Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Crowd urges school board to keep schools open
  Hundreds of parents, students and teachers packed a hearing last night on the Minneapolis school district's plan to close six schools.7:23 a.m.
• Teen drivers get real-world experience
  Teenage drivers often end up in traffic accidents because they don't know how to react quickly to avoid a crash. There are a couple of driving clubs in the Twin Cities that train teens how to drive in the real world.7:50 a.m.
• A Wild ride ahead?
  The National Hockey League playoffs are starting, and Minnesota will be in Anaheim to play the Ducks in the first game of a best-of-seven series. Morning Edition sports commentator Steve Rudolph offers this playoff preview.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Troubled Schools Turn Around by Shrinking
  Northwestern is one of the few large, comprehensive high schools left in Baltimore. Administrators hoping to boost flagging test scores are getting inspiration from schools that found success by becoming smaller and more career-oriented.
• Stem-Cell Debate Returning to Center Stage
  The Senate is expected to pass legislation that would expand the number of embryonic stem-cell lines eligible for federal research funding. The House passed similar legislation, but a presidential veto is expected.
• Illinois Pushes Mortgage 'Counseling' Plan
  Officials in Illinois have come up with a new version of a much-debated pilot program to fight predatory lending. The new plan would require first-time homebuyers in the Chicago-area to undergo financial counseling before a loan can be approved.
• Merck's Vioxx Successor Has Its Detractors
  Drug manufacturer Merck is applying for FDA approval of Arcoxia, a painkiller that it hopes will replace Vioxx. But is Arcoxia safer than Vioxx, which was taken off the market after being linked to heart problems?
• Afghan Opium Business Defies U.S.-Led Attacks
  Afghanistan is still trying to eradicate opium poppies from a southern region that remains a Taliban stronghold. But a campaign by U.S. and Afghan forces has yet to make much of a dent in a major capital of opium production.
• Friends Honor Mass. Soldier's Heart and Loyalty
  PFC John Landry Jr. died in March when a roadside bomb exploded in Baghdad. He was on a second tour of duty in Iraq. In his home state of Massachusetts, he was remembered as a funny young man with a great and loyal heart.
• Citigroup Cutting Jobs in Bid to Cap Costs
  Citigroup will eliminate 17,000 jobs in a sweeping re-organization, while moving other jobs overseas. Savings are projected at $9 billion over three years. Shareholders had pressed the company to cut rising expenses.
• Summer Gas Forecast: Slightly Lower Prices
  Prices at the pump will be slightly cheaper this summer as many motorists plan vacation road trips. The Energy Department says the average cost of gasoline will be $2.81 per gallon. That's three cents cheaper than a year ago.
• Three Advertisers Drop Support for Imus
  Talk show host Don Imus, suspended for racially charged remarks, now faces problems with advertisers. Procter & Gamble, Staples and Bigelow Tea say they no longer want their ads on Imus in the Morning.
• Chinese Premier Pays Visit to Japan
  Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao begins a three-day trip to Japan, hoping to repair strained relations between the Asian rivals. The effort shows that China considers Japan to be a key economic ally.

Resources

• Marketplace Tech Report®
• Marketplace Morning Report®
• Mark Seeley's WeatherTalk

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories