Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Living with ALS, Part II: Like Lou Gehrig, Bruce Kramer turns to Mayo
  Bruce Kramer is being treated for ALS at the Mayo Clinic -- the same clinic where 1930s baseball icon Lou Gehrig was diagnosed with the same disease.6:50 a.m.
• Minn. counties struggle to pay for empty jail cells
  In the last decade, a boom in jail construction and dropping crime rates have left thousands of jail cells empty around Minnesota. The combination has left many counties in the state trying to figure out how to make money on this unused space.7:20 a.m.
• Courthouse violence hard to predict
  The suspect in last week's shooting at the Cook county courthouse in Grand Marais is expected to be charged in district court today. Police believe Daniel Schlienz shot two men late Thursday afternoon and injured a third. The attack followed Schlienz's conviction for criminal sexual conduct. The violence shocked nearly everyone in the courthouse and the community. It's also renewed focus on security at courthouses around the state.7:25 a.m.
• Minn. food shelves prefer cash to cans
  It's an important time of the year for the state's food shelves, which bring in a large percentage of their resources at the end of the year. But food shelves hope donors know that a cash donation might help the hungry more than the cans of soup in the back of their cupboard.7:45 a.m.
• Polaris sales up as power sports vehicle industry suffers
  It's been a lousy year for snow, and that's just one of the troubles plaguing companies that make snowmobiles and other power sports vehicles. But Minnesota-based Polaris has defied the downturn and expects sales to jump 30 percent this year.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il Dies At 69
  The death of North Korea's mercurial and enigmatic leader was announced Monday by state television. Kim's iron rule and nuclear ambitions for his isolated Communist nation dominated world security fears for more than a decade.
• Former Czech President, Playwright Vaclav Havel Dies
  In 1989, Vaclav Havel led the Prague Spring, the popular revolution that brought an end to Soviet domination in Eastern Europe. Havel went on to be Czech president for 14 years, a role that, as an artist, he says he never felt completely comfortable in. He was 75.
• Fight Over Extending Payroll Tax Cut Flares Up Again
  House Republicans are rejecting a bipartisan compromise approved overwhelmingly by the Senate Saturday. The deal would have extended the payroll tax holiday and unemployment benefits through February.
• GOP Voters Undecided Heading Into Iowa Caucuses
  With just about two weeks to go before the Iowa caucuses, polls show a majority of likely caucus-goers still have an open mind about which Republican candidate to support for president. What information will they use to make up their mind, and how will they reach a final decision?
• Libyan Militias Have 1 Day Left To Get Out Of Tripoli
  The Libyan government has given armed groups until Tuesday to disarm and depart from the capital. But the deadline is unlikely to be met. It's indicative of the wider problem in Libya where anyone with a uniform and a gun can say they are in charge.
• Why Are We More Hungry In The Winter?
  When winter arrives, many of us want to eat more. Some experts say it's a vestige of biology: the drive to hoard calories like chipmunks. Others say it's because we have more opportunities to eat — parties, holiday gatherings and other events of the season.
• For Black Girls, Lack Of Exercise Heightens Obesity Risk
  About half of African-American women in the U.S. are obese, compared to 30 percent of white women. Black women not only carry more weight, but they start piling on extra pounds years before their white counterparts. Around age 8 or 9, girls become less active, and the decline is steepest for black girls.
• Saudi Prince Buys Stake In Twitter
  Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is investing $300 million in Twitter. The man Time magazine calls the "Arabian Warren Buffett" says he looks to invest in, "promising, high-growth businesses with a global impact," like Twitter. Prince Alwaleed has been ranked the richest Arab.
• Favorite Social Media Tools For 2011
  New websites make it easier for people to share not just thoughts, but things like music, photos, favorite recipes and magazine clips. Linda Wertheimer talks to Sree Sreenivasan, digital media professor and dean of student affairs at Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, about notable social media tools that cropped up in 2011.
• Necktie Trading Leads To Netflix-Like Business
  A year ago, former IBM consultant Zac Gittens and his friends realized they could expand their professional wardrobes by pooling their resources. Their tie-trading worked so well for them, they left their jobs and last month launched Tie Society, which operates out of a Washington, D.C townhouse.

Resources

• Marketplace Tech Report®
• Marketplace Morning Report®
• Mark Seeley's WeatherTalk

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories