Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• St. Cloud school board elections feature Somali candidates
  St. Cloud residents will vote in two elections Tuesday to narrow down candidates for school board seats, and both elections have Somali candidates for the first time ever.7:25 a.m.
• Some Minnesota Somalis fear indictments could hamper legitimate donations
  With the extent of the federal investigation unclear, Somali communities in Minnesota are concerned about how last week's indictments will affect them.7:40 a.m.
• Opposition to Red River diversion project growing
  A $1.4 billion Red River diversion plan to ease flooding in Fargo-Moorhead is on a fast track. But there is growing opposition to the project in communities downstream from those cities.7:45 a.m.
• Chris Farrell talks housing numbers and wheat prices
  Minnesota Public Radio's chief economics correspondent Chris Farrell joins Phil Picardi to discuss new numbers on the housing market and the impact of high wheat prices on Minnesota.8:25 a.m.
• National security expert analyzes terrorism indictments
  Fourteen people in the U.S., including a dozen Minnesota Somalis were charged last week with funneling money and supplies to the terrorist group al-Shabaab which is based in Somalia. John Radsan joined Phil Picardi this morning to asses the significance of the investigation. He's the director of the National Security Forum at William Mitchell College, and he's a former attorney for the CIA.8:35 a.m.
• DFLers try to set themselves apart in last gov debate before primary
  The three DFL candidates for governor faced off Sunday night in their last pre-primary debate. But none of three -- Mark Dayton, Matt Entenza and Margaret Anderson Kelliher -- took any decisive shots at the other two.8:40 a.m.
• Fringe super fan reviews the best and the worst
  Scott Pakudaitis is one dedicated Fringe fan. The St. Paul statistician is taking the whole week off work in order to experience as much of the 17th Annual Minnesota Fringe Festival as is humanly possible.8:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Jobs Bill May Keep Teachers Employed
  Congress appears ready to pass a $10 billion measure to forestall the layoffs of thousands of teachers, as states struggle with budget deficits. The bill would save more than 100,000 jobs, but some question whether it makes sense to pad school district budgets before changes are made. And many districts already have avoided layoffs by demanding wage freezes and other sacrifices.
• In Illegal Immigration Debate, To Hire Or Not?
  In Arizona, the immigration debate is taking place in the very homes where illegal workers make a living. Everyday families who hire undocumented workers to trim trees or paint walls are now deciding whether to keep breaking the law -- or to stop paying these workers under the table.
• Wildfires Choke Moscow With Smoke
  The Russian capital Moscow is covered in dense smog from wildfires that have been burning since late July. The fires have ravaged western Russia, killing hundreds of people and leaving more than 4,000 homeless. Reporter Julia Ioffe, who writes for a number of American publications from her base in Moscow, talks to Steve Inskeep about the blazes.
• A Dark View Of Dostoevsky On The Moscow Subway
  The Dostoevskaya station, meant to honor the author of Crime and Punishment, has some Russian psychologists concerned that murals of violent scenes will play with riders' minds.
• Rwanda Holds 2nd Presidential Poll Since Genocide
  Voters in the central African nation are casting presidential ballots Monday for only the second time since the 1994 genocide. As many as 800,000 people were killed in the 100-day massacre. Rwanda has since been praised for its recovery and reconstruction, but reports of political tension could threaten rebuilding efforts. The BBC's Andrew Harding has been watching developments and talks to Steve Inskeep.
• Campaign Aims To Make Meatless Mondays Hip
  Vegan, smegan. Meatless Monday devotees don't want us to deprive ourselves of meat entirely. They say going vegetarian one day a week is enough. It's the incrementalist movement that's gathering steam among chefs, public health officials and retired boomers who want to keep their hearts ticking.
• Saudi Arabia Reaches Deal On BlackBerry Service
  The Associated Press reports that Saudi officials have reached a tentative deal with Research in Motion, the company that makes BlackBerry devices. Last week, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates threatened to shut down the mobile e-mail service unless the governments had the ability to monitor the messages.
• Back To School, But Not To Excessive Shopping
  Early sales numbers look dismal for retailers as parents and kids go back-to-school shopping. Spending is up a bit from last year, but that wasn't a great year, either. A recent consumer survey shows that even while people eye prices, they aren't overlooking quality and value.
• New Website Determined To Attract Viewers
  A new website focusing on local news in Washington, D.C., hopes to challenge The Washington Post and others for readers. The site is called TBD -- for To Be Determined -- an inside joke at how long it took to come up with a name.
• Publisher Conde Nast To Launch Restaurants
  Magazine publisher Conde Nast is launching restaurants based on its glossy magazines. The Wall Street Journal reports that the company plans to open one or two restaurants next year, and as many as five per year after that. The company reportedly is only focusing its attention abroad, in cities such as Hong Kong and Dubai.

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