Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Crowd urges school board to keep schools open
  Hundreds of parents, students and teachers packed a hearing last night on the Minneapolis school district's plan to close six schools.7:23 a.m.
• Teen drivers get real-world experience
  Teenage drivers often end up in traffic accidents because they don't know how to react quickly to avoid a crash. There are a couple of driving clubs in the Twin Cities that train teens how to drive in the real world.7:50 a.m.
• A Wild ride ahead?
  The National Hockey League playoffs are starting, and Minnesota will be in Anaheim to play the Ducks in the first game of a best-of-seven series. Morning Edition sports commentator Steve Rudolph offers this playoff preview.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Parents of the Autistic Weigh Lifelong Care Options
  At 19, Joey Mazzafro is no longer a child. But his severe autism means he will never be able to live independently. So his parents are trying to construct a support system for their son that will last after they are gone.
• Citigroup Job Cuts Aimed at Pleasing Shareholders
  Citigroup, the world's largest financial services company, says it will eliminate about 5 percent of its work force. It's part of an effort to increase profits and appease shareholders, who have been unhappy about the company's financial performance.
• Chinese Premier Pays Visit to Japan
  Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao begins a three-day trip to Japan, hoping to repair strained relations between the Asian rivals. The effort shows that China considers Japan to be a key economic ally.
• Summer Gas Forecast: Slightly Lower Prices
  Prices at the pump will be slightly cheaper this summer as many motorists plan vacation road trips. The Energy Department says the average cost of gasoline will be $2.81 per gallon. That's three cents cheaper than a year ago.
• Students' Play Bypasses China-Japan Tensions
  Chinese and Japanese students brought together to produce a play soon learned that tensions still divide their nations. So after initial clashes, they wrote a new play that shies away from historical issues.
• Snowed-Out Indians Go to Milwaukee to Play Ball
  The Cleveland Indians move their "home" opener in Milwaukee after a snowstorm blankets Cleveland. A crowd of 13,000 turned out at Miller Park to see the Tribe beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 7-6.
• McCain Prepares to Define Iraq Policy
  Sen. John McCain of Arizona is about to deliver what is billed as a major policy speech on Iraq. His presidential campaign has experienced a number of setbacks, from less-than-stunning fundraising to low poll numbers.
• Citigroup Cutting Jobs in Bid to Cap Costs
  Citigroup will eliminate 17,000 jobs in a sweeping re-organization, while moving other jobs overseas. Savings are projected at $9 billion over three years. Shareholders had pressed the company to cut rising expenses.
• Friends Honor Mass. Soldier's Heart and Loyalty
  PFC John Landry Jr. died in March when a roadside bomb exploded in Baghdad. He was on a second tour of duty in Iraq. In his home state of Massachusetts, he was remembered as a funny young man with a great and loyal heart.
• Two Indicted for Abuse at Texas Detention Center
  A grand jury indicts two former employees of the Texas Youth Commission. They're accused of sexually abusing teenage inmates. A Texas Ranger's report on the case two years ago was ignored at the time.
• Afghan Opium Business Defies U.S.-Led Attacks
  Afghanistan is still trying to eradicate opium poppies from a southern region that remains a Taliban stronghold. But a campaign by U.S. and Afghan forces has yet to make much of a dent in a major capital of opium production.
• Stem-Cell Debate Returning to Center Stage
  The Senate is expected to pass legislation that would expand the number of embryonic stem-cell lines eligible for federal research funding. The House passed similar legislation, but a presidential veto is expected.
• Let's Hear It for the Big Men of Sports
  No one person is bigger than the sport? Nonsense. What about Tiger Woods or Roger Federer? And world-record smasher Michael Phelps is not only bigger than swimming, he may be bigger than the Olympics.
• Three Advertisers Drop Support for Imus
  Talk show host Don Imus, suspended for racially charged remarks, now faces problems with advertisers. Procter & Gamble, Staples and Bigelow Tea say they no longer want their ads on Imus in the Morning.
• Recipe for a Rite of Passage
  Russell Parsons, a retired pipe-fitter in the town of Hurricane, W. Va., has tattooed some specific directions on his right arm. The instructions are for when he dies: Cremate him at 1,800 degrees for two to three hours. To reinforce the message, the tattoo features orange and yellow flames.

Resources

• Future Tense®
• Marketplace Morning Report®
• Mark Seeley's WeatherTalk

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories

Become a Sponsor