Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• New veterans court aims to help soldiers struggling at home
  Many returning veterans with conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder get in trouble with the law. Some wind up in the criminal justice system for years while their PTSD goes untreated. This smmer, a new court opens in Hennepin County to divert these veterans from prison, and get them the services they need.6:50 a.m.
• DFL deficit plans come to the fore
  DFL state lawmakers are ready to take their first bite out of a nearly $1 billion budget deficit. The Minnesota House and Senate are expected to vote today on a bill that would reduce state spending by about $314 million.7:20 a.m.
• Some St. Cloud students start their school day before the dawn
  Because of increasing demand and higher enrollments, community colleges around the country are starting to offer classes that start as early as 6:30 in the morning.7:25 a.m.
• Twins and Joe Mauer agree to contract
  Twins fans everywhere are breathing a collective sigh of relief after learning that catcher Joe Mauer has signed a new contract with the team through the 2018 season. Starting next year, Mauer will make $23 million a year over eight years.7:35 a.m.
• Officials look to next steps after Red crests
  The water is on its way down this morning on the Red River at Fargo-Moorhead, and today the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency - FEMA - will be in Fargo-Moorhead to talk with local officials.7:45 a.m.
• Rep. Walz unworried about health care vote
  Rep. Tim Walz of Minnesota's 1st Congressional District voted for the health care overhaul bill Sunday. Republicans have vowed to target Democratic lawmakers who support the measure in the next election, but Walz says he's not concerned about that.8:25 a.m.
• Monday Market report with Chris Farrell
  Minnesota Public Radio's chief economics correspondent Chris Farrell gives a preview of the week on Wall Street, and analyzes what's happening in the economy in the Upper Midwest.8:35 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Health Care Passage Hinged On Abortion Language
  The House of Representatives' passage Sunday of a health care bill was secured after President Obama issued an executive order banning the use of public funds for abortions. The order helped secure the support of Rep. Bart Stupak and other anti-abortion Democrats.
• Pennsylvania Pensions: From Surplus To A Deep Hole
  Generous benefits, underfunding from the state and worse-than-expected investment returns have pushed Pennsylvania's two large public pension funds into multibillion-dollar holes. The state didn't set aside enough money to make good on the pension promises it made.
• Did Climate Change Drive Human Evolution?
  Researchers believe that humanity's extraordinary ability to adapt to different environments and build tools was in part the result of drastic shifts in the Earth's climate. From centuries of drought to devastating monsoons, humans found a way to adjust to nearly everything.
• WWII Combat Cameraman: 'The Public Had To Know'
  During Word War II, Norman Hatch was a combat cameraman who witnessed — and filmed — some of the most bitter fighting in the Pacific theater. His efforts ended with, of all things, an Academy Award — for footage so brutal that it took special permission from President Franklin Roosevelt to allow the film to be shown as a newsreel.
• Prostate Test: Lifesaver Or Big Mistake?
  Each year millions of men get a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test for prostate cancer. Many men credit it with saving their lives. But the man who discovered PSA calls it a public health disaster, costing billions of dollars and resulting in needless debilitating treatments.
• Warding Off Muscle Cramps As We Age
  As we get older, our muscles get weaker and the nerves undergo some decay. This makes us more prone to muscle cramps. Despite a good deal of study, there's not an easy treatment for the issue — but some tried-and-true prevention techniques seem to help.
• Hidden World Of Girls: Share Your Stories
  NPR and the Kitchen Sisters are looking for stories from around the world of the hidden lives of girls — and the women they become. Stories of coming of age, rituals and rites of passage, secret identities — of women who crossed a line, blazed a trail or changed the tide. Share your stories with us.
• House Democrats Pass Health Care Bill
  The 111th Congress on Sunday night managed to do what Congresses before it have tried and failed to do for nearly a century: Pass and send to the president a bill to fundamentally remake the nation's health care system.
• Thousands Clamor For Immigration Changes
  Thousands of people marched Sunday in Washington, hoping to persuade President Obama to live up to his campaign promise to overhaul the immigration system. But despite the festive atmosphere, many felt a deep sense of frustration.
• Residents Relieved As Red River Recedes
  A massive effort to fight potential flooding with millions of sandbags in the area of Fargo, N.D., appears to have paid off.

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