Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Fargo-Moorhead developing permanent flood protection plan
  The Army Corps of Engineers is gathering public input this week on possible solutions to flooding in Fargo-Moorhead.6:50 a.m.
• Pawlenty taking unallotment to unprecedented level
  Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he will not wait long to decide what programs to cut in order to balance the state budget that has a $2.7 billion deficit. The governor says he will use his unallotment power to get the job done.7:20 a.m.
• U of M study finds smoking bans cost few jobs
  The hospitality industry has long argued that smoking bans cause great financial difficulty for bars and restaurants, but a new study finds little economic cost.7:25 a.m.
• Minneapolis steps up inspections of neglected buildings
  The city of Minneapolis this week begins rolling out a new program to inspect commercial buildings, in an attempt to make them safer for neighborhoods and first responders. But some building owners say the new fees to pay for the program are excessive.7:40 a.m.
• Uncertainty remains for money for arts
  Arts and cultural organizations in Minnesota stand to receive almost $45 million a year under a bill passed in the waning hours of the 2009 legislative session. But those organizations in the bill shouldn't count their money just yet.8:25 a.m.
• An instrument to soothe the soul
  A small company in Stillwater has given birth to a new musical instrument called the Reverie Harp, which is so easy to play that anyone can make beautiful music. The harp is becoming a hit with therapists, patients and their loved ones, who use it to calm stressful times.8:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Actor Sidney Poitier: Striving For A Life Of Excellence
  The Academy Award winner's memoir, Life Beyond Measure, now in paperback, is a series of letters to his great-granddaughter Ayele. Poitier says he "always wanted to be someone better" than he was the day before.
• Did Shakespeare Want To Suppress His Sonnets?
  First published 400 years ago, Shakespeare's sonnets might never have been put to press had it been left to the author to decide things. As writer Clinton Heylin explains, Shakespeare's sonnets were never intended for a wide audience.
• Grading 529 College Savings Plans
  Over the last couple of decades, American parents have poured about $80 billion into a kind of college savings fund called a 529. They're tax free, and they're run jointly by states and mutual funds. But Greg Brown, who researches 529s, says they have serious flaws.
• Senate Passes Credit Card Overhaul Bill
  The Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would impose new restrictions on the credit card industry. It slows interest rate increases and places restrictions on penalty fees. It limits cards for minors. The House is on track to pass the bill as early as Wednesday and send it to President Obama.
• Former Employees Discover Life After Wall Street
  Over the past year or so, tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs on Wall Street. Many were highly paid analysts, traders and investment bankers. And with the downturn in the financial services industry, it has been hard for them to find work. But some have found creative solutions.
• Iraqi Trade Ministry Investigated For Corruption
  For the first time, an Iraqi government minister faces expulsion from his job after being accused of corruption on a massive scale.
• Kobe Bryant Helps Lakers Beat Nuggets
  The Los Angeles Lakers have taken a 1-0 lead in the NBA's Western Conference finals. The Lakers came from behind to beat the Denver Nuggets 105-103. All-star guard Kobe Bryant led L.A. with 40 points and key plays down the stretch. It was another performance that is fueling the debate over who is the best NBA player.
• Scenes, Sounds, Sonnets: The Next 400 Years?
  Shakespeare's sonnets have stayed with us for 400 years. But are there any words of love from our time that would last as long? We want to hear your ideas for words of love that might stay with us for as long as a Shakespearean sonnet.
• Obama Mulls Panel To Protect Financial Consumers
  The Obama administration is considering a proposal that would create a U.S. agency that would protect consumers who buy financial products. Reports indicate it would operate along the lines of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Financial product regulation is currently fractured among several federal agencies and states.
• Senators Introduce Bill To Protect Shareholders
  Two Democratic lawmakers introduced a "Shareholder Bill of Rights" on Tuesday. They want investors to have more say over a public company's business.

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