Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Pawlenty memoir highlights faith, blue-collar upbringing
  Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty's new memoir, "Courage to Stand: an American Story," chronicles his rise to the governor's office, and his battles with Democrats over taxes and spending.6:20 a.m.
• Immigrant farmers look to move from markets to grocers
  Immigrant farmers are fixtures at farmers' markets in the Twin Cities, but they are not nearly as well represented in other parts of the local food scene.6:50 a.m.
• Climatologist says cold blast coming to Minnesota
  MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with University of Minnesota climatologist Mark Seeley about the forecast which includes the coldest temperatures so far this winter.6:55 a.m.
• Dayton pushes taxes to skeptical business leaders
  Gov. Mark Dayton laid it on the line to state business leaders Thursday night when he told the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce that Minnesota is under taxed.7:20 a.m.
• New DNR head aims to balance environment and economics
  Groups that support environmental conservation, hunting and fishing are hailing DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's choice to lead Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources. Tom Landwehr has decades of experience working both inside the DNR and for conservation groups including the Nature Conservancy and Ducks Unlimited.7:25 a.m.
• Hmong leader reacts to Vang Pao's death
  A leader in Minnesota's Hmong community said Friday that Vang Pao's death represents a great loss to the community.7:40 a.m.
• Debate over dog park in south Mpls. sparks new conversations on Martin Luther King
  A debate over a proposed off-leash dog area at Martin Luther King Park in Minneapolis has divided the opposing camps along largely racial lines, but meetings on the debate have sparked new conversation within the surrounding community.7:45 a.m.
• Bachmann wants to help 'set table' to defeat Obama
  Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann said Friday she wants to help "set the table" as Republicans discuss how to defeat President Barack Obama in 2012.8:40 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Independence Vote First Step For Southern Sudan
  Southern Sudanese are expected to vote for independence in polling that begins Sunday. But like most places ravaged by war, it doesn't have strong institutions to fight corruption or construct roads and schools. For a newly independent nation, it will take time to build them.
• Netanyahu, Minister Vie For Soul Of Israeli Right
  As foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman is supposed to represent government policy, but instead he has directly contradicted it. Lieberman is seen as using his position to push forward his party's agenda -- often putting him in conflict with the prime minister.
• A Theme Park, An Airport And The Next Banking Crisis
  At the center of Spain’s financial troubles are regional banks run not by bankers, but by local politicians and priests.
• Judge Nominations Refiled As Vacancies Affect Courts
  The White House has renominated 42 judge candidates, hoping they will be confirmed this time around after getting stuck in the Senate last year. Experts say the situation is dire: About 10 percent of seats on the federal bench are now vacant, and judges themselves are starting to sound the alarm.
• Chicago Mayoral Candidates Work To Solidify Base
  Next month, voters in Chicago will head to the polls to elect a new mayor. It will be the first time in more than two decades that incumbent Richard M. Daley will not be on the ballot. Some Chicagoans say that makes it a golden opportunity to elect a minority.
• Black Chicago Mayoral Candidate Maximizes Base
  Rep. Danny Davis dropped out of the Chicago mayor's race and threw his support behind Carol Moseley Braun. Davis left the race so there would be one African American "unity" candidate. Davis tells Steve Inskeep that he and Moseley Braun come from the same philosophical and geopgraphical community.
• Blue Shield Of California Asked To Delay Rate Hike
  California's top insurance watchdog is asking one of his state's biggest health insurers to delay a planned rate increase for nearly 200,000 policyholders. For some, the rate hike by Blue Shield of California would be as high as 59 percent. It would be the third hike since last fall. Blue Shield says the increases are not related to health care overhaul.
• Petraeus' Wife To Lead Fraud Agency's Military Arm
  Holly Petraeus, whose husband is the general commanding the U.S. troops in Afghanistan, has been tapped to set up an office of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that will focus on helping service members avoid fraud and abuse.
• Despite Positive Signs, Jobs Still Hard To Find
  By some estimates, private-sector employers added nearly 300,000 jobs last month, but it still feels like a bad job market for millions of Americans. Some job seekers are turning to temporary work to fill in the gap. Others are finding positions in the retail, health care and aerospace industries.
• Giant Tuna Fetches Record Price In Tokyo
  Every year in Tokyo, a celebratory bell rings at the famous Tsukiji fish market, where buyers bid on a ritual first tuna of the year. This week, the winning tuna sold for $396,000 the highest amount ever paid for a single fish.

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