Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Charges against state trooper show track record of unprofessionalism
  The Minnesota State Patrol sergeant at the helm of a suspended drug training program has a documented track record of unprofessionalism.6:40 a.m.
• iPad-based pull-tab gambling is up and running
  Pat Lynch, a salesman for Schell's Brewing, made history Tuesday by playing the first electronic pull-tab gambling game in Minnesota, the result of a two-year battle over how to keep the state's NFL franchise here without raising taxes.7:20 a.m.
• Political advertising in the age of super PACs
  MPR's Cathy Wurzer discusses political advertising in the age of Super PACs with attorney and professor Jane Kirtley.7:24 a.m.
• Citing potential conflicts of interest, Dayton moves insurance exchange to budget office
  Gov. Mark Dayton is changing leadership of the administration's work on the state's health insurance exchange, shifting oversight away from the Department of Commerce after questions of conflict of interest and lack of transparency.7:45 a.m.
• Conservation groups challenge wolf hunt in court
  Two groups opposed to Minnesota's first regulated wolf hunt are suing the Department of Natural Resources to try to stop the hunting season. The groups allege the DNR did not make sufficient effort to seek public input when it designed the season.8:24 a.m.
• Researcher Lynn Rogers feeds the bears, battles critics
  Last month, the Department of Natural Resources shot a bear that wore a tracking collar. The animal had refused to leave an area where children were present. That bear's death lies at the heart of a longstanding tension between mainstream wildlife scientists and a controversial researcher.8:35 a.m.
• US ambassador in Morocco, a Minnesotan, sees no sign of unrest
  A Minneapolis-based attorney currently serving as the U.S. ambassador to Morocco said Wednesday that violent protests sparked by an anti-Islam Internet video produced in the United States have not reached the north African country.8:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Strike Over, Chicago Students Go Back To Classes
  About 350,000 students had attended classes for less than a week before the strike began last Monday. Members of the union's House of Delegates voted Tuesday to suspend the strike after learning details of a tentative contract agreement.
• Do Scores Go Up When Teachers Return Bonuses?
  How do you turn average teachers into great teachers? One unusual field experiment suggests the answer may lie in giving bonuses to teachers upfront — with a catch: They have to give back the money if student performance doesn't improve.
• Scientists See Upside And Downside Of Sequencing Their Own Genes
  Prominent geneticists are getting their own genomes decoded, revealing the benefits and risks.
• ACLU Pushes For Answers On Drone Strikes
  Drone strikes ordered by the Obama administration have killed more than a dozen al-Qaida leaders around the world. But when the ACLU asked for more information about the targeted killing, the CIA said it's a secret. Now the case is headed to federal appeals court.
• Ebola's Other Victims: Health Care Workers
  The World Health Organization has confirmed 72 cases of the dreaded virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo since May; 23 of them are health care workers. Despite elaborate protective garb and other precautions, it's hard for doctors, nurses and health aides to avoid virus-laden bodily fluids of Ebola patients.
• Text Reignites Debate: Did Jesus Have A Wife?
  A Harvard researcher says a "new gospel" written on a fragment of papyrus shows some early Christians believed Jesus had a wife. The fragment — which scholars believe was written in the fourth century — is creating a sensation among New Testament experts.
• Saudi Arabia Offers More Oil To Its Major Customers
  The Financial Times reports the Saudis may be responding to a request by G7 finance ministers. The move would likely push gas prices down and help stimulate economic growth. The average gas price at U.S. pumps rose to $3.88 last week — the highest ever for the month of September.
• Alpha Closing 8 Coal Mines, Eliminating 1,200 Jobs
  Facing competition from cheap natural gas, coal producer Alpha Natural Resources said it's cutting production by 16 million tons and eliminating 1,200 jobs companywide. The cuts include 400 jobs with the immediate closing of eight mines in Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
• So What Happens If The Farm Bill Expires? Not Much, Right Away
  The farm bill is likely to be left on the table when Congress leaves for recess, but don't panic. The nutrition and commodity programs will likely be extended after Election Day at current funding levels for a while, if the last session is any guide.
• MOMA To Display Munch's 'The Scream'
  The most expensive work of art ever sold at auction is going on public display at New York's Museum of Modern Art. For six months starting in late October, museum-goers can stare into the abyss suggested by Munch's iconic image of a screaming man beneath a swirling orange sky.

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