Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Minnesota students' math and reading proficiency declines
  Nearly a quarter of Minnesota's public schools didn't meet student performance goals last year under the federal No Child Left Behind law.7:20 a.m.
• Pawlenty does about-face on health care
  In January 2005, Gov. Tim Pawlenty referred to the state's subsidized health care plan as "welfare health care." But that was before he almost got bounced out of office last week.7:50 a.m.
• "City Indians" use art to stake their claim
  A new exhibit in Minneapolis looks at what it means to be a "city Indian." For many American Indians it could mean reclaiming a land that used to be their own.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• U.S. Leads Efforts to Transform Afghan Police Force
  U.S. and NATO troops are working to establish a viable Afghan police force. But the police -- underpaid and considered corrupt by many Afghans -- must rely on the military to keep the country secure against a resurgent Taliban.
• Engineers Put Wood House to the Quake Test
  A team of engineers has built inside a lab a house that mimics the style of those found in quake-prone California: wood frame with a stucco exterior. The University of Buffalo team wants to see if they can improve the durability of houses in quake zones.
• Startups Help Clean Up Online Reputations
  New companies are offering to help people get rid of embarrassing material about themselves on the Internet. Job seekers especially are turning to these services, because so many employers use the Internet to do background searches on potential hires.
• Mass Baghdad Kidnapping Wrapped in Mystery
  Nearly all of the men taken hostage Tuesday from the Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education have been released. Details surrounding the raid remain unclear, including the number of people taken, the identity of the kidnappers and the reasons for their attack.
• Rumsfeld and McNamara's Similar Experiences
  There are some parallels in the careers of Donald Rumsfeld and Robert McNamara, both high-profile secretaries of defense. Both men presided over controversial wars, and both were replaced as those wars began to appear unwinnable.
• Catholic Bishops Adopt Guidelines on Gays
  The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has adopted new guidelines for the Catholic church in America. The guidelines adopted Tuesday in Baltimore address who can receive the Holy Eucharist, how the church should minister to gay parishioners and upheld the church's strict ban on the use of contraception.
• Missouri Court Hears Case on Abortion Consent
  The Missouri Supreme Court hears arguments on a law that would allow parents to bring civil lawsuits against people who assist a minor in getting an abortion without parental consent, even if the abortion takes place out of state. The law is similar to a federal effort to enact criminal penalties for those who help minors cross state lines to get an abortion.
• Mount Rainier Park Starts Long Road to Recovery
  Washington's Mount Rainier National Park is still closed, more than a week after massive flooding and mudslides. Park officials say the damage is unprecedented and may take two years to fully repair.
• Science-Fiction Writer Jack Williamson Dies at 98
  Science-fiction writer Jack Williamson explored the dark side of science and technology. He died on Friday at the age of 98. Williamson will be remembered as a founding father of twentieth-century science fiction. Williamson sold his first story in 1928 to a pulp magazine. His most famous book was the 1947 novel The Humanoids.
• Puerto Rico Institutes Sales Tax
  Puerto Rico introduced a sales tax Wednesday. It affects prepared foods, nonprescription medicine, tobacco, soft drinks, alcohol and many other consumer goods. The tax ranges from 5.5 percent to 7 percent, depending on location.

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