Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Football player hopes for call from NFL
  A Minnesota native who played football for the North Dakota State Bisons last year may be selected in the NFL draft this weekend. Craig Dahl describes what feels like to be sized up by professional football scouts.6:48 a.m.
• Lines drawn over power transmission
  A new spurt of powerline construction is being planned for Minnesota. The lines will help bring electricity from new sources of generation to an ever-expanding marketplace.7:20 a.m.
• Well-known poet marks a milestone
  Countless aspiring writers have been encouraged by Mark Vinz. The Minnesota State University Moorhead professor is retiring after 40 years but he'll continue his 40-year love affair with writing.7:25 a.m.
• Angling for culture and wildlife funding
  A proposal to let voters decide whether to raise the state's sales tax for the environment and the arts is facing an uncertain future at the state Capitol. The wrangling about how, or even if, to fund the arts is a question facing many states.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Kids' Use of Earbuds Worries Hearing Experts
  Earbuds that deliver sound directly to the ear canal have become increasingly popular. But hearing specialists are concerned that when earbuds are turned up too loud, they may cause lasting damage to young ears.
• TV-Turnoff Week: Helping Parents Pull the Plug
  Across the country, families are participating in TV-Turnoff Week — a campaign encouraging Americans to experience life without television, one week at a time. How are kids and their parents holding up?
• Iacocca Says Detroit Is Living in the Past
  U.S. automakers are in trouble because they haven't been paying attention to the success of hybrid vehicles and other market trends, Lee Iacocca says. He says Detroit will need a Manhattan Project-like push to shed fossil fuels.
• White House Political Office Subject of Probe
  The federal Office of Special Counsel will investigate the White House political office run by key Bush adviser Karl Rove. The agency is examining whether White House officials acted improperly in the firing of federal prosecutor David Iglesias of New Mexico.
• FBI Rewrites Rules on National Security Letters
  The FBI is working with civil-liberties groups to craft rules for the issuing of National Security Letters. The agency has been accused of misusing its NSL authority.
• Wolfowitz Seems Set to Fight for World Bank Job
  World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz is under fire for securing pay raises at the bank for his girlfriend. But Wolfowitz has hired a high-powered lawyer, has the continued support of President Bush and is showing every sign he won't be pushed out.
• New Hampshire Leans Toward Civil-Union Bill
  The New Hampshire Senate is expected to pass a bill Thursday that allows same-sex unions. Often conservative New Hampshire would join every other state in New England in giving gays and lesbians the rights of marriage.
• Surge Sends Dow Past 13,000 Mark
  The Dow Jones industrial average shot up more than 100 points Wednesday to close above 13,000 for the first time. The markets seem to be reacting to unusually strong earnings reports from major companies and better-than-expected news on sales of durable goods.
• NCAA Eyes Ban on 'Texting' Sports Recruits
  In college sports, coaches may only call recruits a certain number of times, according to NCAA rules. But they have found a loophole. They send athletes countless text messages. Thursday, the NCAA's board of directors votes on a proposal to ban the practice of "texting."
• Finding a Market for Flying Saucers
  A California company called Moller International is testing a flying saucer. It's a sporty, two-seat vehicle that takes off and lands vertically. Executives predict a healthy market for the $450,000 vehicles.

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