St. Paul's Lawson Software sold for $2B Lawson Software announced early this morning that it will sell itself to a private equity firm and a software firm for about $2 billion.7:20 a.m.
One-on-one debate: Would outsourcing government services save Minnesota money? As the debate over how to balance the state budget continues, Republican lawmakers are pushing for more outsourcing of government services. GOP legislators say hiring private companies to do work currently done by state employees can save money, but DFLers disagree.7:41 a.m.
Minn. program uses American Indian culture to target prison recidivism The Red Road Home pilot program in northern Minnesota uses cultural and spiritual practices to try and slow down the revolving prison door on American Indian offenders. There are early signs of success, but the program may soon run out of funding.8:25 a.m.
National Public Radio Stories
Challenges Loom Large, 25 Years After Chernobyl
The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986 not only changed the lives of people in Ukraine; it also put a radioactive stain on the continent. Today, the costs of the accident are still coming due.
Relapse And Recovery: A Tale Of Two Prostitutes
Tara Adcock and Sheila Simpkins used to be bad girls, but it's been years since they turned tricks together. They completed a two-year recovery program in Nashville called Magdalene. Program residents know that relapse is part of recovery, and for these friends, one manages to hold steady while the other stumbles.
The Golden Gate Bridge's Accidental Color
You'd think the color of the most photographed bridge in the world would have a more exciting name than "international orange." Whatever you call it, it's the unmistakable color of the Golden Gate Bridge, which turns 75 next year. But back in the 1930s, the now-iconic hue was a radical choice.
Can Wasps Squash The Stink Bug Plague?
Home is where the heart is. It's probably also where a ton of brown marmorated stink bugs are right now, crawling out from behind photos, covering your windows and dropping into your hair. Help may be on the way, in the form of a parasitic Asian wasp.
Modern Monarch: Is The New Royal Couple The Last?
As the anticipated royal wedding approaches, Tina Brown, author of The Diana Chronicles and editor of Newsweek and The Daily Beast, looks back on how much has changed in Britain since the last must-see royal wedding — the 1981 nuptials of Prince Charles and Diana.
U.S. Tribe Cites Tsunami, 'Twilight' In Bid To Expand
Fearing a tsunami, an Indian tribe in Washington state wants to move its village to higher ground. To do that, the Quileute tribe is enlisting the help of the pro-werewolf lobby. In the world of the Twilight series, the Quileute lands are teeming with Jacob's fellow werewolves.
Mitt Romney: Like Father, Like Son?
The former Massachusetts governor's first brush with big-time politics came in 1962, when his father ran for governor of Michigan. When Mitt entered politics, it was as a centrist, like his father. That came after a successful business career, also like his father. But Romney hopes to do one thing his father never did — add president to his resume.
In Ukraine, Scars Of Chernobyl Disaster Remain Raw
A quarter-century after the world's worst nuclear accident, scars remain on the landscape and among the people, including firefighters exposed to radiation as they rushed to the burning reactor. The new nuclear crisis unfolding in Japan serves as another reminder of just how long recovery can take.
Under Pressure, Firm Drops DOMA Defense
The law firm hired by House Republicans to defend the Defense of Marriage Act has resigned the case. The Atlanta firm King & Spalding was under pressure from gay rights advocates. One of its partners, former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement, is leaving the firm to defend DOMA himself.
Supreme Court Weighs Whether To Limit Data Mining
At issue is whether a state may bar the buying, selling and profiling of doctors' prescription records for use by pharmaceutical sales representatives. The decision may hinge on whether the justices determine it is ultimately a case about free speech. Either way, it may have larger implications beyond the pharmaceutical industry.