Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Jonis Agee imagines criminal life on the Mississippi
  Author Jonis Agee's new novel, "The River Wife," actually tells the story of several wives, five generations of women who live on a piece of land on the Mississippi River in southern Missouri.4:50 p.m.
• Federal minimum wage goes up; push is on for raise in Minnesota
  As many as 83,000 workers in Minnesota received a bump in wages Tuesday. That's because the federal minimum wage increased 70 cents to $5.85. Supporters say they will now lobby the state Legislature to increase Minnesota's minimum wage even more.5:20 p.m.
• Chanhassen restricts water usage
  The city of Chanhassen has banned the use of sprinklers and irrigation systems because of the recent hot and dry conditions. Chanhassen is in a part of the state that has been hit particularly hard.5:24 p.m.
• NWA flight cancellations tick up again
  Flight cancellations have edged up again at Northwest Airlines. Towards the end of June, Northwest cancelled around 12 percent of its flights. Northwest saw another increase in cancellations this past weekend.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Revelations, Contradictions in Gonzales Testimony
  Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' testimony before a Senate panel Tuesday didn't shed anymore light on why federal prosecutors were dismissed, but it brought new revelations about domestic spying — and more apparent contradictions.
• Bush in S.C.: Al-Qaida in Iraq Is Prime Enemy
  President Bush visits an Air Force base near Charleston, S.C. — talking up the threat from al-Qaida in Iraq as the main feature of the Iraq war. A national poll Tuesday shows nearly seven out of 10 Americans disapprove of his handling of the war.
• Army Major Faces Prison on Bribery Charges
  An Army major is in jail, awaiting a hearing Wednesday in San Antonio on charges that he accepted up to $10 million in bribes from Defense Department contractors seeking to do business in Iraq and Kuwait. Maj. John Cockerham and his wife, Melissa, face up to 40 years in prison.
• Bilingual Teen Torn Between Family Duties, Youth
  Teenager Sara Martinez has to look after her autistic younger brother, and serves as a translator for her parents, who speak limited English. In a story produced for member station WNYC's Radio Rookies program, Martinez talks about her daily life and the frustrations of growing up too soon.
• Did Web's Role Shape Debate, or Was It a Gimmick?
  In Monday's Democratic presidential candidate debate, YouTube users posted questions for the candidates and then responded to the candidates' answers. But did the videos have an impact on the tenor of the debate, or were they just a gimmick?
• S.C. Voters Weigh In on YouTube Format
  About half of the South Carolina's Democratic voters are black — far more than in any other early-voting state — and they're fully aware of their importance in the election. Black voters from Charleston watched Monday's candidate debate and offered feedback.
• Ice Blocks Help New York Office Cut Energy Bill
  Credit Suisse uses a supplemental system to keep its New York City offices cool. It makes large blocks of ice at night, then uses cool air from the blocks to maintain a comfy 74 degrees in the offices during the day. William Beck, the head of critical engineering systems for Credit Suisse, talks with Robert Siegel.
• Protest Raised over New Tests of Naval Sonar
  Federal regulators near a decision on whether to allow the Navy to test a new sonar, renewing tensions in a long-running fight over whether the sonar hurts whales.
• Rumblings from Underwater Giants
  Dan O'Connor of Papaikou, Hawaii, plays recordings he made of underwater volcanoes and visiting whales.
• U.S., Iraq, Iran to Form Panel on Iraq Recovery
  The U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker met for seven hours in Baghdad with his Iranian counterpart. Crocker says the United States, Iran and Iraq have agreed to set up a security subcommittee to carry forward talks on restoring stability in Iraq.

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