Gambling on iPads boots up
Minnesota is about to find out if a new way of gambling will really help pay for the Minnesota Vikings' new stadium. Voter ID proponents say they want to stop election fraud, but studies show that such fraud is practically non-existent. A new high school in Rochester is helping non-traditional students get a leg up in medical and technology education. And Mitt Romney is defending his controversial comments about Americans who use government services. Romney first:
The 47 percent
Already scrambling to steady a struggling campaign, Republican Mitt Romney confronted a new headache Monday after a video surfaced showing him telling wealthy donors that almost half of all Americans "believe they are victims" entitled to extensive government support.
Kick the ball down the field
In a second clip, Romney suggests Mideast peace is a hopeless cause. "You hope for some degree of stability, but you recognize that this is going to remain an unsolved problem. And we kick the ball down the field and hope that ultimately, somehow, something will happen and resolve it," Romney said.
What is the role of government?
Romney offered no apologies, conceding the comments were not "elegantly stated" and were spoken "off the cuff." The Republican presidential nominee said the remarks showed a contrast between President Barack Obama's "government-centered society" and his belief in a "free-market approach." David Callahan, co-founder and senior fellow at Demos, joined The Daily Circuit today to discuss the issue.
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Would voter ID amendment really prevent fraud?
Public opinion polls have consistently shown strong support for a proposed constitutional amendment that would require Minnesotans show photo identification in to vote. But studies show that the kind of fraud this amendment addresses is virtually non-existent.
Pull-tab gambling approved
The Minnesota Gambling Control Board approved electronic pull-tab gambling this morning. A new iPad-based version of the traditional pull-tab games could start today at bars and restaurants that run charitable gambling. The Legislature is hoping revenues from the games will help pay for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium.
Rochester bets on a non-traditional school
Housed in a brown, brick building that used to be a Baptist church in southwest Rochester, the STEM Academy aims to better serve students who have struggled elsewhere by offering small classes and by instilling confidence in core areas.
Lynx finally go to the White House
The Minnesota Lynx won the WNBA championship title last October after sweeping the Atlanta Dream in three games. But with three Lynx players in the Olympics this summer and President Barack Obama's busy schedule, the team could not schedule a meeting until today -- nearly a year after winning the WNBA championship.
How Chicago and Minnesota teachers' contracts differ
One major issue remaining to be solved in the ongoing Chicago teachers' strike is how the district will evaluate teachers - and how test scores and other measures of achievements will be used within those evaluations. In Minnesota, every district in the state is preparing to have a similar system in place; state law requires the systems to be in place by the 2014-15 school year.
Wild offer refunds
The Minnesota Wild is offering season ticket holders credit, plus interest, if games are canceled as a result of the National Hockey League's labor dispute. The NHL locked players out late Saturday after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract.
No wallet? No problem. There's an app for that
When Jon Fischer stops by Royal Grounds Coffee in south Minneapolis, he doesn't have to bother to bring his wallet -- or even cash. An application on Fischer's iPhone tells him what he owes for his small iced Americano. With a finger tap, Fischer sends his debit card information to the iPad that the shop uses as a cash register. And that's it. He's paid up.
New series: Art Heroes
We have a new series on Minnesota Public Radio News called "Art Heroes," stories about some of Minnesota's finest artists who are also exceptional community leaders. These are not just artists who do a charitable project on the side, but have made it their passion and life's work. Our first profile is of Ananya Chatterjea, the founder and artistic director of Ananya Dance Theatre.
Heralding the Jewish new year
The two-day Rosh Hashana holiday, which began at sundown on Sunday, commemorates the creation of the world in the Jewish calendar. It's ushered in with prayers and the blowing of a shofar, a horn carved from a kosher animal. The holiday also begins a 10-day period of introspection culminating with Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement. Minnesota Sounds and Vices reporter Dan Olson visited a St. Paul school to learn how the shofar tradition is being passed to a new generation.
