Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• White collar criminals recount their misdeeds
  Organized in the wake of Bernie Madoff, Petters Group Worldwide and other fraud cases, an event at the University of St. Thomas Thursday night featured four convicted white collar criminals, who explained their misdeeds.6:20 a.m.
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  6:55 a.m.
• State might have to borrow to pay bills next year
  Minnesota's top finance official says the state may have to do some short-term borrowing to manage cash flow needs, something that hasn't happened since the early 1980s.7:20 a.m.
• Northstar Line just the beginning for transit projects
  With Monday's start of the brand new Northstar commuter rail service drawing near, area lawmakers and transit officials are turning their sights to the future.7:25 a.m.
• 'Casanova's Homecoming' returns home
  This weekend, the Minnesota Opera returns to a milestone in its history, "Casanova's Homecoming" by Minneapolis composer Dominick Argento, and it's hoped this new production will relaunch the piece.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Shinseki Measures Scope Of Veterans' Mental Issues
  In his first nine months as head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, retired Gen. Eric Shinseki has spent hours just listening to veterans talk. A former Army chief of staff who was wounded during his service in Vietnam, Shinseki says he feels a strong obligation to "give back" to the men and women he once served with.
• Flu Funds Boost Local Health Budgets
  The federal government has allocated more than $1 billion to help cash-strapped local health departments hire staff to distribute the H1N1 vaccine. The money has allowed some departments to rehire staff they had recently let go.
• Calif. Companies Help Ex-Cons Get Back On Track
  Though California has the worst recidivism rate in the nation — more than two-thirds of ex-cons in the state return to prison — companies like Goodwill Industries and Tri-CED Community Recycling make a point of hiring people looking for a second chance.
• As U.S. Power Wanes, China Considers Its New Place
  The West in recent years has been busy discussing how to handle China's rise. But in an odd symmetry, China has been debating how to respond to America's decline — and how much of a leadership role it wants to take on.
• A Mother's Journey: Growing First, Then Loving
  Mala Fernando got married in Sri Lanka on her 22nd birthday. She was an adult by then — but not in her husband's eyes. Mala discussed those days recently with her daughter, Ashanthi Gajaweera. "It was tough," Mala said. "He used to treat me like a little girl. I told him, 'I'm not your daughter. I'm your wife.'"
• In 'Fantastic Mr. Fox,' The Dazzle Is In The Details
  Director Wes Anderson's first foray into animation, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, is based on the charmingly wicked children's book by Roald Dahl. The film follows a battle of wits between the sly fox (voiced by George Clooney) and three formidable farmers. Critic Kenneth Turan says the film's stop-motion animation is tailor-made for the sort of quirky details that Anderson employs.
• Poor Sales Hurt Jobs Numbers
  A key reason why unemployment is surging is obvious, but it gets overshadowed by talk of stimulus and bank credit. For many companies, sales remain stubbornly weak. Poor sales are cited by small businesses as their No. 1 problem, and until sales pick up, it's unlikely that hiring will rebound.
• Walmart Profits Continue Amid Downturn
  Unlike other big retail chains, Walmart has continued to report hefty profits during the recession. If anything, it's becoming more competitive by lowering prices and remodeling stores to entice shoppers to spend more time.
• Gates Visits Oshkosh Factory
  Defense Secretary Robert Gates traveled to a factory line in Oshkosh, Wis., which is making a new kind of armored vehicle for the war in Afghanistan. Gates personally thanked the company's workers.
• Army Builds Case Against Alleged Fort Hood Shooter
  Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan faces 13 counts of premeditated murder and could face the death penalty for his alleged shooting of 12 soldiers and a civilian at a processing center for soldiers about to be deployed. Once the case goes to trial, it promises to be one of the highest profile cases ever within the military's justice system, and the Army is trying to do it by the book.

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