Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Anniversary of 19th Amendment a reminder of importance of voting rights
  For most of us voting is integral to being a citizen, whether we exercise that right or not. The importance of having the vote is perhaps most evident to those who don't have it.4:45 p.m.
• Duluth nurses voting on contract offer, one-day strike
  More than 1,300 Duluth nurses are voting today on final contract offers from the city's two hospital groups.5:19 p.m.
• Judge: Accused still need public defenders, but bill the state
  A Steele County district judge has denied a request from overworked public defenders in southeastern Minnesota to reduce their caseload, but he said the chief public defender could hire private attorneys and bill the state.5:24 p.m.
• Favre's second coming: Super Bowl or bust
  Brett Favre says the strong chance of playing in another Super Bowl brought him back to the Minnesota Vikings -- again. He also said that no matter what, this will be his last season.5:51 p.m.
• College sports not immune from budget cuts
  St. Cloud State University is considering cutting its football program and other sports as it deals with a budget shortfall.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Can U.S. Take The Heat Of Canada's Oil Practices?
  Canada, the largest supplier of oil to the United States, is relying more heavily on controversial techniques to extract crude from its oil sands deposits. One of the methods includes pumping 500-degree steam underground to melt the oil and force it to percolate to the surface.
• Israel Removes Wall, Palestinians Remain Wary
  The Israeli army this week began removing a concrete security barrier shielding the southeast Jerusalem settlement of Gilo, a sign of the relative calm in recent years. The barrier predates the larger separation barrier in the West Bank. While Israeli officials are calling the move significant, Palestinians say it is largely cosmetic.
• In South Africa, A Nice Year For 'White Wedding'
  Hollywood wedding movies are about as predictable as a white dress. But change the film's setting to South Africa, and things get a little more interesting. The star and the director of White Wedding, South Africa's official entry for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, discuss their film with NPR's Michele Norris.
• Calls of 'Shark!' Bring Caution, Smiles To Beach
  The appearance of great white sharks in shallow waters off Cape Cod is forcing coastal towns to close areas to swimming. But unlike in the movies, many residents welcome the sharks. They're good for both science and local businesses.
• Archaeologists Discover Civil War Artifacts In Georgia
  Archaeologists said Wednesday they have found potentially hundreds of Civil War artifacts at a site in Millen, Ga. Items like buttons, buckles, jewelry and coins were left behind as Union prisoners and their Confederate captors fled Camp Lawton during Gen. William Sherman's march toward Savannah in 1864.
• Hospital Trains Focus On Ending Cycle Of Violence
  Hospital emergency rooms are filled with the fallout of violent crime. Sometimes, the victims and the perpetrators are one and the same. It's a cycle of violence many would like to end. At the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, doctors and others have developed an outreach program that appears to be working, and it has been modeled by others.
• Mexico Slaps Tariff On U.S. Products In Truck Dispute
  Mexico slapped new tariffs on some U.S. pork and cheese products on Wednesday, the latest in a long-running spat between the two nations over U.S. refusal to permit Mexican truckers to cross the border. It's a tough problem for President Obama, who sees expanded trade as a key to economic growth.
• Summer Jobs: Enterprise
  Today's summer job stories are about the moment young people turned into young capitalists. NPR's Robert Siegel reads a story from listener William Caldwell of Brentwood, Tenn., about how he earned $500 catching fireflies one summer. And listener Stacy Jackson of Denver recounts seizing opportunity at a gas line during the Arab oil embargo of 1973.
• Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Gives Big To GOP
  The owner of Fox News and The Wall Street Journal, has given $1 million to the Republican Governors Association, making it one of the largest corporate donors to the GOP this election season.
• Bloomberg Busy Backing Candidates Of Both Parties
  The New York City mayor, an independent, has been giving his blessing to Democrats and Republicans he believes are on New York's side when it comes to key issues, such as gun control.

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