Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• State parks budget whacked twice
  Minnesota's State Parks officials are starting to figure out how they'll deal with the double whammy their budget took from the government shutdown and the state budget deal that ended it.7:20 a.m.
• Wet growing season could send pasta prices up
  Wet conditions across the upper Midwest could lead to higher pasta prices at the grocery store.7:25 a.m.
• Market uncertainty pushes mortgage, interests rates in buyer's favor
  In an already struggling housing market, Minnesota mortgage industry watchers are looking for how interest rates will be affected following last week's downgrade of the U.S. government's credit rating.7:45 a.m.
• U.S. debt downgrade to hit Minnesota
  The downgrade of federal debt is expected to trickle down through Minnesota's economy in coming weeks, but no one knows for sure what that will look like. We already know that some of the state's flagship companies have taken a hit -- SuperValu and Ameriprise Financial lost more than 12 percent in the stock market yesterday. And more uncertainty lies ahead for the public and private sector.8:25 a.m.
• 'Gordo' retires after 25 years with Twins
  As the voice or the Minnesota Twins for 25 years, John Gordon has documented some of the biggest moments in the team's history. He retires after this year.8:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Spain's Businesses Face Credit Shortage
  The latest phase of the European debt crisis was sparked by a fear that the troubles plaguing Greece, Portugal and Ireland would spread to Spain and Italy. Spain has been struggling for more than two years with an unemployment rate above 20 percent — the highest in Europe. Even when entrepreneurs are prepared to launch new businesses, they can't get banks to help them.
• U.S. Credit Downgrade Leaves 'Horrible Impact'
  Steve Inskeep talks to former Republican Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming about the S&P downgrade of U.S. credit. Simpson has been saying that he hopes the S&P downgrade will cause lawmakers to take deficit deliberations more seriously. Simpson was one of the chairmen of President Obama's deficit reduction commission,
• Syria's Allies Want Crackdown On Protesters Curtailed
  Diplomats from several countries are in Syria to make an appeal to end the government's violent crackdown there. It's been five months of violence and the government continues to launch new attacks. Renee Montagne talks to Christopher Phillips, Syria analyst for the Economist Intelligence Unit, about the Syrian military's latest assaults.
• Military Faces Challenge In Rebuilding SEAL Team 6
  Officials say with a roughly 10 percent loss, they may have to rotate SEALs in before their downtime is complete, or pull SEALs from staff and training positions.
• Frantic Market Can Make For Jittery Consumers
  After the downgrade of Treasury securities by Standard & Poor's, consumers might be less likely to buy a home, car or other big-ticket item if they believe the economy is going south.
• Los Angeles: City Of Perpetual Cinematic Destruction
  From Earthquake to The Day After Tomorrow, why have filmmakers always loved demolishing L.A.? We offer a list of movies in which the city is attacked by aliens or killer robots, plagued by zombies and (most frequently) crushed by natural disasters.
• In San Francisco, Look Out For Gulls Gone Wild
  They prey on species targeted for conservation, as well as left-over hot dogs at Giants games. As biologists restore shorelines for threatened wildlife, there's more room for gulls, too. And it's tough to scare them away: "They'll dive bomb you and hit you in your head," notes one expert.
• Foreign Exchanges Enter Bear Market Territory
  When stocks fall 20 percent or more over a period of time, they're generally considered to have entered a bear market. Unless there's a rebound, some of the broad market indexes around the world have entered this territory.
• Greece Bans Short-Selling After Monday's Stock Drop
  Shares on the Athens Stock Exchange plunged to their lowest level in more than 14 years on Monday in response to market uncertainty over U.S. debt restructuring. The Greek authorities imposed a ban on short-selling after the drop, which was exacerbated by worries about European debt and the stability of the Euro.
• After Aiming Too High, Spain Renews Solar Push
  Spain embarked on an ambitious plan to promote solar energy. But the sector crashed after a huge rush forced the government cut back on subsidies. Now, the sector is rebuilding, but offers a cautionary tale for U.S. efforts to create green jobs.

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