Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Shubert Theater gets state money; is ready for renovation
  Gov. Pawlenty signed the 2006 bonding bill into law this morning in a ceremony in Elk River. The billion-dollar bill includes $11 million for the Minnesota Shubert Center in downtown Minneapolis.6:50 a.m.
• Making art accessible to the poor: Involve the neighborhood
  Several arts organizations argue that seeing great theater is sometimes as important for the spirit as food and shelter, and they feel that's especially true for people living in poverty. Pillsbury House Theater has embedded itself into the heart of an inner-city neighborhood and become a part of the community.6:54 a.m.
• Gov. Pawlenty announces re-election bid
  It was a busy day for gubernatorial politics Wednesday. Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty formally announced his re-election campaign. Democrats launched a campaign against Pawlenty and other Republicans. And DFL gubernatorial candidate Becky Lourey announced her running mate.7:20 a.m.
• Republicans set to endorse Kennedy for U.S. Senate
  Minnesota Republicans begin their state convention Thursday night in Minneapolis. The main order of business on the first night is to endorse a candidate for U.S. Senate. There's no surprise who that will be -- U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy, who has had the endorsement locked up for months.7:24 a.m.
• Summer theater in greater Minnesota
  June and July can be comparatively slow months in the Twin Cities arts scene, but outstate, things are blossoming. From Winona to Alexandria to Grand Marais, summer theaters offer something for just about every taste.8:25 a.m.
• Highway 36 scheduled to close April 2007
  The Minnesota Department of Transportation plans to shutdown part of Highway 36 in the Twin Cities next summer. Beginning next April, the stretch of 36 running between Highway 120, or Century Avenue, in North St. Paul and White Bear Avenue in Maplewood will close for reconstruction. The highway should reopen for single-lanes of traffic in mid-September and all four lanes should be reopened by November. MnDOT hopes that the shutdown will save time and money for the project. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Kent Barnard, Communications Specialist for MnDOT about the project.8:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Seminal Latin Label's Music Resurrected
  The founders of Fania Records didn't set out to change the course of Latin music, but that's just what they did. The label went out of business in the late 1970s, and the records have since become hard-to-find collector's items. Now, a Miami-based record label is reissuing that music.
• Envoy: Afghan Riots Not Sign of Anti-Americanism
  Deadly riots sparked by a U.S. military truck crash this week are not a sign of anti-Americanism in Afghanistan, the U.S. ambassador in Kabul says.
• Home for Seniors Trades Privacy for Security
  At the Oatfield Estates assisted-living facility in Oregon, residents are tracked around the clock through a system of badges and sensors. It may sound creepy, but for residents with Alzheimer's or dementia, it allows them the freedom to roam while giving staff and loved ones the ability to check in at any time.
• Diplomacy Takes Center Stage at Iran Talks
  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Vienna, Austria, to discuss Iran's nuclear program with U.N. Security Council partners. The meeting is part of a renewed emphasis on using diplomacy to confront Iran's nuclear activities. On Wednesday, the Bush administration offered to participate in direct talks with Iran if Tehran halted uranium enrichment.
• Khan Nuclear Network Survives Despite U.S. Efforts
  A.Q. Khan, a Pakistani engineer who bought and sold nuclear knowledge and supplies in the international black market, appears to be safe from prosecution. Pakistan isn't pursuing charges against him, and cases in Germany and Switzerland are languishing. Meanwhile, experts say Khan's network is still up and running.
• Border Patrol Separates Family with Mixed Citizenship
  A U.S. Border Patrol operation on a California highway recently netted the parents of a 12-year-old girl. The parents were in the country illegally and were deported, while their daughter is an American citizen and remains in the U.S. Critics say officials were using racial profiling in deciding who to pull over.
• Democratic Gubernatorial Hopefuls Struggle in California
  Two wealthy former businessmen are waging an increasingly negative battle on California airwaves for Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Both want the chance to take on Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger this fall. Even after spending millions of dollars on campaign commercials, neither candidate is exactly a household name.
• New York Court Hears Gay Marriage Arguments
  New York state's highest court heard arguments Wednesday in several gay marriage cases. It will be at least a month before the New York Court of Appeals decides whether gays and lesbians have the right to marry same-sex partners.
• Florida Citizens Shocked by Shifting Insurance Market
  As the hurricane season starts, many homeowners along the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts are being rocked by soaring insurance rates. In Florida, more than two dozen insurers have left the state. From member station WGCU in Fort Myers, Fla., Russell Lewis reports.
• Northeast Insurance Rates Suffer from Hurricanes
  Homeowners in the Northeast have seen increases for insurance rates in the wake of hurricanes hitting the Gulf Coast. Howard Kunreuther, a business professor at the University of Pennsylvania, talks with Steve Inskeep about what's behind the seemingly unrelated regions.

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