Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Minneapolis budget to refocus on roads and bridges
  Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak says the I-35W bridge collapse is a reminder that the city needs to spend more on maintaining its roads, bridges and sidewalks.5:20 p.m.
• Fallen bridge takes toll on some nearby businesses
  Businesses near the collapsed I-35W bridge in Minneapolis are experiencing a mixed bag of effects from the rerouting of traffic in the area.5:23 p.m.
• Other states' experiences inform debate over bridge rebuild timeline
  State lawmakers weighed in on the design of the new I-35W bridge at a joint legislative hearing Wednesday. A large part of the hearing focused on the accelerated timeline of the rebuild.5:50 p.m.
• Poet Louis Jenkins writes about life 'North of the Cities'
  Duluth poet Louis Jenkins writes prose poems -- short paragraphs that turn everyday life into sparkling bits of homespun philosophy and sardonic humor. His new collection is "North of the Cities."5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Russian Town Offers Rewards for Baby-Making
  Russia's birth rate is declining, and the government is experimenting with some creative measures to turn that statistic around. Georgetown University professor emeritus Murray Feschback talks with Michele Norris.
• Mine Owner Insists that Quake Led to Collapse
  Robert Murray, co-owner of the Utah coal mine where six men remain trapped, insists that the Aug. 6 cave-in was prompted by an earthquake. Other mine owners have made similar claims, but experts say such collapses are rarely prompted by acts of nature.
• What Can Satellites Do for Domestic Spying?
  John Pike, director and founder of GlobalSecurity.org, talks with Robert Siegel about the capability of satellites that will be used by Homeland Security to spy within the United States.
• NBA Ref Pleads Guilty, Faces 25 Years in Prison
  Former referee Tim Donaghy has pleaded guilty to felony charges for causing a betting scandal that devastated the NBA. Donaghy faces a maximum of 25 years in prison when he is sentenced. He was released on a $250,000 bond.
• The Downside of Hope
  Dr. Darshak Sanghavi talks about how a particular human emotion made him act irrationally in the face of his father's impending death.
• Victim's Family Reaches Deal on O.J. Simpson Book
  The family of stabbing victim Ron Goldman announced a deal Wednesday to repackage and publish O.J. Simpson's book If I Did It. The publisher is Beaufort Books.
• Will Terrorist Label Change U.S.-Iran Relations?
  The United States reportedly will label the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a foreign terrorist organization. Philip Zelikow, who was until recently a counselor of the State Department, talks about the significance of the reports.
• U.S. May Add Iran's Army to List of Terrorist Groups
  The State Department is reportedly preparing to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, or part of it, as a terrorist group, allowing U.S. financial officials to take action against businesses with ties to it. It's not clear what practical effect the designation would have.
• Homeowners Aiming to Refinance Hit Mortgage Rut
  Mortgage applications have risen for the second straight week, with borrowers getting out of adjustable-rate loans in a bid to escape volatility in the financial markets. But mortgage-industry troubles are hanging up homeowners seeking to refinance.
• Are Costs of Business in China Overtaking Benefits?
  Many companies are reassessing the cost of doing business in China. They now have to add a whole host of testing, litigation and recall costs. Still, China's advantages are great. What would make China truly too pricey, or too risky, for business?
• Steroids Case Spreads from Docs to Medics, Police
  Dozens of Phoenix firefighters and police officers have been caught up in a federal investigation of illegal steroid use. The DEA investigation originally involved only the doctors distributing the steroids but has expanded to include many first responders.
• The Comfort of a Child's Breath
  Listener and child lung doctor Mark Brown of Tucson, Ariz., marvels in the sound of normal breathing. He says his job has him listening for abnormal sounds, but since his own health has been bad, it's the normal that amazes him.
• Wildfires Ignite Worries for Colorado Woman
  Large wildfires in Montana, Idaho and elsewhere in the West are blackening forests and forcing residents from their homes. On an isolated mesa in Colorado, commentator Michelle Nijhuis wonders whether to pack her suitcases.
• 'Septembers of Shiraz' a First Novel, Set in Tehran
  Dalia Sofer has published a first novel — set in Tehran, two years after the overthrow of the monarchy there. It's called The Septembers of Shiraz.
• Gleaming Hindu Temple to Open in Atlanta Suburb
  After a year and a half of painstaking construction, one of the world's largest Hindu temples opens this month in Lilburn, an Atlanta suburb. Thousands of people from across the country are expected to come for its dedication.

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