Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• N.M. Kelby says her new novel is partly autobiographical
  N.M. Kelby writes mysteries set in small Florida towns. She spent 20 years living in Minnesota before that, though, and says some of the stranger parts of the stories have Minnesota roots.4:50 p.m.
• Delta, Northwest pilots reach tentative deal
  Delta Air Lines has apparently removed a major impediment to its proposed merger with Eagan-based Northwest Airlines. Delta announced this afternoon it has reached a tentative contract settlement with Northwest pilots.4:54 p.m.
• Suspect fatally wounded in Little Falls standoff
  The Morrison County Government Center in Little Falls is expected to reopen today after a frightening incident yesterday. A man was shot and killed after taking hostages during a county commission meeting.5:20 p.m.
• Range boom triggers housing concerns
  A new study points to a potential big housing boom on the Iron Range -- if a handful of large new mining and power projects take off.5:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Freight Trains Thrive Despite High Fuel Prices
  Despite skyrocketing oil prices, freight railroads are thriving. They are taking advantage of their greater fuel efficiency to haul more goods across the country. And they've mounted an aggressive marketing campaign to take even more.
• McCain Adviser: GOP Must Address Climate Change
  John McCain's campaign co-chairman says the Republican Party needs to tackle issues such as climate change and energy conservation if it is to appeal to voters in key swing states. Gov. Tim Pawlenty says McCain, with his maverick reputation, is the candidate to freshen up the GOP brand.
• Clinton Returns to Senate
  Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) returned to Congress Tuesday for the first time since she suspended her presidential campaign. On Friday, she will appear with Barack Obama — her onetime rival for the Democratic presidential nomination — in New Hampshire.
• Americans Among Dead in Iraq Blast
  Four Americans were among at least nine people killed in a bomb blast at a municipal government office in Baghdad's Sadr City neighborhood on Tuesday. The U.S. military blamed Iran-backed Shiite militants for the bombing.
• Against the Odds, Injured Soldier Returning to Duty
  Up to 20 percent of soldiers who have fought in Iraq say they sustained a brain injury. Most with a severe brain injury never return to active duty. Army Spc. Freddy Meyers was shot in the head last May and initially could neither talk nor walk. Now he wants to go back to duty.
• Up to 800 Wildfires Burn in Calif.
  More than 800 wildfires across Northern California have been sparked by over 5,000 lightning strikes, prompting a plea for help. Paul Van Gerwen, battalion chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, talks about how the fires are being tackled.
• Angora Blaze Victims Face Tough Building Codes
  More than 200 homes were lost in last year's Angora Fire in scenic South Lake Tahoe. The community is rebuilding quickly but now faces tough new building codes, requiring fire-safe construction methods. Tamara Keith reports from member station KQED.
• Laptops Help Keep Migrant Workers' Kids in School
  Immokalee, Fla., is the largest center for migrant farmworkers on the East Coast. Juan Medina, a former agricultural worker, is part of a town effort to help the children of migrant farmworkers in school. His new tool is free laptops.
• Evangelical Leader Blasts 2006 Obama Speech
  Evangelical leader James Dobson says a 2006 speech made by Barack Obama was "distorting" the Bible and offered a "fruitcake" interpretation of the Constitution. His comments come as the Democratic presidential hopeful tries to woo evangelical voters.
• The Mystery and Power of the Itch
  Just thinking about itching makes you itch. In The New Yorker, Dr. Atul Gawande, a surgeon, writes about some itching horror stories, including the case of a woman who scratched through her skull and into her brain.

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