All Things Considered for June 23, 2008 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Monday, June 23, 2008

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

Autistic man recovering well after a week lost in the woods
Doctors at the University of Minnesota Hospital say a 25-year old autistic man is lucky to be alive today after spending a week in the woods of northwestern Wisconsin.5:20 p.m.
Special search software helps locate missing man
Hundreds of volunteers, in addition to search dogs, planes, helicopters and ATVs, helped authorities search for Keith Kennedy, a 25-year old autistic man who was lost for one week in the Wisconsin woods.5:24 p.m.
Some Minnesota cities don't like their 'LGA surprise'
At the end of this year's legislative session, Minnesota cities were happy when they were told they'd get a big increase in local government aid. Now, some cities are surprised to learn they won't be getting the state aid dollars they expected.5:50 p.m.
Mattress recycling keeps box springs out of the landfill
One of the bigger problems for landfills is as close as the bedroom. Mattresses and box springs take up a lot of room, and the springs create problems for landfill equipment.5:54 p.m.
Jeune Lune closing concerns arts community
Internationally acclaimed Minneapolis-based Theatre de la Jeune Lune announced this weekend it's calling it quits because of mounting debts. The news is causing members of the arts community to look back and look forward.6:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Soaring Oil Prices Put Focus on Speculators
There have been a lot of explanations offered for the doubling of crude oil prices over the last year: a weak dollar, strong demand overseas, greedy oil companies, a stubborn OPEC. The latest culprit singled out on Capitol Hill and the campaign trail is oil speculators.
Offshore Drilling May Have Little Effect on Oil Prices
President Bush is pushing offshore drilling as a way to increase production and cut oil prices. Robert Siegel talks to Henry Lee, director of the Environment and Natural Resources Program at Harvard University, who says offshore drilling may not have an immediate impact.
Alternatives to Oil Also Costly
The record high price of heating oil has New Englanders worried about how they'll keep warm next winter. They are installing wood-burning stoves and stocking up on firewood. But they are finding high oil prices drive up the cost of the alternatives, too. David Darman of New Hampshire Public Radio reports.
South Korea Tackles Multiculturalism
In recent years, the number of rural and low-income South Korean men who have married foreign women has exploded. The government and civil society have responded by opening schools to help these "marriage migrants" learn to become South Koreans.
Here Come the Brides: Three Books About Weddings
Growing up in Yazoo City, Miss., Caroline Langston started her lifelong obsession with weddings — especially those of the Southern variety — at an early age. Here are her three books with brides, bouquets and shrimp remoulade.
Mississippi River Reclaims Floodplain in Parts of Mo.
Missouri forecasters said Monday the flooded Mississippi River is about to stop rising. But that news may come too late for some towns. In rural Lincoln County, virtually all of the region's primary levees failed, causing the river to reclaim tens of thousands of acres of floodplain. Adam Allington reports from member station KWMU in St. Louis.
Iowa Farming Couple Escapes Floods, But Not Worry
The Griffieon family's Ankeny, Iowa, farm avoided the floods that devastated much of the Midwest. But the disaster has driven up food prices, and the Griffieons worry about their role in the crisis — and whether it's ethical to sell their corn for ethanol.
Future of AIDS Funding at Stake in Senate
For months, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) has led a group of senators blocking a vote on a global AIDS bill that would increase funding to $50 billion over the next five years. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) says lawmakers must reach a compromise by Tuesday, or else President Bush will head to the G8 summit empty-handed.
Valle Giulia Has Taken On Mythological Stature
Forty years ago, there were protests in many European countries. But perhaps the longest and most complex movement was in Italy. During the battle of Valle Giulia, the meadow in front of Rome University's school of architecture, some 4,000 students confronted police. By early 1968, most Italian universities were occupied.
U.S. Blasts Mugabe on Zimbabwe Violence
In Zimbabwe, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has taken refuge in the Dutch Embassy after dropping out of Friday's presidential run-offs. The U.S. Monday condemned President Robert Mugabe's supporters and said his government cannot be considered legitimate in the absence of a run-off.