Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Frank Lloyd Wright gas station turns 50
  It's the only gas station ever designed by Wright, and it's in Cloquet, Minn.6:51 a.m.
• Franco guilty on all 24 counts
  A jury in Willmar Wednesday night found Olga Franco guilty of driving a minivan into a school bus and killing four children last February near Cottonwood.7:20 a.m.
• Minnesota equestrian set to compete in Olympics
  The Olympic equestrian events begin on Saturday in Hong Kong. Becky Holder, of Mendota Heights, will be taking part in three day eventing with her big gray horse Courageous Comet.7:44 a.m.
• Minority populations increase in the suburbs
  The latest census estimates show that the suburbs surrounding the Twin Cities are becoming more diverse.7:51 a.m.
• Child contracts measles inside Minnesota
  For the first time since 2001, a child in Minnesota has contracted measles from someone in the state. The Minnesota Department of Health says a 10-month-old Hennepin County child has the infectious disease.7:54 a.m.
• Future Tense with Jon Gordon
  Comparing the cost of Windows PCs to Macs.8:20 a.m.
• The best -- and worst -- of the Fringe Festival
  As the 15th annual Minnesota Fringe Festival moves into its second weekend, Morning Edition Arts commentator and St. Paul Pioneer Press theater critic Dominic Papatola is still getting used to daylight again.8:24 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Evangelicals Up For Grabs? Candidates Court Voters
  In the competition for white evangelical votes, this year there's been a role reversal: It's the Democrat who is comfortable quoting Scripture and talking openly about his beliefs.
• High Food Prices A Two-Edged Sword For Farmers
  For some farmers in Honduras, high food prices mean greater profits. But others can't afford the higher costs for fertilizer and pesticides, so they're cutting back on production.
• Chrysler Considers Outsourcing Work To Nissan
  As the third-largest U.S. automaker struggles to survive, it's looking for new ways to do business. Increasingly, Chrysler is turning to outsourcing, at least for its passenger cars. The Wall Street Journal reports Thursday that Chrysler is talking to Nissan about a deal in which the Japanese carmaker would manufacture cars, and Chrysler would sell them under its own brand.
• Calif. Strawberries Bound For China's Top Athletes
  Some California farmers are getting an unexpected boost from China's Olympic athletes, who told Chinese officials that the fruit they most desire as they strive for gold is strawberries. Strawberry season in China has ended, so officials turned to California, where strawberry growers have been trying to break into China's market for years.
• Olympics Put NBC News In Difficult Position
  NBC has a lot at stake in the 2008 Olympic Games. That includes the reputation of the network's news division and its bottom line. Its position is complicated by the fact that NBC's role in the Olympics is one of observer and partner.
• Letters: Anthrax Case, 'Way Of The World,' Recipes
  Renee Montagne and Steve Inskeep read from listeners' comments.
• China Visit A Key Moment For Bush As Term Wanes
  President Bush arrives in China for talks with Chinese leaders Thursday before the start of the Olympic Games. The visit is one of the high-profile moments of his final months in office. He has been criticized by human rights groups for deciding to attend the games despite China's human rights record; he is expected to raise the issue in private.
• As Retail Chains Fold, Shoppers Flock To Bargains
  In the past few weeks, some retail chains have gone out of business, or filed for bankruptcy protection. Retail consultant Howard Davidowitz traces the problem to increasing online sales and the credit crunch, among other factors.
• IRS Offers Companies A Deal To Quit Tax Sheltering
  The IRS has been targeting companies that engage in transactions that have no purpose other than to reduce or eliminate tax liabilities. The IRS on Wednesday said it is offering to settle tax shelter abuse cases against about 45 companies, but they have to stop using the shelters by 2010.
• High Temps On Turf Fields Spark Safety Concerns
  Schools and coaches love artificial turf because it's easy to maintain, and the field stays in great shape all year. But the air around synthetic turf can reach 160 degrees on a 90-degree day. New York City has canceled contracts for turf that contains recycled tires, because of concerns that the rubber adds to the heat-absorbing effect.
• PGA Championship Starts Without Defending Champ
  The PGA Championship — the golf season's final major tournament — begins Thursday — without last year's champion Tiger Woods, who is rehabilitating an injured knee. Commentator John Feinstein talks about the history of the tournament and its relative importance among the four majors.
• Documents Provide Glimpses Of Ivins' State Of Mind
  The FBI released documents Wednesday, including e-mails written by Bruce Ivins, the Army scientist who killed himself after learning he was the prime suspect in the anthrax attacks investigation. The e-mails reflect what many call evidence of Ivins' declining grip on reality.
• California's Budget Caught In Political Gridlock
  The state budget in California is already more than four weeks late, and there's no sign of a break in the impasse between Republican and Democratic lawmakers. The budget is nearly always late in California, but this year the deficit is bigger, the stakes are higher and the threats of new cuts are more dire than ever before.
• Evidence Lays Out Ivins' Steps In Anthrax Attacks
  The Justice Department has made some evidence public in the case of scientist Bruce Ivins, the government's suspect in the 2001 anthrax mailings that killed five people. A U.S. attorney said he is confident that the evidence would have been enough to make the case in court. Ivins committed suicide last week.
• Drawing The Line On Political Protest At The Games
  China has done much to quell dissenting voices ahead of and during the Olympics, and many are not pleased. Some petitioners have been sent out of Beijing, and designated "protest zones" will be hard to use, some say.

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