Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Bill would cut banks out of the student lending equation
  The move would get private banks out of the government student loan business. Billions of dollars in fees banks collected to service loans would instead be used to increase aid for needy students.6:20 a.m.
• Lawmakers trim $300M from state budget
  Minnesota lawmakers have approved bills that would eliminate about one-third of the state's $1 billion budget deficit, and cut Gov. Tim Pawlenty's proposed reductions to local government aid in half.7:20 a.m.
• Stillwater mayor on bridge closure
  Rising waters on the St. Croix River will force the Stillwater lift bridge to close today. For the more than 16,000 cars and trucks that cross the bridge each day, the Minnesota Department of Transportation recommends detouring south to the Interstate 94 bridge at Hudson or north to the Highway 243 bridge at Osceola.7:25 a.m.
• Twins, Mauer make it official: $184M extension and eight more years
  Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer made his eight-year, $184 million contract extension official Monday, signing the document in front of his family, team officials and teammate Justin Morneau.8:25 a.m.
• Commentary: Growing up husky
  Essayist Peter Smith talks about growing up "husky."8:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Opponents Work To Block Health Bill At State Level
  Once President Obama signs the health care bill into law Tuesday, its opponents will move to the next front: attacking the overhaul as unconstitutional. Those who dislike the bill have been gearing up for the legal fight for months.
• Health Care Firms See Mixed Blessing In Overhaul
  The health care bill promises to fundamentally change the competitive landscape for many U.S. businesses. Although many will now face higher taxes and more regulation, there's also a big upside: They'll gain access to millions of new customers.
• Two States, Wildly Different Pension Systems
  Both Kansas and Nebraska are big, windy farm states known for fiscal conservatism. But Kansas has one of the most underfunded pension systems in the country, while Nebraska has managed its fund quite well. How did these two states wind up in such different places?
• Liberal Groups Seek Public Financing Of Elections
  Some Democrats and advocacy groups are pushing back against a January Supreme Court decision that allows corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts for electoral politics.
• Bump For Cash: Phones As Virtual Wallets
  The use of mobile phones to exchange money is a main theme at this week's wireless industry conference in Las Vegas. Last week, PayPal introduced an iPhone app that lets users pay for items by tapping their handset against another phone.
• Sean Penn's Latest Role: Haiti Relief Worker
  For weeks, the Oscar-winning actor has been among the thousands of people living in a crowded tent camp in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Right now, Penn says, his aid organization's biggest concern is relocating the people in the camp before heavy seasonal rains hit.
• Actor Khalid Abdalla Recasts The Arab Voice
  British-Egyptian actor Khalid Abdalla jokingly calls his recent films — about Sept. 11, Afghanistan and Iraq — his "war on terror" trilogy. Now he's leveraging his footing in Hollywood to make his first independent Arab film — and it isn't focused on war or politics.
• For Obama, Signing Health Bill Only First Step
  President Obama celebrates a hard-won victory Tuesday when he signs landmark health care legislation. But he's not quite finished with health care yet: In months to come, Obama will be selling the overhaul to a skeptical public.
• Athletes Vie For Spots On Snowshoe Team
  With spring just around the corner, hard-core road runners, bicyclists and other devoted athletes are starting to hit the streets. But where have they been spending the winter? Some of them have been strapping on snowshoes, and competing for a spot on the national snowshoe team.
• Senate Prepares For Banking Bill Battle
  The Senate Banking Committee approved an overhaul of banking regulations Monday. The move would create a consumer financial protection bureau under the Federal Reserve and require banks to pay into a fund that could bail out failing firms. Republicans say they will take their fight against the proposals to the Senate floor.

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