Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Cabins of Minnesota
  Cabin life is celebrated in a new book from the Minnesota Historical Society Press. "Cabins of Minnesota" is the latest in a series of books featuring photographs by Doug Ohman. MPR's Cathy Wurzer explores the cabins in this Flash presentation.6:50 a.m.
• All not lost on Gunflint Trail
  Rain showers helped the Ham Lake fire settle down on Monday. Officials say the fire made little new progress. Meanwhile, residents said they're now worrying more about the future.7:20 a.m.
• Sprinklers saving houses in Ham Lake fire
  George Carlson, who started Wildfire Sprinkler, talks about how his exterior sprinkler systems keep fires away from houses.7:25 a.m.
• Minn. Legislature challenges Pawlenty by backing higher gas tax
  The Minnesota Legislature voted Monday to raise the state gas tax by a nickel as lawmakers prepared to confront Gov. Tim Pawlenty over spending on roads.7:50 a.m.
• New Ulm school closure sends ripples though community
  School districts across Minnesota are once again tightening their belts, and in some districts that has meant closing buildings.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• U.S., Iran Need Each Other
  The U.S. and Iran plan to meet in Baghdad in the next few weeks to discuss Iraqi security issues. Both countries have had few face-to-face meetings in the past two decades. They've exchanged harsh rhetoric in the past over Israel, nuclear weapons, and other threats to the region.
• Vietnam Cracks Down on Activists Before Elections
  In Vietnam, the crackdown on dissidents continues in advance of elections May 20 for the National Assembly. Five activists were tried in the past week for exercising free speech. All these trials at one time are a clear signal to opponents of the regime to back off quickly. Under Vietnamese law the Communist Party is the only official voice.
• Constitutional Deadline Arrives in Baghdad
  An Iraqi committee made up of Shiites, Sunnis and ethnic Kurds wants an extension to deliver a reform draft of Iraq's constitution. The deadline was today. What's the status of the document? Vali Nasr, a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School, talks about a key benchmark.
• United Auto Workers Support Chrysler Sale
  Cerberus Capital Management's deal to buy a substantial stake in Chrysler for $7.4-billion has found unusual support from the United Auto Workers. One possible reason is that the UAW might get control of the pension fund.
• U.S. Envoy Ending Turbulent Tour in Zimbabwe
  Christopher Dell seems to like challenging jobs. He's heading to Kabul later this summer, after three years as U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe. There, he earned a reputation for speaking out against President Robert Mugabe's regime.
• Wary Reaction in Iran to News of Talks with U.S.
  Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he has agreed to talks with the U.S. in an effort to help Iran's neighbor Iraq. There is support within Iran's parliament for the decision to hold talks, although some lawmakers caution that Iran must be wary of what they call U.S. "tricks."
• Deputy Attorney General McNulty Resigns
  Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, the second highest ranking official at the Justice Department, announced his resignation, citing financial reasons. His resignation follows intense questioning over the department's firing of eight U.S. Attorneys. He is the third senior official to leave.
• Raucous Iraqi Parliament Makes Little Progress
  Iraq's parliament is increasingly hamstrung by sectarian rivalries, with many shouting matches and many lawmakers failing to show up. None of the legislation seen as crucial for national reconciliation has yet to be debated on the floor.
• Why Buy Chrysler?
  Chrysler would be the first major automaker to become a private company. The big question is what will Cerberus do with the ailing car maker? Colin Blaydon, professor at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, talks about the deal.
• Bike Rider Saved by His Helmet
  Consider this an advertisement for wearing a bike helmet. Ryan Lipscomb was biking through Madison, Wis. He tried to avoid a turning truck. He flipped his bike, and fell to the pavement, where the truck ran over his head. Lipscomb can prove the truck ran over his head because he can show you the tread marks on his helmet. He is around to show you those tread marks because he only suffered a concussion.
• Japan Plans Its Own Green Fuel
  This could be the next arena in the competition between General Motors and Toyota. Japan is hoping Sake, a strong, fermented rice wine — Japan's national drink and an essential accompaniment in sushi restaurants — will also fuel cars one day soon.
• Big Theft, Candy Riches
  Somebody stole a "Big Boy" in Ohio. The 7-foot restaurant mascot showed up on the roof of Lincoln High School. Then, there's the man caught with a stolen truck in Dallas. He was removing rims and tires when police caught him. It's not clear if he realized the value of the cargo he was about to ditch. It was $250,000 worth of Skittles. Some of the candy is still at large.
• GOP Presidential Candidates Set for Second Debate
  The Republican presidential candidates are due for their second debate in South Carolina Tuesday night. But they aren't fairing well on issues concerning the Iraq war.
• Oregon Governor Eyes Biomass Strategy
  Gov. Ted Kulongoski says Oregon can prevent wildfires by thinning forests and using the timber to create electricity. He says the strategy will create jobs and improve the health of the forest. Environmentalists aren't so sure.
• Two Wheels Better than Four in France
  Paris officials are making 20,000 bikes available for rent across the city in a bid to reduce the number of cars. It's one of the most ambitious efforts anywhere but critics believe it won't appeal to many potential cyclists.

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