Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• The streetcars are running again
  The Como-Harriet streetcar opens for the season Saturday. The one-mile track connects Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis.6:25 a.m.
• State Archeology Week
  State Archeology Week begins this weekend with an archeology fair at Fort Snelling and a dig for kids at the Sibley House in Mendota.6:40 a.m.
• Mark Seeley discusses weather trends
  University of Minnesota Meteorologist and Climatologist Mark Seeley talks about the weather, including the possibility of more snow.6:50 a.m.
• Some bridge victims say they'll accept settlement
  Some victims of the 35W bridge collapse have already stepped forward to praise an agreement on state aid and say they plan to accept a state settlement.7:20 a.m.
• Accountants: Franken's tax problems should have been caught
  Tax experts say Al Franken's accountant should have known that Franken needed to pay taxes in the 19 different states where Franken earned money in the last four years.7:25 a.m.
• Saving the sand-bottom pool
  New pool rules could endanger popular sand-bottom pools in communities around the state.7:50 a.m.
• Iraq war movies attract a lukewarm response at the box office
  Next week former talkshow host Phil Donahue's new documentary "Body of War" opens in the Twin Cities. It's just the latest movie about the Iraq conflict.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Pet Store Owner Buys Fossilized Dinosaur Dung
  A coprolite — or fossilized fecal matter — from the Jurassic period was sold at an auction in New York City this week for $960, twice what the owner was expecting. Steven Tsengas, owner of Our Pets, told the Associated Press he plans to use the 130 million-year-old dinosaur dung as a marketing tool.
• April Jobs Report Beats Expectations
  Employers cut far fewer jobs in April than most economists predicted, and unemployment edged lower, down to 5 percent. The closely watched jobs report released Friday morning showed a total of 20,000 jobs lost in April. Economists were expecting to lose 80,000.
• Proposed Credit Card Rules Limit Interest Increases
  The Federal Reserve is expected to approve new rules Friday that prohibit some of the credit card industry's billing practices. Among other things, the changes prevent card companies from arbitrarily raising the interest rate on cardholders' outstanding balances.
• Lawmakers Revisit Ethanol Mandates as Prices Soar
  Four months ago, Congress sharply raised production targets for ethanol fuel, from the current 7 billion gallons a year to 36 billion gallons by 2022. Now, some lawmakers are asking whether the ethanol mandates — which brought windfalls to farm states — came at too high a price.
• Superdelegate Explains His Switch in Allegiance
  Former Democratic National Committee chairman Joe Andrew on Thursday said he was switching his support from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama. Andrew was appointed national chairman by former president Bill Clinton. The superdelegate talks about his decision to switch sides.
• Ohio Lawmakers Target Payday Lenders
  Lawmakers in Ohio are attempting to crack down on what are known as payday lenders — dealers who charge short-term borrowers in need of quick cash extraordinarily high interest rates. But lenders say the effort could put them out of business.
• 2 of 3 Presidential Hopefuls Back Gas Tax Holiday
  One of the hot topics on the presidential campaign trail this week has been whether to institute a gas tax holiday this summer. Both John McCain and Hillary Clinton are backing the proposal. Barack Obama calls it a gimmick.
• Conflict Escalates Between Russia, Georgia
  Russia is sending more peacekeeping troops to two pro-Moscow breakaway regions in Georgia, raising fears that an escalating crisis between Moscow and Tbilisi may develop into military hostilities.
• Genetic Discrimination Bill Clears Hurdle in House
  The House voted Thursday to give final approval to a landmark bill that would bar discrimination in health insurance and employment on the basis of a person's genetic information. The bill has been 13 years in the making; President Bush is expected to sign it.
• Pakistan Holds Peace Talks with Tribal Leaders
  Pakistani officials are trying to arrange a peace deal with tribal elders in northwest Pakistan. Previous attempts have failed, but there is optimism this time because a Pashtun nationalist party, the ANP, is involved in the negotiations.
• Mahdi Army Commander: Fighting Is Only Option
  A senior Mahdi Army commander from Baghdad's Sadr City talked to NPR's Tom Bowman about recent fighting in Sadr City, the group's belief in its right to defend itself, and why the militia refuses to lay down its arms, even though the Iraqi government has ordered it to do so.
• Campaign Fun: Obama's 'Top 10'; Clinton's Filly
  Barack Obama offers his version of David Letterman's "Top 10" list, while Hillary Clinton plugs for the only filly competing in the Kentucky Derby.
• Bill Clinton Takes His Political Game to Small Towns
  This week, former president Bill Clinton has been on a back-roads tour of rural North Carolina in support of his wife's presidential campaign. But as he campaigns for Hillary Clinton, he can't help talking about his own legacy.
• Who Are Unpledged Add-On Delegates?
  You may think you've already heard all there is to know about Democratic party superdelegates — the bigwigs who could end up playing a decisive role in the battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But there's another group of 76 delegates — known as unpledged add-ons, and no one knows whether they'll support Clinton or Obama.
• Olympic Torch Reaches Hong Kong
  The Olympic torch reaches Hong Kong on Friday, and for the first time in its journey, it will be on Chinese soil. Host Steve Inskeep talks to NPR's Louisa Lim about Chinese preparations for this leg of the relay.

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