Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• R.T. Rybak says reading is a priority for him
  For our Bookshelf series, we asked Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak to select a book that is important to him. He selected "The Heartsong of Charging Elk" by James Welch.6:48 a.m.
• The weeHouse comes to Linden Hills
  A tree-lined street in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis just got a new neighbor. A house featuring a revolutionary design arrived on Ewing Street on the back of a truck.7:19 a.m.
• Dentists visit schools to help low-income kids
  Thousands of children in St. Paul will get free or low-cost dental checkups this year. The care doesn't come from a government program, but from a partnership between businesses and nonprofit groups.7:54 a.m.
• Dominic Papatola on the challenges facing the new Walker director
  Dominic Papatola, theater critic for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and regular arts commentator on Morning Edition, talks with host Cathy Wurzer about the challenges facing the newly hired director of the Walker Arts Center, Olga Viso.8:24 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Ex-BIA Head to Lead Museum of American Indian
  The Smithsonian Institution has named Kevin Gover the next director of the National Museum of the American Indian. Gover is a member of the Pawnee tribe and a former director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs during the Clinton administration.
• U.S. Ally Sheik Abu Risha Killed in Anbar Province
  Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha, the most prominent figure in a U.S.-backed revolt of Sunni sheiks against al-Qaida in Iraq is killed by a bomb planted near his home in Anbar province, 10 days after he met with President Bush. Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha was leader of the Anbar Salvation Council.
• Iraqi Dentist Considers Leaving
  Hassan Khalidy, a 24-year-old dentist from Baghdad, shares his thoughts of leaving his homeland. Doctors and academics are routinely targeted, and Hassan's parents worry that his occupation puts him at greater risk of being killed or kidnapped. Hassan doesn't want to leave his parents.
• Treasury Chief Urges Refinancing for Homeowners
  Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson urges large mortgage companies to help homeowners by refinancing their loans. Many homeowners face steep increases in their mortgage payments, putting them at risk of losing their homes.
• Soldier Who Fought for Adopted Land Dies in Iraq
  Lee Christian Wilson died in northern Iraq after a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle. Wilson's home was in Chapel Hill, N.C. But he was a Canadian citizen who joined the U.S. Army in 2001 to fight for his adopted country.
• Trial Begins for Polygamist Warren Jeffs
  The trial of Warren Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is under way in southern Utah. The church is the nation's largest polygamist sect. The trial centers on the arranged marriage of an allegedly unwilling teen to her cousin.
• Bald Man Held for Theft of Hair-Loss Treatment
  A man who dropped some friends off at Sing Sing to visit an inmate decided to go on a shopping spree. Police say he ran off with five bottles of hair-loss treatment from a local pharmacy. Distinguishing characteristics? Police say the suspect is bald.
• Putin Makes Surprise Pick for Russian Premier
  Russian President Vladimir Putin picks a relatively unknown government official to be the country's new prime minister. The surprise nomination of Victor Zubkov leads to speculation about Putin's ultimate motives.
• Indonesia Suffers Second Earthquake
  A second earthquake strikes Indonesia and aftershocks continue to plague Sumatra, one day after a powerful 8.4 quake shook the Indonesian Island. That makes it the biggest earthquake anywhere in the world this year though so far just eight people have been confirmed dead.
• Bin Laden's Message Shifts in Latest Tape
  In his recent videotape, Osama bin Laden encourages Americans to convert to Islam and decries capitalism. But unlike previous messages, he makes no specific threats against the U.S. Does this signal a change in bin Laden's ideological focus?
• China's Sany to Open U.S. Business in Georgia
  The Chinese manufacturer Sany says it will move jobs to the U.S., opening a plant for heavy construction equipment outside Atlanta. Sany's vertical concrete pumps are common at high-rise construction sites in the U.S.
• New Case of Foot-And-Mouth Disease Hits Britain
  Confirmation of a new case of foot-and-mouth disease has sent shockwaves across Britain's farming community. Four days ago the government declared it had successfully eradicated the highly contagious disease. Now there's a national ban on the movement of cattle, sheep and pigs.
• Borrowers Hoodwinked by Deceptive Ads
  Many borrowers in trouble were pulled in by deceptive ads such as LowerMyBills.com. The ads featured dancing figures, apparently happy about low-loan rates. One ad claimed a "$145,000 mortgage for under $499 a month!" Scroll to the bottom to see payments actually double over time.
• Show 'Quarterlife' Made Just for Web
  A big question in TV is how to make it work on the Internet. Emmy winning producers Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick are trying. Their new program Quarterlife started out as a pilot for ABC but wound up probably the most expensive programming exclusively for the Web.
• Bush: Putting Petraeus Out Front on Iraq
  From the Oval Office, President Bush will endorse the recommendations of Gen. David Petraeus regarding the withdrawal of up to 30,000 American troops from Iraq by next summer. The president is counting on U.S. respect for military judgment.

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