Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Is Minnesota still the nation's icebox?
  Meteorologist Mark Seeley answers a listener's question: You have said that we report the nation's lowest temperature dozens of times each year. With this year being so consistently warmer than normal, how many times have we reported the nation's low so far?6:55 a.m.
• A shortage of hops has beer makers and beer drinkers worried
  A shortage of hops means it's more expensive for brewers to make beer. That cost is expected to be passed on to beer drinkers in the coming year.7:25 a.m.
• Toy safety scare is a boon to Minnesota toymakers
  Some Minnesota toymakers say business is booming this holiday season thanks in large part to concerns about the safety of imported toys.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Immigration Issues Help Radical Right in Spain
  More young people were in the crowd of right-wing Spaniards gathered to pay homage to former dictator General Francisco Franco on the anniversary of his death this week. The move to the right is being fueled by anti-immigrant feeling.
• Week Brings Positive News for Bush, Huckabee
  The Bush administration has had a tide of good news in Iraq, while a scientific breakthrough in the field of stem cell research also provides the president a political break. Meanwhile, public opinion polls show that GOP presidential contender Mike Huckabee is gaining ground on the top Republican candidate, Mitt Romney.
• SUI: Shopping Under the Influence
  When you are out holiday shopping, keep this advisory in mind: don't drink and shop. Anyone who's imbibed — and then shopped — realizes later that they've purchased a singing fish or dancing Santa.
• Retailers Brace for Bleak News on Black Friday
  Friday marks the start of the holiday shopping season. It's the biggest shopping day of the year. But retailers are bracing for a difficult battle this year. Retail analyst Howard Davidowitz talks to Renee Montagne about what to expect.
• Gift Cards: Gift for Consumers or Retailers?
  How big are gift cards this time of year? According to one study, sales of gift cards will soon top $100 billion. But for some people, gift cards are the gift that is rarely used.
• Giving Thanks and Becoming an American
  After 18 years in the United States, this Thanksgiving was commentator Sandip Roy's first as an American citizen. Roy took his oath of citizenship earlier in November. He describes the process he went through, and the reactions he received from friends and family back in India.
• Scandal Plagues Oral Roberts University
  The Christian university in Tulsa, Okla., founded by evangelist Oral Roberts is the target of several lawsuits. Some of the suits raise allegations that the current university president, son of Oral Roberts, and his family used school money for personal use.
• Impasse over President Sparks Crisis in Lebanon
  Lebanon faces a new political crisis after its parliament postponed a session to elect a new president. The delay is meant to allow more time for lawmakers from rival factions to reach a consensus on a new head of state.
• Wall Street Open for Business, For a Bit
  Traders are back on Wall Street after the Thanksgiving holiday, but it will be a short trading day. Stock markets close early Friday afternoon as do the bond markets.
• Iran's Rise Prompts New Push for Mideast Peace
  President Bush is trying to revive the Middle East peace process with a conference early next week in Annapolis, Md. Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk says that Iran's growing influence in the region has led Bush's to restart Middle East talks.
• No Football for Corzine, New Jersey State Workers
  New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine and about 80,000 state employees are back at work Friday. Corzine reversed the decades-old tradition of giving state workers the day after Thanksgiving off as a paid holiday.
• Copywriters Claim Charmin Credit
  Days after the death of the actor who urged customers not to "squeeze the Charmin" in the famous toilet paper ads, two retired copywriters are claiming credit for the iconic line. Charmin maker Procter & Gamble couldn't tidy up the dispute, though: A spokeswoman said there's no paper trail.
• Kansas School District Provides Free Laptops
  A public school district in Kansas City, Kan., is issuing free laptops to every high school student. The urban school district is dominated by poor students, and officials hope the computers will change the way teaching occurs.
• Cities, Workers Clash Over Efforts to Feed Homeless
  Cities such as Cincinnati are cracking down on groups who feed homeless people in parks and other public spaces. In some places, giving out meals can be punishable with a fine, but charity workers are still finding ways to help the less fortunate.
• Transgender Pastor Raises Issues Among Methodists
  In a Baltimore United Methodist church, Pastor Ann Gordon is now Pastor Drew Phoenix. The congregation has accepted the change, but the pastor's sex change has raised broader questions about God and gender in the Methodist community.

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