Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• The Stickworker returns to Minnesota
  Patrick Dougherty calls himself a 'stick worker.' He makes huge, twisting sculptures out of branches and other natural materials he finds at the site of each piece. This week, with the help of dozens of volunteers, he began construction on a work at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.6:46 a.m.
• Mark Seeley on spring weather, and snow, in Minnesota
  University of Minnesota climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley anwers your questions about the early Spring weather and what lies ahead for the Summer.6:50 a.m.
• State faces unprecedented cash-flow crisis
  In the aftermath of a Minnesota Supreme Court court ruling against Gov. Pawlenty's 2009 budget fix, state officials say they could now face an unprecedented cash-flow crisis if anyone affected by those cuts seeks repayment.7:16 a.m.
• Bill to create health insurance pools for teachers headed to Pawlenty
  Legislation approved Thursday night would create a statewide health insurance pool for school employees and teachers, but some critics say it might create more red tape and question the program's savings.7:20 a.m.
• Independence Party aims for middle ground in governor's race
  Independence Party leaders say Emmer and Kelliher represent the far-right and far-left ends of the political spectrum, leaving the middle wide open for them.7:36 a.m.
• Split Rock Lighthouse to light beacon Friday
  Split Rock Lighthouse is celebrating its 100th birthday with a rare lighting of its beacon Friday.7:50 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Postelection: Britain Locked In Political Standoff
  Britain's election was the closest in three decades, and the results are inconclusive. Without a clear majority, it is uncertain who will eventually run the country. Labour's Gordon Brown signaled he would try to form a coalition, but Conservative leader David Cameron declared the prime minister had lost his mandate to govern.
• Bomb Attempt Puts U.S.-Pakistan Ties In Spotlight
  Although the U.S. has painted a picture of cooperation and coordination between the two countries, in reality Washington has been pushing Pakistan -- often hard -- for several years to do more to prevent this kind of incident.
• Gustavo Dudamel: Making Classical Cool In L.A.
  Meet a young man who's managed to make classical music popular in Los Angeles: Gustavo Dudamel. Now the 29-year-old Venezuelan conductor known as "the Dude" is taking the L.A. Philharmonic on its first national tour under his direction.
• Stressful Decision? Washing Hands Could Help Soothe
  A new study finds that hand washing can help relieve the stress from inner conflict. When forced to choose between two good options, people often stress out about the decision. In the study, those who washed their hands afterward didn't express signs of being conflicted. It seems they didn't feel pressured to justify their choice.
• Employers Added 290,000 Workers In April
  The Labor Department on Friday said U.S. employers expanded their payrolls by 290,000, the most in four years. The unemployment rate for April inched up to 9.9 percent from 9.7 percent last month, mainly because more job seekers are starting to resume their search for work.
• Job Growth In California Stymied
  While the jobs market may be getting better in other parts of the country, California is not seeing any significant improvement. In March the state's unemployment rate peaked at 12.6 percent, a couple points above the national average. And some of the state's biggest industries are still hurting.
• As Tourism Picks Up, Boston's Economy Improves
  Like most of America, Boston was hit hard by the recession. But it appears to be clawing its way back. The tourism industry is optimistic that hiring will pick up as the weather warms and visitors return for the first time in a couple of years.
• U.S. Jobs Report Welcome News After Market's Plunge
  U.S. stock prices were flat Friday morning after some positive economic news from the government. The U.S. Labor Department said employers added 290,000 workers to payrolls last month, many more than economists had expected. It's welcome news after Thursday's stunning plunge in the Dow Industrial Average. The unemployment rate, however, rose from the previous month, to 9.9 percent.
• Shareholders To Scrutinize Goldman Sachs
  As if Goldman Sachs has not had its share of public tests recently, the Wall Street bank on Friday answers its main constituency: shareholders. Some of whom already have sued Goldman following allegations it committed civil fraud. Among other things at Friday's meeting, shareholders will vote on whether to require executives to hold their company shares to promote long-term performance.
• Senate Rejects GOP Consumer Protection Plan
  The dispute over the creation of a consumer financial protection agency has been at the center of the debate of a measure trying to overhaul regulations on banks. A Republican proposal to dilute consumer provisions was defeated Thursday. Democrats and the president argued that the GOP proposal would have "gutted" consumer protections.

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