Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Cirque de Soleil influence ripples through Minnesota performers
  The upcoming Cirque de Soleil performance is of special significance to the growing number of Minnesotans who are honing their own circus skills.6:50 a.m.
• Weather with Mark Seeley
  University of Minnesota climatologist Mark Seeley discusses Minnesota weather history and looks ahead to the weekend forecast.6:55 a.m.
• Mission to the moon possible for former Minnesotan
  Former Minneapolis resident, and graduate of St. John's University in Collegeville, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Vande Hei has been accepted into NASA's 2009 class of astronauts. That means he could be on a mission to the moon, where NASA wants to go in about a decade.7:40 a.m.
• Patriotic stories from the people
  Heading into this 4th of July weekend, producer Curtis Gilbert has been collecting patriotic stories. This week, he took a stroll around Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, and asked all the people he met to tell him about a time they felt proud to live in the United States.7:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• In Defense Of The Flag (Sewn For History Class)
  Bob Heft, who sewed the 50-state flag as a high schooler, received a B- for his project. Heft's history teacher accused him of not knowing how many states were in the union at the time. The teacher changed the grade when the design was accepted by Congress.
• Reading Of The Declaration Of Independence
  Twenty-one years ago, Morning Edition launched what has become an Independence Day tradition: hosts, reporters, newscasters and commentators reading the Declaration of Independence.
• Marines Press Hard Across Southern Afghanistan
  Thousands of U.S. Marines are digging in for a drawn-out campaign in southern Afghanistan aimed at ousting the Taliban. It's the largest operation launched by American troops since the fall of the Taliban government in 2001. The immediate goal is to drive out insurgents before next month's presidential elections.
• Georgia Peaches: A Ripe Legacy
  Some have tried to challenge Georgia as the "Peach State," to no avail. For Duke Lane Jr., who runs a 100-year-old peach orchard in Fort Valley, it's hard to beat the taste of a Georgia peach. People just know to look for Georgia peaches, Lane says.
• Tour De France: Armstrong Ready To Ride
  The Tour de France starts Saturday in Monaco and finishes July 26 in Paris. The race's image has been severely damaged by numerous doping scandals in recent years. Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong is back for this year's race. Armstrong has been fighting doping allegations for years.
• Cyclist, Journalist: Thoughts On Tour De France
  Jim Coon is a recreational cyclist in Portland, Oregon, who says he's bothered by reports of doping in the the Tour de France — but doesn't focus on the issue. Veteran cycling journalist Joe Lindsey says he has to focus on the charges of doping because of his job covering the race.
• Apple Warns Some iPhones May Have Heat Issues
  Apple Inc. has issued an advisory that some 3G and 3GS iPhones may not do well in hot conditions. Apple is telling owners to keep the phones in places where the temperature is below 95 degrees.
• FDIC Closes 1 Banks In Texas, 6 In Illinois
  Seven banks were shut down Thursday — pushing the total number of banks that have failed this year to 52. The year is just half over, and already the figure is more than double what it was for all of 2008. Back in 2007, only three banks failed.
• Author Offers Advice For First-Time Job Hunters
  David Greene talks with Ellen Gordon Reeves about her new book Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? It's advice for young people who are job searching for the first time.
• OAS Demands Honduras Restore Ousted President
  The Organization of American States has set Saturday as the deadline by which Manuel Zelaya be returned to power. OAS chief Jose Miguel Insulza is scheduled to arrive in Honduras on Friday to push for the ousted leader's reinstatement.
• Mortgage-Burning Parties Almost Extinct
  When's the last time you went to a mortgage-burning party? Do people even pay off their 30-year mortgages anymore? NPR's Planet Money team went on a mission to find out.
• Heavy Job Loss Prompts Stimulus Criticism
  The surprising loss of 467,000 jobs in June, far more than expected, is fueling Republican criticism of the Obama administration's stimulus program. After the numbers were announced Thursday, President Obama called the huge job losses sobering. The continuing fallout in the labor market is causing problems in the housing sector, and vice versa.
• Visiting Sen. Grassley At Home in Iowa
  Congress returns to Washington next week with health care on its mind. President Obama and the Democrats agree with Republicans that legislation overhauling health care should be bipartisan. And there may be no stronger advocate for bipartisanship on health care than Senator Chuck Grassley, the top Republican on the Finance Committee.
• Bush To Visit Woodward, Okla., On July 4th
  Residents of a small town in Oklahoma invited former President George W. Bush to their Fourth of July festivities. No one in Woodward really expected he'd show up. But he will, and now the town of 12,000 is scrambling to prepare.
• New Zealand Airline Issues Nude Safety Video
  Flight attendants and pilots at Air New Zealand recorded a new safety video — naked. They're in full-body paint that just looks like uniforms. The airline calls the video "The Bare Essentials of Safety."

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