Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Three gov candidates would look at gambling expansion
  Minnesota's three major party gubernatorial candidates would consider expanding gambling to help the state recover from the economic downturn, a prospect that has brightened the hopes of those lobbying to put slot machines in the state's horse tracks.7:20 a.m.
• State Fair touts amusement ride safety record
  The Midway at the Minnesota State Fair will be whirling and rocking with riders today, not long after inspectors completed a round of final checks on the equipment. Hoping to assure the public that rides are safe, state fair officials are touting their safety record and vigilant monitoring of the 63 rides that make up the Midway and Kidway.7:25 a.m.
• Red Lake schools committed to turnaround plan
  Plagued by poor student performance and still reeling from a 2005 school shooting, the Red Lake School District was stung last spring when two of its schools ranked among the state's lowest performers. But the district is working on improvements, with a turnaround plan that has teachers working with parents to create tailored learning plans for all students.7:40 a.m.
• Tight budget means fewer new faculty at U of M
  Next week the University of Minnesota will welcome 5,000 freshmen to campus. They won't be the only new faces at the U. The school has also hired a new batch of professors. But because of budget problems, far fewer of them have been hired this year.7:45 a.m.
• Art Hounds
  Each week Minnesota Public Radio News asks three people from the Minnesota arts scene to be "Art Hounds." Their job is to step outside their own work and hunt down something exciting that's going on in local arts.8:25 a.m.
• U.S. Rep. Peterson has his own flood protection plan
  As the Army Corps of Engineers considers whether to delay its water diversion plan to protect the Fargo-Moorhead area from flooding, U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson says he'll push forward with his plan to build "water retention" areas upstream of the city.8:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Renewed Attacks Raise Fears Of Iraqi Insurgents
  In Iraq Wednesday, coordinated attacks on Iraqi security forces killed nearly 60 people. Al-Qaida is blamed for the attacks. The coordinated violence happened the day after the number of U.S. troops fell below 50,000 for the first time since the start of the war.
• Pakistan Struggles To Help Flood Victims
  Makeshift relief camps are almost everywhere in Pakistan's flood zone, but they are short of supplies. Children sleep on dried mud floors because there are no mats. Pakistan's government has been accused of moving too slowly in the crisis.
• Blogging And Tweeting, Egyptians Push For Change
  Young Egyptians are using social media to fight police brutality and urge a more open government. With thousands of bloggers online, Egypt's social media movement is the oldest and largest in the Arab world. But is it having an effect?
• Drug Cartel Suspected In 72 Migrants Deaths
  Authorities in Mexico are expressing shock at the discovery of a room strewn with the bodies of 58 men and 14 women. A wounded migrant says the victims were killed by a drug gang. The gang, started by former soldiers, is known to extort money from migrants.
• Trader Joe's Keeps Quiet On Secrets Of Success
  The cover of the current issue of Fortune Magazine features a company that maintains cult-like secrecy. Beth Kowitt, who spent two months investigating the quirky but very successful grocery chain Trader Joe's, talks to Renee Montagne about what she's learned. While most grocery stores emphasize quantity, Trader Joe's stocks just a few carefully selected varieties of each item -- usually under its own label.
• Blue And White And Mad All Over: 'Chinamania'
  NPR's Susan Stamberg delves into the history of Victorian England's fascination with "blue and white" -- collectible Chinese porcelain, showcased in a new exhibition at the Freer Gallery in Washington, D.C.
• Former Disney Chief May Head Tribune Co.
  Former Disney chief Michael Eisner could be the next chairman of the Tribune Company. It is one of the nation's top media companies -- though it is currently bankrupt, and working to reorganize its finances and its top management. It owns the Los Angeles Times, which is reporting the news about Eisner.
• SEC Makes Proxy Ballot Access Easier
  The Securities and Exchange Commission voted Wednesday to make it easier for shareholders to have a say in the make up of corporate boards. New rules require individuals nominated by shareholders be included in "proxy materials" alongside the nominations of management.
• California OKs Anthem Rate Hike
  A six-month battle in California over health insurance has come to an end. When health insurer Anthem Blue Cross announced rate hikes last March of up to 39 percent for individual policyholders, it made national news. The Obama Administration weighed in, and the state refused to approve the increase. After examining the company's accounting, California's insurance watchdog has approved a rate hike, though a smaller one.
• How To Make College-Bound Students Financial Pros
  New college students will have to master tough personal finance lessons early. Fahiya Rashid, a student at the University of California, Irvine, says her dad warned her of the problems he had. Rashid says her dad had more than a dozen credit cards and took out students loans. She says he's still paying the money back.

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