Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Minneapolis children's book author taps into the Mississippi
  The power and mystery of the Mississippi river is the inspiration for a new childrens book by author Joe Helgerson. "Horns and Wrinkles", dwells on the magic of the Mississippi. For Helgerson, who is based in Minneapolis, the river is full of stories.6:50 a.m.
• Rodriguez's sister testifies about brother's childhood molestation
  Defense witnesses in the Alfonso Rodriguez, Jr., trial presented a bleak picture of his childhood. Rodriguez's older sister says he was molested as a child and the family lived in poverty. A federal jury convicted Rodriguez of kidnapping and killing college student Dru Sjodin. The jury must now decide if he will spend life in prison without parole or be executed by lethal injection.7:20 a.m.
• Minneapolis goes green to save green
  The buildings we live and work in consume a lot of energy. When the buildings are owned by government, taxpayers end up footing the utility bill. Minneapolis officials have signed on to a plan which commits them to dramatic energy savings in new public buildings.7:24 a.m.
• St. Paul City Council increases tax levy for more cops
  Money is on the minds of the city council in St. Paul in the form of property taxes. The council voted Wednesday to increase the city's share of property taxes next year, but to keep the growth at no more than 9.9 percent. The plan would produce nearly one million dollars more in tax revenue than Mayor Chris Coleman has proposed. Council members say they want the extra money to be used only for public safety.7:55 a.m.
• Cathy Wurzer and Dominic Papatola discuss the new Macphail Center
  MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with arts commentator Dominic Papatola about the new MacPhail Center for Music.8:24 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Go the Distance with a Well-Fitted or High-Tech Shoe
  If you are a runner who wants to push yourself harder, Nike and Apple have released a sports shoe that provides instant feedback. But as one sports store owner says, there is still no substitute for a well-fitted shoe.
• Chi Runners Poised for Softer Landings
  Putting one foot in front of the other comes easily. But saving your joints from hard landings is another matter. A new technique, using the principles of t'ai chi, may help some runners save their joints.
• Guantanamo Through a Prisoner's Eyes
  British-born Moazzam Begg was secretly abducted by U.S. forces and taken to Guantanamo Bay, where he spent nearly two years imprisoned as an enemy combatant of the United States. He was released in March 2005, and has now written a book about his time inside Guantanamo.
• Letters: Sept. 11 Coverage
  This week, listeners wrote in to say how moved they were by Monique Ferrer's StoryCorps remembrance of her ex-husband, who died in the Sept. 11 attacks. Listeners also expressed their displeasure with the timing of our series on Muslims in America.
• Brazilian Twins Follow Classical Music Dream
  A pair of 21-year-old twin Brazilian violinists are working their way out of poverty by playing classical music. Wagner and Walter Caldas grew up in a poor neighborhood near Rio de Janeiro. The brothers make their American debut this week, performing with their orchestra for the Brazil Foundation in New York City.
• It's Showtime for the Real Kazakhstan
  Kazakhstan's president is meeting with President Bush soon. On the agenda: Borat the bumbling, anti-Semitic Kazakh TV host. Borat is played in a new movie by Sacha Baron Cohen, best known as Ali G. The opening scene features Borat setting off for America in a car pulled by a horse. Kazakhstan's not laughing. The country has threatened legal action. Now it's buying ads in the United States to show what they call the "real" Kazakhstan.
• U.S. Awards Contract for Nuclear Detection System
  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded contracts worth more than $1 billion Wednesday to three companies to design and build a system that can detect nuclear and radiological material in cargo containers. The DHS decision came as the Senate considered legislation to tighten security at the nation's ports.
• Copper Thieves Wreak Havoc Across Communities
  There's a new hot commodity for thieves: copper. They're sneaking onto job sites and breaking into buildings to strip them of copper pipes and wire to sell for scrap. It's all because the price of the metal has been rising.
• U.S. Making Changes at Guantanamo Bay Prison
  The U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, recently took in a group of 14 detainees previously held in secret CIA prisons. Now, major security overhauls are set to take place at the facility.
• Reaction to Moazzam Begg's Guantanamo Account
  Renee Montagne talks to Jackie Northam about Moazzam Begg's ­account of his imprisonment at Guantanamo.
• Chicago Politicians Clash on Minimum Wage
  Chicago Mayor Richard Daley recently vetoed an ordinance that would have required big-box retailers to provide workers with a higher minimum wage. On Wednesday, the city council tried, but failed, to override his veto.
• Iran, U.S. in Delicate Nuclear Negotiations Dance
  The U.S. wants Iran to stop its uranium enrichment program. So far, Iran has publicly refused to consider changes to its nuclear program. But now the country is hinting that there may be room for negotiation, after all.
• South Korean President Visits White House
  President Bush and his South Korean counterpart Roh Moo-hyun meet today at the White House. The two presidents have differences on a variety of issues, including North Korea and its nuclear program. Trade is another hot topic in a relationship that analysts say is souring.
• Former Texas Gov. Ann Richards Dies at 73
  Ann Richards, a former Democratic Texas governor and a pioneering woman in Texas politics, died Wednesday after a battle with esophageal cancer. She was 73. Richards is remembered for her saucy, down-to-earth wit and her determination to make government more inclusive.
• House Bill Would Lead to U.S.-Mexico Fence
  House lawmakers vote today on "The Secure Fence Act." It requires Homeland Security to prevent "all unlawful entries" into the U.S. To do that, the bill calls for constructing more than 700 miles of fencing along the border with Mexico.

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