Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• A pivotal year in the fight against obesity
  It's still too early to tell what impact efforts like a new menu-labeling law and bringing more produce to school cafeterias will have on the nation's obesity rate, which has been stuck at 34 percent for the past five years.6:20 a.m.
• Ice dams a vexing problem
  If you are in the ice dam removal business, it's likely that you are very busy right now. A series of winter storms has piled several feet of snow on rooftops. When heat from inside a house melts the snow and it refreezes at the roofline, the result is an ice dam.7:20 a.m.
• Gov't wants more whistleblowers for Medicare fraud
  Federal officials are expanding anti-fraud efforts as they work to stem the flow of billions of dollars in fraudulent payments out of Medicare every year.7:25 a.m.
• Wind power highlights news in southeastern Minnesota
  Some residents in Goodhue County have been fighting for years to prevent the construction of wind turbines near them. Meanwhile, the Red Wing city council recently approved a project that might turn the city into a training hub for people who work on turbines.8:40 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• 2011 Jobs Outlook: Better, But Not As Good As It Was
  On average, the private sector created 100,000 jobs a month this year. But that wasn't nearly good enough. Many economists believe next year the unemployment rate will drop to around 9 percent, or about double what it was before the recession began.
• Calling All Republican Presidential Candidates
  The midterm elections are barley over and already political watchers are looking ahead to the 2012 presidential election. When it comes to the GOP, there's a relative lack of obvious frontrunners for the nomination. Republican political consultant Mike Murphy talks to Linda Wertheimer about which prospects have the buzz right now.
• The Long View: French Gourmand Jacques Pepin
  At 75, French chef Jacques Pepin has spent the greater part of his life in a kitchen savoring food. But he's not yet ready to put his career on the back burner. Today he's the author of 23 cookbooks and has hosted 12 cooking series. His latest cookbook will be released in October.
• Photographs To Cover Cost Of Medical Bills
  In October, photographer Joao Silva lost both of his legs in a catastrophic landmine explosion. An auction of his photographs was recently organized in South Africa to defray the cost of medical bills.
• Georgia Schools Offer Lesson In Living With Cutbacks
  Public school districts across the country have been grappling with drastic budget cuts. For the rural Franklin County, Ga., district, that has meant teacher cutbacks, longer school days and a shorter school year.
• Chinese Top In Tests, But Educators Call For Reform
  This year, for the first time, schools from China took part in international standardized tests, and Chinese students came out on top. But the Chinese realize their educational system -- which stresses memorization and largely ignores critical thinking -- is in need of change.
• Groupon Inc. Files To Raise Nearly $1 Billion
  Several weeks ago, the coupon site Groupon turned down a multi billion dollar buyout offer from Google. New documents filed by the company show that it's preparing to raise nearly $1 billion from investors to fund its expansion. Founded just two years ago, Groupon offers daily deals in more than 300 cities.
• Smart Phones Boost Casual Gaming's Popularity
  The top seller in the video game industry was the military blockbuster Call of Duty: Black Ops. But casual gamers couldn't seem stop playing Angry Birds on their smart phones. Brian Crecente, editor of the video game blog Kotaku.com, talks to Renee Montagne about the year in video games.
• Alfred Kahn's Legacy: Cheap Flights
  If you've spent time stuck in an airport this holiday season, but got a cheap ticket, you may have Alfred Kahn to thank -- or blame. The noted economist, who died Monday, presided over the deregulation of the airline industry.
• In Mexico, Indiscriminate Violence Shatters Lives
  Mexico's war with drug cartels has left more than 30,000 people dead over the past four years; in 2010 in Juarez alone, more than 3,000 died. Many of those killed are involved in criminal gangs. But many caught in the crossfire are innocent bystanders or victims of mistaken identity.

Resources

• Marketplace Tech Report®
• 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