Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• First lady visits scene of Minneapolis bridge collapse
  First lady Laura Bush on Friday surveyed the wreckage of an interstate bridge that collapsed Wednesday into the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis, and praised those to rushed to help the wounded.4:50 p.m.
• Molnau gets defensive; Pawlenty may give in on gas tax increase
  An emotional Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau Friday defended the actions of the state transportation department she leads. At the same time, Gov. Pawlenty opened the door to raising the state's gas tax to pay for road and bridge improvements -- something he has steadfastly resisted in the past.5:10 p.m.
• Fifth victim identified while searchers struggle with poor conditions
  Hennepin County officials have identified the fifth victim of the I-35W bridge collapse. He is Paul Eicksadt of Mounds View, whose semi trailer truck was crushed by the falling bridge. Searchers continue to look for other victims in the murky river.5:14 p.m.
• Victims bound together by bad timing
  Their careers brought them into the city. The Interstate 35W bridge was supposed to carry them out. But they were stuck in rush-hour traffic in the worst possible place at the worst possible time, and now at least 10 children are waiting for parents who will never arrive.5:41 p.m.
• Suddenly neighborhoods have a freeway in the backyard
  The I-35W bridge collapse inflicted a heavy blow on the Twin Cities fragile highway system. Now the traffic volume of an 8-lane interstate will be pushed to smaller roads like Highway 280 and maybe to already congested side streets in neighborhoods nearby.5:44 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• NTSB Chairman on the Bridge Investigation
  National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark Rosenker is in Minneapolis investigating what caused the bridge to collapse and how the safety of the nation's bridges should be determined in the future. Rosenker talks with Michel Norris.
• Police Revise Number of Missing in Bridge Collapse
  Fears that the death toll would rise dramatically as workers searched through the wreckage of the Interstate 35 West bridge were eased Friday as authorities in Minneapolis lowered the number of missing from 30 to eight.
• Unhappy Paradise in 'The Descendants'
  Kaui Hart Hemmings' first novel, set in Hawaii, recalls that first line of Anna Karenina: that "happy families are all alike, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." In this case, it's a family as wealthy as it is unhappy.
• Summer Food: Cool Treats for Rising Temperatures
  Just as the Mister Softee jingle emanating from ice cream trucks provides the soundtrack for many a summer memory, so do the icy treats it advertises mean "summer food" for many listeners. We hear stories of "water ice," frosty chocolate malts and peach milk shakes.
• Iraq's Soccer Win Can't Escape Sectarianism
  Violence continues in Baghdad, where electricity is strained and water shortages are widespread, but people celebrated Friday — as the national soccer team returned home after winning the Asia Cup. But Sunni players didn't return, saying they feared for their lives.
• Freshmen Lawmakers Weigh In on Iraq after Visits
  U.S. Reps. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and Peter Roskam (R-IL) have both traveled to Iraq recently. They talk about their trips and the effects on their thinking on the Iraq war.
• Gates: Political Developments in Iraq Discouraging
  The Secretary of Defense acknowledged for the first time that the Bush administration might have misjudged the ability of Iraq's political leaders to bring about political reconciliation. It's a stark contrast to the administration's insistence that the "surge" will facilitate reconciliation.
• U.S. Coast Guard Marks a Million Lives Saved
  The U.S. Coast Guard marks more than a million lives saved in a 217th birthday ceremony Saturday. As part of the announcement, the service has released a "Top 10 Rescue Videos" compilation on YouTube and a "Top Ten Coast Guard Rescues" list dating back to 1888. Coast Guard Chief of Public Affairs Jim McPherson describes some of the highlights.
• Proposed Surveillance Powers Stall FISA Update
  The Bush administration wants to allow the attorney general to order secret surveillance of foreign terrorism suspects without going through the FISA court. But Democrats are reluctant to give such power to any attorney general, let alone the incumbent.
• New Album, New Angle for Uncategorizable Kenna
  Kenna is a musician whose sound — a combination of British new wave and hip-hop — had the industry abuzz a few years ago. But his uncategorizable music didn't sell as well as expected. Now, Kenna has a new album out — and a new strategy.
• Colorado Engineer: State Lacks Funds to Fix Bridges
  Mark Leonard, the state bridge engineer at the Colorado Department of Transportation, says more than 100 bridges in the state are in "poor condition," but lack of funding makes replacing them a challenge.
• Bush Plays Host to Karzai for Weekend Talks
  Afghan President Hamid Karzai meets with President Bush at Camp David this weekend. It's the Afghan leader's first visit to the presidential retreat in Maryland, and it comes at a time when Karzai is under growing pressure abroad and at home.
• Swimming Hole Transforms N.Y.'s East River
  A tiny section of New York's notorious East River is now a floating pool complete with a sandy beach and sparkling blue waters. The pool — on a barge — has transformed the pier from a mob-movie cliche to a place to take the kids on a sunny day.
• Republicans Protest as Recess Nears in Congress
  Congress is trying to finish a surveillance bill, an energy bill, emergency funds for Minnesota, Iraq war amendments and a defense spending bill before leaving town this weekend for a monthlong recess. Meanwhile, about 100 House Republicans walked off the floor late Thursday night in protest over a controversial vote on denying rental assistance and other benefits to illegal immigrants. Andrea Seabrook, who is at the Capitol, talks with Michele Norris.
• Editor Shot Dead in Possible Contract Killing
  Oakland Post editor Chauncey Bailey is gunned down in a daylight shooting that police believe was a contract hit. Now, authorities are linking Bailey's death to an ongoing story he was doing on a well-known Muslim bakery in Oakland and the group that runs it.

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