Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Can I drive into downtown St. Paul?
  Will I be able to drive downtown during the RNC?6:53 a.m.
• State delegates hope for unity
  Members of the Minnesota delegation are hoping Hillary Clinton's address will help unify the party after the long divisive primary battle between Clinton and Senator Barack Obama.7:20 a.m.
• MPR/U of M poll suggests Minnesota voters would consider third-party candidates
  A new poll suggests most Minnesota voters would at least consider backing a third-party candidate for president or the U.S. Senate.7:24 a.m.
• Land values on the rise even for non-prime farmland
  Land prices for the best farm acreage have been shooting up. But now, even the state's less-than-prime farmland is selling for record amounts. Many are buying the land not for farming, but for recreation.7:48 a.m.
• Summer before sophomore year leaves indelible mark
  This is the time of year when students head off to college. While that may lead to a certain amount of sadness for parents of freshmen, Morning Edition commentator Peter Smith says another set of emotions comes into play when you take your college sophomore back to school.7:53 a.m.
• Fargo delegate speaks up for young voters
  Amanda Kubik is a North Dakota delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Denver. The 27-year-old speech communications graduate from Fargo had a chance to speak to the other delegates yesterday about what motivated her to become politically active.7:56 a.m.
• Future Tense with Jon Gordon
  Microsoft's choice of Jerry Seinfeld to pitch Windows draws fire in the blogosphere.8:20 a.m.
• Cops and cameras outnumber protesters in Denver
  The Democratic National Convention in Denver enters its second day today. Yesterday, rumors of a planned protest near the Denver Mint began to spread through the media. Minnesota Public Radio News Cut blogger Bob Collins observed that law enforcement -- and the media -- quickly outnumbered the protesters.8:24 a.m.
• Will the RNC affect my commute?
  Will the Republican National Convention affect Twin Cities commuters who aren't traveling into downtown St. Paul?8:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Estonia Sweeps Mobile Phone Throwing Contest
  The 9th Annual Mobile Phone Throwing World Championship just took place in Estonia. The winner in the men's category was an Estonian, who hurled his handset about 280 feet. The women's champion — also an Estonian — chucked hers 135 feet. The sport comes from Finland, which has a long history of javelin throwing.
• Mortgage Fraud Jumps 42 Percent, Report Says
  As banks tighten lending standards, making home loans harder to come by, a new study shows mortgage fraud is increasing. The Mortgage Asset Research Institute says the number of reported fraud cases jumped 42 percent for loans issued in the first quarter of this year.
• Looming Energy Crisis In Mexico Stirs Debate
  As production of crude oil falls in Mexico, debate continues on the issue of privatization of the oil monopoly. Without radical reform, Mexico could run out of oil in less than a decade.
• Late-Night Comics Mock McCain More Than Obama
  Late-night talk show hosts are having a field day with the presidential candidates, and their jokes have become the subject of some rigorous study. The Center for Media and Public Affairs counted them. Both John McCain and Barack Obama get mocked, but it turns out that McCain gets mocked more.
• Jesse Jackson Jr., Breaking The Mold With Obama
  One of Barack Obama's staunchest defenders has been U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. He has stepped up for Obama even when that meant publicly chastising his own father. Now, as Obama takes center stage at the Democratic National Convention, the congressman is not too far behind as part of the new generation of black political leaders.
• Doctors Fear Effects Of Illegal Immigrant's Arrest
  The recent arrest of a popular woman who happens to be an illegal immigrant has some North Carolina doctors concerned. The woman's immigration status apparently was turned over to authorities after she received medical care. Doctors worry that illegal immigrants will be afraid to seek care, which might lead to public health problems.
• Obama Hits Battleground States On Path To Denver
  Barack Obama has a lot of campaigning to do before he arrives in Denver for the Democratic National Convention. He was at a supporter's home in Kansas City, Mo., Monday night as his wife, Michelle, addressed delegates. It was the latest stop in Obama's convention week tour of battleground states.
• McCain Hits Celebrity Circuit As Democrats Convene
  Republican presidential candidate John McCain is doing his best to stay in the spotlight while the Democrats gather for their convention. He joked Monday night with Tonight Show host Jay Leno and announced that his wife, Cindy, is on a humanitarian mission to Georgia.
• Day 1: Kennedy, Obama's Wife Highlight His Values
  The Democratic National Convention was gaveled to order Monday in Denver. The convention gives Barack Obama an opportunity to reassure voters about his values and readiness to be president. That task began Monday when an ailing Ted Kennedy passed the torch to Obama, and then Michelle Obama spoke about her husband.
• Clinton Delegates Wrestle With Moving On
  The Democratic National Convention was supposed to be all about Barack Obama. But his vanquished opponent will share the spotlight with a major speech Tuesday and in the roll call vote of delegates the following night. Some Hillary Clinton delegates share what they hope will come from the convention.
• Political Unrest Flares In India-Controlled Kashmir
  During the past few weeks, large demonstrations have taken place in Kashmir. Muslims have taken to the streets to demand an end to Indian rule. Troops are enforcing a curfew, and shops, schools and businesses are closed.
• Russia's Vote Sparks Jubilation In South Ossetia
  The Bush administration is not happy with Russia's latest move to effectively dismember one of its neighbors. Russia's parliament voted Monday to recognize the independence of two breakaway regions of Georgia, and on Tuesday, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev signed a decree making that decision final.
• What Does It Take To Ace The SAT?
  More than a million students take the SAT every year, but fewer than 1 percent score a perfect 2400 on the college entrance exam. So what goes into acing the SAT? One public school has had a remarkable rate of SAT perfection.
• Sen. Casey: Obama Can Achieve 'Common Ground'
  Sen. Bob Casey Jr. of Pennsylvania will speak Tuesday at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, where his dad was denied a speaking role at Bill Clinton's 1992 convention for opposing abortion rights. The senator says he won't talk about abortion, which he opposes, but rather about why he thinks Barack Obama is better suited to fix the broken economy than John McCain.
• Appeals Court OKs Oil Firms' Billion-Dollar Award
  A federal appeals court has affirmed a ruling awarding oil companies a billion dollars for breach of contract. The case involves leases off the California coast that were sold to the oil firms a quarter of a century ago.

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