Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Minnesota students' math and reading proficiency declines
  Nearly a quarter of Minnesota's public schools didn't meet student performance goals last year under the federal No Child Left Behind law.7:20 a.m.
• Pawlenty does about-face on health care
  In January 2005, Gov. Tim Pawlenty referred to the state's subsidized health care plan as "welfare health care." But that was before he almost got bounced out of office last week.7:50 a.m.
• "City Indians" use art to stake their claim
  A new exhibit in Minneapolis looks at what it means to be a "city Indian." For many American Indians it could mean reclaiming a land that used to be their own.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Engineers Put Wood House to the Quake Test
  A team of engineers has built inside a lab a house that mimics the style of those found in quake-prone California: wood frame with a stucco exterior. The University of Buffalo team wants to see if they can improve the durability of houses in quake zones.
• The Sham that Is Big-Time College Sports
  What exactly does a bowl scout scout? Who knows. They are just another sign of the sham that is big-time college sports. Another sign is the NCAA's tax-exempt status. How can an entity with a budget of more than $500 million be tax exempt?
• Red Sox Pay $51 Million to Talk to Japanese Pitcher
  For a payment of over $51 million, the Boston Red Sox baseball team has won the right to negotiate a contract with Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Red Sox now have 30 days to sign the young pitcher. Boston gets its money back from Matsuzaka's Japanese team if the pitcher fails to sign with the American club.
• More Good News for Chocolate Lovers
  There's yet another study suggesting chocolate in moderate amounts can be good for you. Other studies have shown that dark chocolate can lower blood pressure and improve people's cholesterol profile. What's new about this study is that it identifies a new mechanism: chocolate appears to make blood less "sticky," much the way aspirin does.
• Tripped Up by a Rupee's Worth of Trouble
  One rupee won't buy much in India these days. It's worth two cents, not enough even for a cup of tea. But this trifle of a coin can still cause a great deal of trouble in India's bureaucratic culture.
• Democrats, Republicans Jockey for New Capitol Roles
  The new Congress will also result in House leadership changes, with Democrat Nancy Pelosi ready to exert her new influence on the chamber. And the Republicans will be voting on who will represent it in its new minority position.
• The Stock Ticker Turns 139
  The stock-ticker machine was first unveiled on Nov. 15, 1867. The ticker made up-to-the-minute stock prices available over telegraph wires. The machine was invented by Edward Callahan.
• Puerto Rico Institutes Sales Tax
  Puerto Rico introduced a sales tax Wednesday. It affects prepared foods, nonprescription medicine, tobacco, soft drinks, alcohol and many other consumer goods. The tax ranges from 5.5 percent to 7 percent, depending on location.
• Missouri Court Hears Case on Abortion Consent
  The Missouri Supreme Court hears arguments on a law that would allow parents to bring civil lawsuits against people who assist a minor in getting an abortion without parental consent, even if the abortion takes place out of state. The law is similar to a federal effort to enact criminal penalties for those who help minors cross state lines to get an abortion.
• Chinese Migrant Children Face Educational Hurdles
  The government in Beijing has been closing down private schools that were created for the children of migrant workers. Chinese authorities say that the schools are substandard and that their students should attend public schools instead. But public schools are often already full, or too expensive for migrant families to afford.
• US Airways Announces Bid to Purchase Delta
  US Airways plans to offer $8 billion in cash and stock for Delta Air Lines once the Atlanta-based carrier emerges from bankruptcy. If the deal goes through, the new airline would operate under the Delta name and serve more than 350 destinations across five continents.
• Hoyer Aims to Win House Majority Leadership Post
  Maryland's Steny Hoyer, currently the House minority whip, hopes to be elected majority leader by the Democrats in the next Congress. But first he'll have to overcome rival John Murtha of Pennsylvania, whose candidacy is backed by Nancy Pelosi, the presumptive speaker.
• Mount Rainier Park Starts Long Road to Recovery
  Washington's Mount Rainier National Park is still closed, more than a week after massive flooding and mudslides. Park officials say the damage is unprecedented and may take two years to fully repair.
• Science-Fiction Writer Jack Williamson Dies at 98
  Science-fiction writer Jack Williamson explored the dark side of science and technology. He died on Friday at the age of 98. Williamson will be remembered as a founding father of twentieth-century science fiction. Williamson sold his first story in 1928 to a pulp magazine. His most famous book was the 1947 novel The Humanoids.
• Catholic Bishops Adopt Guidelines on Gays
  The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has adopted new guidelines for the Catholic church in America. The guidelines adopted Tuesday in Baltimore address who can receive the Holy Eucharist, how the church should minister to gay parishioners and upheld the church's strict ban on the use of contraception.

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