Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Conservation group places St. Croix among most endangered rivers
  The Lower St. Croix River has been declared one of the most endangered rivers in America. American Rivers, a national waterways organization, released its list of the ten most endangered rivers and they say development along the St. Croix is destroying it.7:20 a.m.
• Teachers union concerned about proposed school budget cuts
  Education funding comes up today in the Minnesota Senate. The DFL-backed bill would cut K-12 funding by more than 3 percent. The state's teachers union, Education Minnesota, is opposed to that move.7:25 a.m.
• Remembering long-time radio host Steven Cannon
  For a couple of decades, Steve Cannon hosted his WCCO radio show called The Cannon Mess. He spoke to listeners, and voiced a stable of oddball fictional characters, who joined him on an afternoon drive time show that was extremely popular in the Twin Cities.8:25 a.m.
• Opening day holds memories, hopes for Twins' fans
  The Minnesota Twins lost their last Metrodome home opener to the Seattle Mariners 6-1 last night. The loss left much of the sellout crowd a bit disappointed and many already are looking forward to next season, and not because they think this year's team is a lost cause.8:40 a.m.
• Commentator is conflicted about outdoor sofas
  The Minneapolis City Council is considering an ordinance to ban sofas in yards and on open porches. With spring emerging, and the great porch sofa debate of 2009 raging, Morning Edition commentator Peter Smith is feeling a little conflicted.8:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Hugging Highway 1: Blind Pilot's Bicycle Tours
  Blind Pilot conducted its first tour on a pair of bicycles, riding from Vancouver to San Francisco. Though the group now tours in a van, its members look back fondly on their early days, which included campfires and unexpected attention from truckers.
• Ethnic Outlets Survive In Sinking Media Market
  As many major nationwide news organizations are sinking in the tough economy, the "ethnic media," news organizations that tailor content toward the sons and daughters of immigrants, are thriving with growing audiences. Multiplatform interactions — television, radio and the Internet — are popular.
• Collapsing Mountains Rocked Italy's Earthquake
  Italy lies between two huge tectonic plates to the north and south, and the Earth's crust on the western side of the country is actually stretching apart. That stretching and gravity pulled down part of the Apennine mountains and caused the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that shook central Italy early Monday.
• Defense Chief Proposes Weapons Cuts
  Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday announced a number of cuts to big programs in the Pentagon's upcoming budget. He did, however, call for more money to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Workers Face Loss Of Fighter Jet Program
  Defense Secretary Robert Gates called for ending production of the military's most expensive fighter plane: the F-22. Each F-22 costs around $140 million to produce. Workers in California, Texas and Georgia who have been building the fighter could lose their jobs.
• Gates Looking To Speed Up F-35 Production
  With the proposal to wind down the F-22 program, the Pentagon is committing to a new multipurpose, state-of-the-art aircraft. The F-35 will be built to handle just about anything — from dogfights to bombing missions. But there have been some problems along the design path.
• Fund Manager Faces Civil Charge In Madoff Fraud
  A New York hedge fund manager with ties to Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff is facing civil fraud charges. New York officials on Monday accused J. Ezra Merkin of lying to clients about how much of their money was being funneled into Madoff's firm.
• Author's Photograph Essential In Marking A Book
  You've heard the quote: Don't judge a book by its cover. But what does the author's photograph say about the book? There's a distinct relationship between an author and an author's image.
• Pakistan Investigates Girl's Flogging By Taliban
  Pakistan's Supreme Court has ordered an investigation into the public flogging of a teenage girl by the Taliban, which was caught on video. The incident happened in Pakistan's Swat Valley, where the government is forging a peace deal with the Taliban. The flogging has ignited a debate over whether the authorities should be making peace with the militants, and whether that kind of cruel punishment may spread across the country.
• Sen. Levin: U.S. Cannot Force Change In Pakistan
  Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), head of the Armed Services Committee, says the Obama administration should not link its efforts in Afghanistan too closely with Pakistan. Levin spoke to NPR's Renee Montagne as part of a series of conversations this week about the administration's strategy for Afghanistan.

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