Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Fewer than half of Minnesota students pass new statewide science tests
  Fewer than half of the students who took Minnesota's first statewide science test got passing marks. Officials with the state Department of Education said the results were disappointing.6:49 a.m.
• Memories of workouts leave former football players conflicted
  Two-a-day football practice season has commenced in Minnesota, and something deep in the soul of every old high school football player -- including Morning Edition commentator Peter Smith -- yearns to suit up and lope out on to the practice field once more.6:53 a.m.
• Southeast Minnesota still recovering from flood disaster
  Seven people died in flash floods that swept over southeastern Minnesota on August 19, 2007. The region is still in recovery.7:20 a.m.
• Olympics' TV ratings soar
  There are a lot of people watching the Olympics this year, and that's been good news for NBC's affiliates in Minnesota. This past weekend, nearly 40 million people watched during the half hour when Michael Phelps won his record eighth gold medal.7:54 a.m.
• Future Tense with Jon Gordon
  After living 30 days with the new 3G iPhone, one tech writer calls the device "amazing and maddening."8:20 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Amid China's Olympic Push, Public Recreation Lags
  China's gold medal haul increases by the day at the Beijing Olympics. But some residents say the host country's multimillion-dollar investment on behalf of athletes has come at the expense of sports facilities for the Chinese public.
• Candidates Soft On Medicare On The Trail
  John McCain wants to revamp Medicare by charging wealthy beneficiaries more for prescription drugs. Barack Obama says he would negotiate for better rates for drugs.
• Walter Dean Myers, A 'Bad Boy' Makes Good
  Growing up, the only authors Walter Dean Myers read in school were white and British. But when he discovered Langston Hughes and Richard Wright, he realized that he, too, could be a writer. Now, Myers works to encourage the next generation.
• Search Is On For Pakistan's Next President
  Political leaders in Pakistan are looking for a new president. Pervez Musharraf stepped down Monday to avoid being impeached. The Bush administration — which saw Musharraf as an important ally — is watching the search for a replacement closely. On the streets of Pakistan's cities, though, reaction to his departure is mixed.
• Has U.S. Relied Too Much On Musharraf?
  Pakistan's outgoing President Pervez Musharraf was a close U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaida. But critics say the Bush administration relied on him too much, and that he didn't do enough to rein in the Taliban. With Musharraf out, Pakistan is expected to concentrate on preventing extremism inside Pakistan rather than across the border.
• 'Amenity Migrants' Alter Life In Resort Towns
  Summer vacation season is winding down, but desire to move to the beach or the mountains is running strong. An increasing number of people are translating that urge into a reality.
• U.S. Shooter Wins Bronze After Rival Fails Drug Test
  A few days ago, Jason Turner's hopes for an Olympic medal were dashed by a fourth place finish in the 10-meter air pistol event. But when a North Korean shooter, who finished third, tested positive for a banned substance, Turner moved up to earn the bronze medal.
• NATO Ministers Meet On Georgia Conflict
  NATO leaders say there will be "no business as usual" with Russia.
• Europe Considers Joining Space-Faring Nations
  Europe's space agency reached two milestones earlier this year. A European-built lab was installed at the International Space Station, and Europe launched a robotic cargo vehicle that successfully docked with the station. The European Space Agency is thinking about converting the vehicle so it could take astronauts into orbit.
• Banking, Housing Worries Drive Down Stocks
  Oil prices were down again Tuesday — about a dollar a barrel — despite concerns about Tropical Storm Fay in the Gulf of Mexico. But the oil news was overshadowed by the financial markets, where concern about banking and housing were driving stocks lower.

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