Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Banking your tax refund to combat poverty
  It's tax season - and a Minnesota program that offers low-cost tax refund loans is bracing for overwhelming demand, as more people face financial insecurity.6:20 a.m.
• Hoping for Gopher success, all over again
  After a decade of heartache and disappointment, the University of Minnesota men's basketball team is flirting with success... and teasing its fickle-but-long-suffering fans back into love. Morning Edition commentator Peter Smith warns, "Let's be careful out there."6:25 a.m.
• Obama's action gives clean car backers a boost
  Minnesota environmentalists are cheering President Obama's decision to reconsider California's request to set strict standards to control greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks.6:50 a.m.
• Author Neil Gaiman's spooky book wins Newbery honor
  Local best-selling author Neil Gaiman has received the top prize for children's literature: The John Newbery Medal, for "The Graveyard Book."6:55 a.m.
• Medical residency money on the chopping block
  Minnesota's teaching hospitals and clinics are anxious to find out today what Gov. Pawlenty intends to do with state money used to pay for residency programs.7:20 a.m.
• Local governments look for ways to save money
  Cities and counties in west central Minnesota cooperate to save money. Some say it's a model that could be expanded in Minnesota.7:25 a.m.
• Judges request Coleman team to resubmit evidence
  Day two of Republican Norm Coleman's election contest trial gets underway this morning, but it's unclear what will actually happen. That's because Monday's testimony took a peculiar turn when the three-judge panel stopped the Coleman campaign from entering into evidence copies of absentee ballots.7:40 a.m.
• Minn. native killed in Iraq
  A Minnesota native was killed in Iraq in a helicopter accident on Monday. Philip Windorski Jr. was one of four Americans killed7:45 a.m.
• Future Tense with Jon Gordon
  The Electronic Frontier Foundation begins a campaign to make unlocking phones easier.8:20 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Shrinking Music Videos: More Thrills, Less 'Thriller'
  As MySpace, iPhones and YouTube allow music videos to be seen anywhere and anytime, directors are discovering that viewing habits aren't the only things changing. The best new videos are superfast, supervisual and superclever.
• Jimmy Carter: 'Start Early' For Peace In Mideast
  The former president expressed confidence that if peace talks are held soon, they will be meaningful. Nearly 30 years after he brokered a treaty between Israel and Egypt, Carter has written a new book about his quest for peace in the Middle East.
• Fate Of One Family Illustrates Gaza War's Ferocity
  Israeli attacks killed at least 29 members of the Samouni family in Gaza City. It's among the incidents that are prompting calls for a probe of alleged violations of the laws of war by Hamas militants and Israeli soldiers during recent fighting in Gaza.
• Obama To Hear From GOP On Stimulus Plan
  President Barack Obama will meet with Republicans on Capitol Hill Tuesday. He's trying to get their support for his $825 billion economic stimulus plan. The president has promised to listen to GOP ideas. However, most Republicans are still in the "no" column.
• Green Energy Scores Big In Obama's Stimulus Plan
  President Obama says his $825 billion economic package includes tens of billions of dollars to remake the country's electricity industry into a greener enterprise. He also says it will double the amount of alternative energy produced in the next three years.
• Are British Banks Sound As A Pound?
  The phrase "sound as a pound" traditionally has meant something is as reliable as the British currency. After all, the government stands behind its currency. But, a number of British banks have been at least partially nationalized by the government at a time when they are not inspiring much confidence. Philip Coggan of The Economist magazine says the banking system is a mess.
• Immigration Debate Roils Children's Health Bill
  The Senate is debating a measure that would extend and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The bill passed the House on Jan. 14, but it may be hung up in the Senate because Republicans are outraged that it repeals a waiting period for the children of legal immigrants to qualify.
• Karaoke Videos Teach Safe Water Techniques
  Drinking water in Cambodia carries many risks. Many of the nation's wells and rivers contain bacteria, parasites and pesticides. However, there are ways to avoid unsafe water. Villagers are learning about safe drinking water through karaoke videos that combine stories of love with information about the dangers of arsenic and bacteria in some hand-dug wells.
• 'The Graveyard Book' Wins Newbery Medal
  The American Library Association has given the prestigious Newbery Medal for children's literature to Neil Gaiman for his novel The Graveyard Book. It's the story of a boy raised by the ghostly inhabitants of a cemetery.
• Switch To Digital TV May Be Delayed Until June
  Just three weeks before the switch to digital TV, the Senate has passed a bill delaying the transition by four months. If the House agrees, viewers would have extra time to prepare for the shift. The government mandated the change to give public safety officials more room on the airwaves and to improve viewing quality. But many households are not ready for the Feb. 17 transition date — particularly poor, elderly and rural families.

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