Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Traffic problems expected to increase in wake of collapse
  Commuters are heading into their second day re-routed onto an emergency detour around the I-35W bridge that collapsed over the Mississippi River Wednesday.4:40 p.m.
• Search hampered by river conditions; bridge conditions under scrutiny
  Divers searched the Mississippi River Thursday for bodies still trapped beneath the twisted debris of a collapsed bridge, as finger-pointing began over a report two years ago that found the bridge was "structurally deficient."5:04 p.m.
• Authorities identify four victims, other families wait for word
  The four known victims of the I-35W bridge collapse have now been identified. Anxious families are waiting at a hotel in Minneapolis for word on their missing loved ones.5:10 p.m.
• Bridges statewide are in bad shape
  Transportation officials across the state say they work hard to ensure Minnesota bridges are safe. But some county engineers say the state is falling behind in repairing and replacing old bridges, many that date back to the 1930s.5:24 p.m.
• Bridge collapse renews focus on transportation funding debate
  Members of Congress are promising millions of dollars in assistance to rebuild the I-35W bridge. Two key Minnesota lawmakers are angry that it has taken a tragedy to free up money for such an essential piece of the state's transportation infrastructure.5:32 p.m.
• Recovery effort cautious, deliberate
  Late Wednesday night emergency response officials switched their approach to the bridge collapse from rescuing survivors to recovering the dead. But Thursday's experience suggests the recovery will be extremely slow.5:38 p.m.
• Federal officials will lead bridge investigation
  The investigation into the cause of Wednesday's bridge collapse is being handled by the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is an independent federal agency that investigates civil aviation, railroad, highway and marine crashes and accidents. Agency officials say they have two important tools that will help expedite the investigation.5:46 p.m.
• The economic cost of the bridge collapse
  When it comes to commerce, three modes of travel are affected by this bridge collapse -- truck, barge and train. The collapse of the I-35W bridge will slow down the shipment of many goods and services.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Inventor Soars with Experimental Blimp
  Dan Nachbar's 100-foot blimp looks like a cross between the Yellow Submarine and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The aircraft affords beautiful views without all the noise of an airplane. Now, Nachbar hopes to attract additional investors in his project.
• Questions Follow Fatal Bridge Failure
  As crews search for bodies in the wreckage of Minneapolis' broken Interstate 35 West bridge, authorities are inspecting other structures across the state. Telling the final story of Wednesday's disaster may take months.
• Bridge Collapse Will Be Probed Piece by Piece
  To unravel the mystery of Wednesday's Minneapolis bridge collapse, investigators will map out where pieces of the bridge are found, inspect those pieces for patterns of stress fractures and send some pieces to labs for tests.
• Revisiting the South Korean Stem-Cell Claim
  In 2004, South Korean scientists claimed to have derived embryonic stem cells from a cloned human embryo. The claim was discredited, but questions lingered. Now Harvard researchers say the South Koreans made a different sort of breakthrough.
• Letters: Racial Tensions, Infant Deaths, Plane Spotting
  We hear praise from listeners for a piece by Wade Goodwyn on racial tensions in Jena, La., where six black students were charged with attempted murder after the beating of a white student. We also hear criticism of an interview on a spate of infant deaths in the Detroit area, and on conjured memories of plane spotting in Tulsa, Okla.
• Rove Skips Senate Testimony; Aide Grilled Instead
  The Senate Judiciary Committee heard its first public testimony from a current White House aide in the investigation of U.S. attorney firings. But it wasn't Karl Rove, who declined to testify after the president asserted executive privilege. Instead, Rove's deputy appeared.
• Senate Passes Bill Targeting Lobbyists
  The Senate gives final approval to a bill aimed at altering the relationship between lawmakers and lobbyists. Among other things, the measure would shine more light on lawmakers' pet projects (or earmarks) and require lobbyists to disclose "bundled" campaign contributions.
• Public Service Academy Draws New Attention
  In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Shawn Raymond and Chris Myers Asch put an idea into play: The U.S. Public Service Academy. Now Sen. Hillary Clinton has put them in the spotlight.
• Mattel Recalls Fisher-Price Toys Made in China
  Mattel's Fisher-Price brand is recalling nearly 1 million toys made by a Chinese vendor, saying they contain excessive amounts of lead in their paint. Two-thirds of the toys were stopped before they made it into stores.
• Summer: Time for a Snooze, Not the News
  Some people simply must slow down when the weather gets hot. But maybe the people on TV don't have summer. They can't seem to stop working. The rest of us can just pretend its Sunday all summer long.

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