Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Pawlenty flies over Gunflint fire; speaks to residents
  After flying over the fire, Pawlenty told residents of the area the good thing about Minnesotans is they rally around each other every time there is a natural disaster.7:20 a.m.
• Expansion of health care coverage in Minnesota likely to face veto from governor
  The Minnesota House dismissed a threatened veto by Gov. Pawlenty and passed a health and human services budget bill that had sailed through the Senate earlier Monday.7:25 a.m.
• End of floppy disk forces Imation job cuts
  Oakdale-based Imation plans to cut about one-third of its workforce by mid-2009. Most of the job cuts will come in the company's manufacturing operations.7:50 a.m.
• More cutbacks at Star Tribune
  The newspaper will slice 145 jobs from its staff of 2,100. About 50 of those jobs will be taken from the paper's newsroom.7:54 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Lang Lang's Journey to Beethoven
  Chinese pianist Lang Lang is one of the biggest sensations in classical music. He discovered his love for music as a kid, while watching a cat play the piano in a Tom & Jerry cartoon. Today he releases his first-ever Beethoven recording.
• Poll: Voters Down on GOP, Impatient with Congress
  The latest NPR poll finds President Bush's approval ratings remain dismal. But voters are equally disapproving of the Democrat-led Congress. On the issues, voters say Iraq remains a top concern, and a majority favor a hard stance on immigration.
• New Ad Trend: Selling Through Smelling
  The Scent Marketing Institute estimates that companies will spend big bucks in the next decade on ads with aromas. But some consumers think the ads stink: The "Got Milk?" campaign's cookie-scented ads in San Francisco had to be taken down.
• Chinese Restaurant Workers in U.S. Face Hurdles
  There are about 40,000 Chinese restaurants in the United States. Many of the workers in the kitchen are recent arrivals from China — some legal, some not — and many took on significant debts to get to the United States.
• Six Held in Alleged Plot to Attack Fort Dix
  Six men accused of plotting to attack the Fort Dix Army base have been arrested in New Jersey. They are due to appear in federal court Tuesday to face charges of conspiracy to kill U.S. servicemen.
• Bow Maker a Last Link to China's Past
  Yang Fuxi has revived his family's traditional business, making bows and arrows from water buffalo horns and bamboo. His Manchu ancestors used the weapons to conquer China, but Yang is the last-known practitioner of his craft.
• Senate Cancels Bid to Legalize Drug Imports
  Backers of a bill to legalize imports of low-cost prescription drugs suffer a major setback. The Senate passed an amendment Monday that essentially nullifies the bill.
• Vandals Trap Themselves Until Police Arrive
  Advice for vandals. If you break an elevator, it's better to work from outside. Two men in Norway smashed up a train station elevator, but got stuck inside until police came. It's not clear how Nick Martin and Cassandra Openshaw will avoid getting stuck in duct tape. They entered a contest by making prom clothes out of it. The upside is, they could win $6,000 in scholarships. The downside? They had to use 45 rolls of tape.
• U.S. Contractors Find Curious Coin
  Alert U.S. Army contractors in Canada found some curious coins and filed confidential espionage accounts. The contractors thought the 25-cent pieces emblazoned with a bright red poppy looked suspicious, and may have radio transmitters or nanotechnology. Poppy coins were minted by the millions in 2004 to commemorate Canada's war dead. And that sinister nanotechnology? It's a protective coating to prevent the red color from rubbing off.
• Tornado Warning May Have Saved Lives
  The residents of Greensburg, Kan., had excellent lead time because of developments in storm-warning systems. Meteorologist Don Burgess says a specific warning was issued for the county about 30 minutes before the tornado struck.
• Kansas Tornado Survivor Shares Ordeal
  Emma Faye Hargadine, 80, wants to find just two things that were safely stowed in her Greensburg, Kan., home before it was demolished by an F-5 tornado: two rings precious to her.
• JPMorgan Chase Relents on Student-Loan Marketing
  JPMorgan Chase says it will end a deal with alumni associations that allowed the firm to market loans directly to grads. It's the latest development in a nationwide investigation into conflicts of interest in the $85 billion-a-year student loan industry.
• Dinner for the Queen Was a White-Tie Affair
  President Bush and first lady Laura Bush hosted Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, at a white-tie state dinner. Among Monday night's guests were diplomats, businessmen, members of Congress and media.
• Haditha Proceedings Begin with Marine Lawyer
  The military equivalent of a grand jury investigation at Camp Pendleton will focus on Capt. Randy Stone, a Marine lawyer who is accused of failing to investigate the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians.
• Philadelphia Mayor's Race Tightens
  Voters in Philadelphia go to the polls May 15 to choose nominees to succeed Mayor John Street. While five Democrats are campaigning to succeed Street, the race seems to have narrowed to a pair of front-runners. Past corruption and concerns about crime are among voters' primary concerns.

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