Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Al Franken ready to begin Senate work next week
  After an eight-month battle, DFLer Al Franken has been declared the winner of Minnesota's remaining U.S. Senate seat. Franken already has his committee assignments and expects to begin work as soon as Congress returns from its Fourth of July break next week.6:20 a.m.
• Coleman: 'I haven't yet made a decision about the future'
  We now know that Norm Coleman won't be representing Minnesota in the U.S. But what does the future hold for the former senator?6:50 a.m.
• Sen. Klobuchar welcomes Al Franken
  Al Franken's victory in the long 2008 U.S. Senate race means Amy Klobuchar won't be Minnesota's only U.S. senator any more. Klobuchar has been handling extra constituent service calls ever since Republican Norm Coleman's term ended in January.6:55 a.m.
• Franken reflects and then talks issues
  Democrat Al Franken is on his way to Washington next week to be sworn-in as a U.S. Senator.7:20 a.m.
• Heading to the Senate, Franken must find his place
  With the legal battle surrounding Minnesota's Senate race finally over, Democrat Al Franken is headed to Washington to take his place in the US Senate.7:40 a.m.
• Some improvement, but Minnesota test scores mostly flat
  More than 500,000 Minnesota students who took the MCA-II standardized tests this spring will soon find out how they did. However, the results show this year's scores stayed mostly steady, when compared to last year.7:45 a.m.
• Franken faces big challenges as new senator
  Al Franken is now Sen.-elect Al Franken. The former comedian and political satirist faces unusual challenges in Washington.8:40 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Zombies: Still Undead, And Suddenly Everywhere
  Zombies, long a horror-movie staple, are taking bigger bites out of pop culture, infecting books, banking, even our vocabulary. Beth Accomando surveys a genre trope that refuses to die.
• Harlem's Apollo Theater Honors 'King Of Pop'
  Harlem's Apollo Theater held a tribute to Michael Jackson Tuesday. The theater admitted 600 people at a time for a series of tribute videos and eulogies. DJs played Jackson's music throughout the day and fans left flowers and other tokens.
• Fans Remember Michael Jackson's Best
  Tina Brown is the co-founder and editor of the online news site The Daily Beast. She talks with David Greene about Michael Jackson's fame, his impact on culture and how his death will shape how the world views him. Brown says fans are remembering Jackson's show business electricity.
• States Move To Ban Texting While Driving
  As of July 1, Virginia drivers are banned from sending or reading text messages and e-mails. Cleveland's ban starts July 19, while Maryland drivers have until October to text away in the car while driving.
• Europe Solves Cell Phone Charger Problem
  The European Union has reached an agreement with all major mobile phone manufacturers to produce a common phone charger. Apart from reducing the frustration of customers juggling incompatible chargers, proponents say the agreement will encourage recycling and reduce electronic waste.
• Citigroup Raises Rates On Some Credit Cards
  Credit card customers should check their interest rates. Britain's Financial Times reports that Citigroup has sharply increased rates on cards it issues with other stores. Sears for example. Citigroup says the adjustments are part of a "regular and ongoing process."
• 17 Miles Of Maine's Kennebec River Restored
  It's been 10 years since the federal government ordered the Edwards Dam on Maine's Kennebec River to be torn down. Regulators had decided that the public would be better served by a free-flowing river than the tiny amount of electricity produced by the dam's hydro plant. Removing the dam has changed the environment — for the better.
• California Budget Crisis Escalates
  For 46 states, July 1st is the start of a new budget year. Several state don't have budgets, and many services may be hard hit. The problem is most severe in California, where lawmakers have failed to agree on a way to fix the state's $24 billion deficit.
• White House Pushes To Keep Visitor Logs Private
  President Obama campaigned on a promise to bring a new era of openness and transparency to the White House. But less than six months into his presidency, there are already battles over what information should be made public — including a fight over the Secret Service logs of visitors to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
• France Touched By 2 Recent Plane Crashes
  For the second time in a month, French authorities are dealing with a fatal plane crash that has claimed the lives of dozens of French citizens. After the Air France crash into the Atlantic ocean on June 1st, a Yemen airlines plane carrying 153 people, a majority of them French, has gone down in the Indian ocean.
• Gov. Sanford Adds Details About Affair
  South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford revealed more details about his extramarital affair Tuesday. Sanford admitted to seeing his Argentine girlfriend five times in the past year and also said that he "crossed the line" with other women during his marriage. The revelations did little to bolster the governor's efforts to stay in office.
• Diesel Cars Attempt Comeback With Clean Diesel
  Hybrid cars have been getting a lot of publicity lately. Now some manufacturers are offering another option: "clean diesel" cars. Some can get 40 or even 50 miles to the gallon; they aren't the noisy, smoke belching and sluggish diesels of years ago.
• Finally: Minn. Senate Race Over, Franken Wins
  Nearly eight months after the election, there's finally a winner in the Minnesota Senate race. The state's Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Al Franken has defeated incumbent Norm Coleman. Coleman has conceded.
• Indian Co. Tries To Enter U.S. Clean Diesel Market
  Indian company Mahindra and Mahindra plans to sell "clean diesel" pickup trucks in the United States. It's a giant conglomerate that already sells tractors to American farmers. It could be the first company to sell Indian-made passenger vehicles in the U.S.
• Franken's Victory Gives Democrats 60 Senators
  Al Franken's victory gives the Democrats a 60th senator. Theoretically, that should end any chance Republicans would have had to hold up legislation through the filibuster.

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