Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Obese patients prompt hospitals to adopt new equipment, protocols
  With obesity rates on the rise, hospital administrators are spending extra money to accommodate heavier patients.3:54 p.m.
• BWCA fire pauses with help from weather
  Rain, cooler temperatures and even a few snow showers helped more than 300 firefighters on Wednesday as they continued to struggle to get a handle on the Pagami Creek wildfire.5:20 p.m.
• Focusing on a watershed, pilot project makes case more convincing
  A pilot project in northwest Minnesota is changing how the state evaluates water quality and taking a new approach to getting people involved in cleanup efforts.5:24 p.m.
• Obese patients prompt hospitals to adopt new equipment, protocols
  With obesity rates on the rise, hospital administrators are spending extra money to accommodate heavier patients.5:51 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Libya's Bankers: Treasury Protected From Plunder
  Libya's new leaders are still trying to account for all the money that was under the control of ousted leader Moammar Gadhafi. It seems much of that wealth remains frozen in foreign accounts, and Libyan bankers say billions in gold and cash are still under being held by the central bank.
• Political Divide At Congressional Hearing On Solyndra
  The solar energy company received government loans and Obama's endorsement in 2009. Now it's in bankruptcy and under investigation by the FBI. On Wednesday, Republicans questioned the administration's motives for supporting Solyndra, while Energy Department officials defended its decision to invest in the technology.
• How Do U.S. Solar Companies Compare To China's?
  Solyndra is just one of several American solar companies that have gone bankrupt this year. To get a sense of how the industry is doing overall — and whether it can hope to compete with Chinese solar companies — Melissa Block talks with David Baker, who covers energy for the San Francisco Chronicle.
• Perry Focuses On Faith At Christian University
  Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the current front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, visited Liberty University after what some considered a lackluster showing in this week's Tea Party debate in Tampa. Perry largely avoided politics, speaking about his inspirations and his faith.
• Perry Asked To Halt Texas Man's Execution
  Michele Norris talks to Wayne Slater of the Dallas Morning News about the case of a Texas man convicted of killing two people. He's slated for execution Thursday, but his attorneys say that the case was tainted by racial considerations.
• As Wars Drag On, U.S. Interest Wanes
  There was huge public support for the U.S. war in Afghanistan when it began a decade ago. Today, only a quarter of Americans follow it closely.
• The Economic Catastrophe That Germany Can't Forget
  To understand why Germany is so freaked out by what Europe's central bank is doing, you need to go back nearly a century.
• Post-Irene Cleanup May Damage Environment
  Towns and villages in Vermont and upstate New York are beginning to recover from Tropical Storm Irene. But scientists say the widespread chemical and sewage spills, and the cleanup's effect on trout streams, could cause lasting environmental damage.
• Latin Jazz Musicians File Suit Against The Grammys
  Earlier this year, the categories for the Grammys were reorganized — affecting folk music and jazz categories hardest. Some Latin jazz musicians have filed a class-action suit to reinstate that category and to get the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences to reexamine the reorganization.
• The Highlights From The Toronto Film Festival
  Melissa Block talks with Los Angeles Times entertainment writer Steven Zeitchik about what he's seeing at the Toronto Film Festival, which runs through this Sunday. Zeitchik points to the Brad Pitt baseball movie Moneyball and the sex-addiction story Shame as the two big films receiving buzz. He adds two of his favorite smaller flicks — Your Sister's Sister and A Dangerous Method to his list of interesting movies.

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