Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• DNR officials concerned over thefts of state flower
  The theft of certain plants is big business nationwide, but the uprooting of Minnesota's state flower has some DNR officials worried.6:25 a.m.
• Microcinema backers think small, hope big
  When it comes to movies, some Minnesotans are thinking small. Tonight the Trylon Microcinema, a theater that only seats 50 people, opens in Minneapolis.6:50 a.m.
• Weather with Mark Seeley
  University of Minnesota climatologist Mark Seeley discusses Minnesota weather history and looks ahead to the weekend forecast.6:55 a.m.
• Minnesota hospitals upset about health care deal
  Some Minnesota hospitals are fuming over a new national agreement that gives back billions of dollars in federal hospital payments to help pay for overhauling the U.S. health care system.7:20 a.m.
• County wants to burn more garbage at Minneapolis incinerator
  Hennepin County wants to burn more garbage at its downtown Minneapolis waste-to-energy plant in order to produce more energy, but the plan is running into opposition from neighbors.7:40 a.m.
• For Twins ballpark, grass is greener in Colorado
  The grass for the new Twins ballpark has been growing for about a year -- not in Minnesota, but in Colorado. Chosen for the fast-draining qualities of its sandy soil, the turf will make the 800 mile trek to Minneapolis in August.7:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Independent High Court Ushers Britain Into New Era
  For the first time, Great Britain is establishing a Supreme Court — a role that has in past always been fulfilled by 12 judges sitting in the House of Lords. That will change in October, as the British government begins to implement separation of powers.
• U.S., China Coordinating On Climate Change
  The Obama administration this week sent two Chinese-American Cabinet secretaries to China to promote cooperation on climate change. China and the U.S. are the world's largest carbon emitters, and their coordination will be crucial if any deal is to be reached at the United Nations climate change talks in Demark later this year.
• Farmer Turns Onion Waste Into Energy
  Steve Gill grows onions throughout California and processes them at a facility in Oxnard. Gill was tired of disposing of all that pungent waste. The Los Angeles Times reports he invested in a system that turns the onion leftovers into energy. Juice from the onion leftovers now powers the refrigerators and lighting at his Oxnard plant.
• Blasts Kill 8 At 2 Indonesian Luxury Hotels
  Officials say at least eight people are dead and dozens injured after bombings at two luxury hotels in Indonesia. The security minister says the blasts in downtown Jakarta happened two minutes apart and were caused by "high explosives."
• Engineer Convicted Of Stealing Trade Secrets
  A Chinese-American engineer has been found guilty of stealing trade secrets for China. Dongfan "Greg" Chung, 73, is the first person convicted under a 1996 economic espionage law, which cracked down on the theft of information from private companies that work with the government on space and military technologies. Investigators found hundreds of thousands of pages of sensitive documents stacked up in his home.
• Late Colombian Drug Baron's Hippo Gunned Down
  Colombia's government says it will stop trying to kill a hippopotamus. It was one of two hippos from the private zoo of drug lord Pablo Escobar. They got away in 2006 and lived in the wild. Concerned about public safety, authorities hunted one down. Angry animal rights groups persuaded officials to say they will safely relocate the other.
• Thief Admonishes Victim: 'Lock Your Car'
  A man in Fargo, N.D., left his car unlocked. When Mark Neary returned to the car, he found it ransacked. Somebody had taken his driver's license and credit cards among other things. Whoever robbed him also left behind a note: "Lock your car."
• In Spain, It Takes A Village To Babysit
  Summer in Spain can be hot and oppressive. But at night, city parks and village squares come alive with people of all ages. For an American visitor, one of the most striking differences is how unconcerned parents seem in public about their children. There seems to be an unwritten rule that anyone near a parent shares responsibility for that person's children.
• Budget Crisis Keeps Gov. Rendell From Meeting
  The nation's governors are gathering in Mississippi for their annual meeting. But the association's chairman won't be there. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is staying home to work out a budget stalemate with his legislature. He tells Steve Inskeep that he didn't think he should leave, considering state employees just had their first payless payday.
• Iranian Police Disperse Opposition Supporters
  In Iran, thousands massed at Tehran's main Friday prayer service, and there are reports that police fired tear gas and used batons to disperse supporters of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi. The top cleric at the service called for the release of reformists jailed in June's post-election crackdown. Borzou Daragahi, a reporter for the Los Angeles Times, talks with Steve Inskeep about developments in Iran.
• Paulson Defends Bank Deal To Lawmakers
  If there's one deal that has come to represent the height of the nation's panic during the financial crisis, it is Bank of America's purchase of Merrill Lynch. That deal has been scrutinized and criticized, particularly for the unusual role the government played in making it happen. Former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson came under Congressional fire Thursday for his role in that controversial deal.
• Author Tracks Afghanistan's Descent Into War
  As the U.S. troop surge in Afghanistan continues, Renee Montagne talks with political scientist Seth Jones about some of the challenges facing both military and civilian efforts there. He's written a book called, In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan. Montagne also previews her reporting trip to Afghanistan. She'll be there in the run-up to next month's elections.
• Sotomayor Appears Close To Confirmation
  Republicans promise that the full Senate will vote on Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court by early August. Jeff Sessions, the Senate Judiciary Committee's top Republican, has abandoned calls for a delay in the vote until September.
• Banks May Thwart Germany's Economic Recovery
  Banks in Germany are under increasing pressure to do more long-term lending to help Europe's largest economy recover more quickly from the recession. There's also concern German banks are in denial about the long-term impact of toxic debt. One financial regulator estimates there's more than $1 trillion of bad debt on the banks' books.
• Those On The Left Want Obama To Join Them
  There are many groups and individuals who would like to see President Obama's administration move further to the left. Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York tells Steve Inskeep that his constituents think the president has done a lot so far, but there are some decisions they don't agree with.

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