Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• In sparsely populated districts, TV hearings save money
  District Judge Jerry Seibel rides a circuit to preside over cases throughout western Minnesota. Increasingly, that means turning on the TV and manning a remote control.3:49 p.m.
• State fair officials take precaution to avoid swine flu outbreak
  There haven't been any reported cases in Minnesota yet, but more than 150 people nationwide have already gotten sick this summer with the newest strain of swine flu. It was mostly spread from county fairs in Indiana and Ohio.3:54 p.m.
• Art Hounds
  Each week Minnesota Public Radio News asks three people from the Minnesota arts scene to be "Art Hounds." Their job is to step outside their own work and hunt down something exciting that's going on in local arts.4:45 p.m.
• State workers say they unfairly lost health benefits
  At least 20 state employees and the state's largest public employee union are complaining that the state's decision to cut off 3,100 people from the state health insurance program is overreaching.5:20 p.m.
• Minn. ranks high in nation for cost of center-based child care
  Minnesota ranks near the bottom in the country for affordable center-based child care, according to a study released today.5:24 p.m.
• In sparsely populated districts, TV hearings save money
  District Judge Jerry Seibel rides a circuit to preside over cases throughout western Minnesota. Increasingly, that means turning on the TV and manning a remote control.5:50 p.m.
• State fair officials take precaution to avoid swine flu outbreak
  There haven't been any reported cases in Minnesota yet, but more than 150 people nationwide have already gotten sick this summer with the newest strain of swine flu. It was mostly spread from county fairs in Indiana and Ohio.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• When This Oil Spills, It's 'A Whole New Monster'
  What could be worse than a ruptured pipeline of crude oil? A ruptured pipeline of tar sands oil — a thick, sticky substance. Cleanup of a 2010 spill in Michigan's Kalamazoo River took much longer and was far harder than anyone had anticipated. It's now a cautionary tale for people in the middle of the new Keystone pipeline's path.
• CDC Recommends Hepatitis C Testing For All Boomers
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a sweeping testing recommendation official amid growing concern about the estimated 2 million baby boomers infected with the virus, which can cause cirrhosis and liver cancer.
• Recording Hepatitis C: A Patient's Treatment Journal
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends all baby boomers get tested for Hepatitis C. The infection, which one in 30 boomers is expected to have, causes serious liver disease, including cancer. It's treatable, but even that is a serious endeavor, involving months of heavy medicines that are taxing on the body. Melissa Block talks with Ana Johnson of San Marcos, Texas, who kept a video journal of her experience with treatment.
• Attack In Pakistan Puts Government On Defense
  Taliban militants in suicide belts early Thursday attacked a Pakistani air base, where some of the country's nuclear weapons may possibly be kept. The home-turf assault comes as Pakistani forces prepare an operation in tribal areas and shows how militants remain on the offensive, able to attack the military even where it's most secure. NPR's Lauren Frayer reports from Islamabad.
• Drivers Wonder Where Price Of Gas Will Go Next
  The price of gas has been on a roller coaster this year. After a brief dip in early summer, the average price per gallon is back on the upswing. That's left many consumers wondering if prices will go even higher, but some analysts expect the most recent spike to be relatively short-lived.
• Is 'Deferred Action' A Real Change For Ariz. Youth?
  Wednesday, the U.S. government began a program to temporarily delay deportation for some undocumented youth. In response, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed an executive order denying public benefits to those granted deferred action. Melissa Block talks with undocumented activist Daniel Rodriguez about what deferred-action status will actually change for young people like himself in Arizona.
• Mariners Capture Coveted Picture-Perfect Game
  Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez threw a perfect game Wednesday in a 1 to 0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rays. That makes it the third perfect game this season. Melissa Block has more.
• Beyond The Soundbite: Biden's 'Chains' Speech
  Vice President Joe Biden has taken a lot of heat from the Romney campaign for telling a predominantly black audience that Romney would unchain Wall Street and put them back in chains. He made the remarks in Danville, Va., Tuesday. Here's a longer part of that speech that's gotten less airplay.
• Corb Lund Built This Album With His Own Two Hands
  Rural living isn't easy, as he shows on Cabin Fever, and that's why it makes for such great songs.
• WikiLeaks Founder Caught In Diplomatic Standoff
  The diplomatic duel over Australian WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange intensified with Britain and Ecuador battling over his future. Ecuador says it will give Assange asylum. For now, he's holed up in Ecuador's London embassy. Britain says it wants Assange extradited to Sweden, where he's wanted over a rape allegation.

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