Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Twins stadium opponents haven't given up yet
  Opponents of the Hennepin County Twins ballpark finance plan showed up in force for a public hearing Tuesday night in Minneapolis. A few dozen people voiced their opposition to the plan that would impose a countywide sales tax to raise nearly $400 million for the stadium construction. The board is expected to pass the measure next week.7:25 a.m.
• Bush visit energizes Republicans
  President Bush mixed policy and politics into a four and a half hour trip to Minnesota Tuesday. The president led a panel discussion on health care in Minnetonka and later appeared at a fundraiser for Republican congressional candidate Michele Bachmann in Wayzata.7:30 a.m.
• Tribal refinery plan draws national attention
  A proposed oil refinery on the Fort Berthold Indian reservation is seen as a solution to poverty by tribal leaders. But the plan has many critics and skeptics.7:49 a.m.
• Minnesota State Fair prepares for success, others struggle
  Some state fairs have had major drops in attendance in recent years, leaving their states to cover increasing losses. Cathy Wurzer spoke with Jim Tucker, President and CEO of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions, a voluntary organization that represents more than 1,300 various state fairs, festivals and shows.7:54 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Northwest's Advice to the Laid Off: Dumpster Dive
  Losing your job hurts. But earlier this month, Northwest Airlines made things even worse. The company gave pink-slipped employees a tip sheet on how to cut living expenses. Among the suggestions: Rummage through other people's garbage.
• NFL's T.O.-Parcells Relationship Worth Watching
  Pro football is already back on the field. Washington Post sportswriter Len Shapiro previews the season. The League's best drama this year will be the relationship between wide receiver Terrell Owens and Dallas coach Bill Parcells. After a tumultuous tenure with Philadelphia, Owens may find himself on a short leash with the veteran coach.
• Top Sprinter Accepts Steroid-Use Penalty
  U.S. sprinter Justin Gatlin has accepted an eight-year ban from athletics competition for testing positive for steroids in April. His case is unusual in that he has accepted the results of the positive test and the ban on competition, although he may appeal in the future.
• Employers Tap Web for Employee Information
  More employers are looking online to learn about their employees. Some people are putting sensitive personal information on Web sites, such as myspace.com and friendster.com. And some employers are watching.
• Study Cites Danger of Carrying Extra Weight
  A study from the National Cancer Institute finds that 50-year-olds who are even a little overweight have a greater chance of dying prematurely. And the heavier you are, the greater the risk. The study was published by the New England Journal of Medicine.
• Suspension of Enrichment is Key to Iran Talks
  Six major powers examine Iran's offer of "serious" nuclear talks. The U.S. and France insist that Iran suspend uranium enrichment. Details of Iran's response have yet to be released publicly.
• Marines Calling Reservists to Duty in Iraq
  President Bush gives the Marine Corps the authority to call thousands of reserve service members back to duty. The immediate need is for 1,200 reservists to serve in Iraq next spring. The military is strained by dual missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Israelis Skeptical that Lebanon Peace will Hold
  Fallout from Israel's offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon is growing. Public faith in the cease-fire appears to be weak, with many believing it will not hold. Also, army reservists have been publicly questioning how the country's leadership handled the war.
• Italy Ready to Lead Lebanon Cease-Fire Force
  European officials meet in Brussels for talks on the composition of a peacekeeping mission to support a U.N.-negotiated cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon. Italy says it's ready to lead the 15,000-strong international force.
• Body Requires Rest to Nourish Soul
  The Pope recently suggested that people should try not to work too much. In a speech last Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI invoked the wisdom a 12th-century saint, saying too much work is bad for the soul.
• Professional Football TV Action Entertains the Masses
  Football fans will have their choice of live football games almost every night of the week this season. NBC, ESPN and the NFL are all getting in on the most reliable moneymaking action on television. The competition between the networks is almost as exciting as the game itself.
• Las Vegas Curtails Quickie Wedding Hours
  Love at first sight, impulse and a Viva Las Vegas attitude have led to many-a-late night wedding in the city of sin. But no longer. To save money, the county says it will no longer issue marriage licenses 'round the clock. Starting next week, wannabe brides and grooms will have only 'til midnight to get a license. After that they'll have to sleep on it. Still, while anxious after-hours lovers might fret, they will never rue.
• Conservatives Try to Toss Porn from Hotels
  Conservative groups want hotels to stop offering porn on TV. The groups call the movies inappropriate. Marriott and Hilton say the pay-per-view movies are a revenue stream. And guests are free not to buy the shows. In New York, Cletus Forson got a ticket for parking in an ambulance zone. He says that's unfair because he's a priest and was at the hospital to give the sacrament to a sick patient. Authorities declined to forgive him.
• Governments Sell Roads to Raise Cash
  With the encouragement of Washington, local and state governments are privatizing roads. Chicago has leased its Skyway to an Australian-Spanish firm for nearly $2 billion. And Indiana has leased its entire toll-road system to the same company for nearly $4 billion.
• Do Charter Schools Make the Grade?
  For a decade charter schools have been touted as an alternative to under performing public schools. But a new government survey shows these schools lagging slightly behind public schools in student achievement.

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