Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• The tax bill: All or nothing at all
  Lobbyists and others are waiting to see if Gov. Pawlenty vetoes a tax bill that passed the Legislature in the last minutes of the 2007 session. A lot of pet projects are at stake.5:20 p.m.
• Rising gas prices cause hardship for low-income drivers
  Rising gas prices will hit all of us. Even people who don't drive see the costs of things go up. For those people who work at low-paying jobs or live on a fixed income, the increase can be harder to bear.5:52 p.m.
• Wahpeton soldier killed in Iraq
  A soldier from eastern North Dakota died Tuesday in Iraq. David Kuehl, 27, attended high school in Wahpeton before joining the Army.5:56 p.m.
• Heffelfinger: 'Shame on them'
  Former Minnesota U.S. Attorney Thomas Heffelfinger is blasting officials in the Justice Department. His comments came in response to testimony from a former Justice Department official at a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee.6:20 p.m.
• A real bread winner
  The Turtle Bread Co. is known as one of the best bakeries in the Twin Cities. Now, its head baker could be named one of the best in the world.6:23 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• U.S. General: Search Persists for Missing GIs
  The U.S. military is reporting that it has in its custody the body of an American soldier, believed to be one of the three missing since May 12. The soldier has not yet been identified. The search for the other missing U.S. soldiers continues, Maj. Gen. William Caldwell tells NPR's Robert Siegel.
• New U.S. Strategy in Iraq Includes Talking to Sects
  A new strategy is being developed by U.S. officials in Iraq. Elements of the plan include almost doubling the size of the Iraqi army, keeping certain territory under U.S. control longer, and negotiating with sectarian groups. The U.S. also wants a more intense effort to remove what they call "bad actors" from the Iraqi government.
• Bush's Handling of Iraq War Funding Bill Shows Skill
  In the struggle over Iraq war funding, the Bush administration played a weak hand with very great skill.
• China-U.S. Trade Talks Come to a Close
  U.S. and Chinese officials wrap up high-level economic talks in Washington. The discussions are focusing on China's huge trade surplus with the U.S. and its implications for both countries.
• The Family That Rounds Up Together...
  A big part of the ranching ethic is the yearly cattle roundup, when ranchers gather the herd, separate the calves, and inoculate and brand the animals. Some families have picnics or play softball at the reunions. One family has been getting together for roundups in South Dakota for five generations.
• Foreclosures Hit Hard in Minneapolis Neighborhood
  A high concentration of foreclosures has created problems for businesses and homeowners in a Minneapolis neighborhood. Observers say similar difficulties could be in store for other communities, partly as a result of subprime lending abuses.
• New York City's Boat Basin Gets a Reprieve
  For nearly half a century, New York City has been home to a hearty band of house-boaters. They live year-round in the 79th Street Boat Basin, enduring choppy seas, frozen pipes, and spotting the occasional floating corpse. They've also fought for the right to stay in their unusual urban village. Recently, the city of New York told most of them they'd be able to stay.
• Getting Primitive: The Sound of a Balsa Raft
  Listener John Haslett recalls his time at sea on a primitive balsa raft off the coast of South America. The Los Angeles resident submits this SoundClip.
• Endangered Alaskan Language Goes Digital
  Inupiaq, the language spoken by the Inupiat people of Northern Alaska, is both complex and endangered. Rosetta Stone, a Virginia-based company that produces multimedia language courses, has worked with older speakers to prepare materials to help preserve Inupiaq. Martha Woodroof reports from member station WMRA.
• At Commencement, Getting the Names Right
  Since 1996, Rose Marie Beebe, a Spanish literature professor at Santa Clara University near San Jose, Calif., has been responsible for reading the names of graduates from Santa Clara's college of arts and sciences. Those names aren't all "Smith" or "Jones." Try Dana Keali'nuipi'ilaniomaui Creston Wolfe.

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