political speculation
  Sen. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, has quickly become one of the most visible lawmakers at the state Capitol. She hasn't served a full term yet, but she's become the chief spokeswoman for Senate DFLers.7:20 a.m.
• A new push for high-speed rail
  Remember when people used to ride trains? Quite a few still do. Ridership is up, and the change of power in Congress has improved funding prospects for passenger rail in this country.7:25 a.m.
• Monday Markets
  A better than expected employment report from the Labor Department and what the Group of Seven richest nations will talk about at their upcoming meeting.7:55 a.m.
• The green jacket goes to Cedar Rapids, Iowa
  Zach Johnson, who describes himself as "just a Midwestern guy from Iowa," won the 2007 Masters tournament at Augusta, Georgia. But he couldn't have gotten there without a small group of investors who helped get his professional golf career off the ground.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Critics Question Status of Abramoff Probe
  Amid turmoil over the firing of eight U.S. attorneys, Bush administration critics are wondering whether the Justice Department is paying enough attention to the ongoing Jack Abramoff influence-peddling investigation.
• French Election Turns on National Identity
  As France's presidential election approaches, Conservative and Socialist candidates put forth ideas about what it means to be French. But making national identity a central issue has implications for the debate over immigration policy.
• Iran Expands Nuclear Enrichment Program
  One year after Iran announced that it had enriched enough uranium to produce civilian nuclear reactors, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his country can produce nuclear fuel on an "industrial scale."
• Chiquita Takes Aim at Convenience Store Market
  Bananas are the No. 1 fruit in the supermarket. Now, Chiquita is targeting convenience stores, offering bananas as an on-the-go snack. The fruit requires special packaging to maintain peak ripeness for days at a time.
• Making Ends Meet Without Health Insurance
  National polls show that worries about health insurance are near the top of Americans' concerns. More than 10 million Americans are solidly middle income and uninsured.
• Looser Lending Had Upside: New Homeowners
  Subprime loans have put upwards of a million people out of their homes through foreclosures. But looser lending standards for more conventional loans also permitted millions to buy homes in recent years. Some economists see that as a major achievement.
• 'Duck for President' Tells Familiar Tale
  Children were invited to the White House Monday for the Easter Egg Roll. On the agenda: Laura Bush reading a children's book called Duck for President. The duck takes over the farm, then runs for governor, then runs for the White House. He wins after a recount. But he gives it all up to go back to the farm, concluding: "Running a country is no fun at all."
• Sticky Situation at California School
  It's spring break in Carlsbad, Calif. And that may give the school custodians time to clean the super-strength glue out all the door locks. On Friday, people showed up to find about 100 doors glued shut. Teachers and students — including, maybe, the pranksters themselves? — were shut out of class. Most of the 3,000 students sat in the gym while the staff pried open the doors.
• Wisconsin Veterans Affairs Chief Heads to War
  Wisconsin's Secretary of Veterans Affairs has been called to active duty in Iraq. John Scocos, 51, is an Army reservist. He's wrapping up business and personal affairs at home as he prepares to leave. He will have a first-hand look at what the returning troops the VA serves have faced.
• Fruit Crop in Peril as Thermometer Drops
  Cold weather is threatening fruit and vegetable crops along the East Coast. In the South, weekend temperatures fell as low as 20 degrees, forcing farmers to take emergency measures.
• Upstart Johnson Grabs Masters Victory
  Zach Johnson, a golfer who wasn't even the best player on his own high-school team, is the 2007 Masters champion. He ignored tough playing conditions and a late eagle by Tiger Woods to beat the field by two shots.
• Swimmer Completes Trip Down the Amazon
  Slovenian Martin Strel finished swimming the length of the Amazon River Sunday, a feat that took more than 60 days. He avoided piranha and anaconda, but not the furious storms that roil the giant waterway.
• Coke's Objection Halts Release of Movie
  A bit of product placement in a recent Italian film has Coca-Cola at odds with the filmmakers. One scene in Seven Kilometers from Jerusalem shows Jesus drinking a Coke, while an ad executive exclaims: "My God, what a testimonial!" The soft-drink maker objects, saying Jesus is not an authorized representative of Coke.
• Prosecutors, Pelosi Stay in Political News
  As Congress returns from its spring recess, the uproar over the firing of eight U.S. attorneys persists. And Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is still shaking off criticism for her visit to Syria.
• Mixed Baghdad Neighborhoods Become Enclaves
  Baghdad's neighborhoods are changing. Four years after the American invasion, sectarian tensions have turned formerly mixed neighborhoods into exclusively Sunni or Shiite enclaves. U.S. forces are trying to reverse the process.

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