Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Coleman joins in call for Gonzales resignation
  Alberto Gonzales' Justice Department had considered dismissing one in four of the nation's U.S. attorneys, according to a report in the Washington Post. The Post reports former Minnesota U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger was on the list. In response to the developments, Republican Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota joined the calls for Gonzales' resignation.7:20 a.m.
• Progress, but no deal yet at Capitol
  Gov. Tim Pawlenty and legislative leaders will continue budget negotiations Thursday after meeting late into Wednesday night. Lawmakers have until Monday to complete a two year budget and legislative leaders now say they're optimistic that they'll finish their work on time.7:25 a.m.
• Ford workers pin hopes on battery-powered truck
  Ford Motor Company's Twin Cities assembly plant is slated to go dark next year. But some of the plant's workers hope battery power can keep Minnesota's auto industry moving forward.7:45 a.m.
• Returning to Gunflint Lake
  Even as the Ham Lake fire burns into Canada, life can start getting back to normal for many of the people who live in the Gunflint Lake area. Fire officials let them return to their homes Wednesday, nearly a week after they were forced out by the Ham Lake fire.7:50 a.m.
• Back at the camp to clean up the damage
  Employees of the Lake Wapogassett Lutheran Bible Camp are still waiting to see how the Ham Lake fire has damaged their camp site. They'll be allowed back on the property later today.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Looming Legal Fight Clouds Gay Marriage Milestone
  Thursday marks the third anniversary of legalized gay marriage in Massachusetts. But even as gay rights advocates celebrate the nearly 10,000 same-sex couples who've officially tied the knot, they are gearing up to fight a measure that might end same-sex marriage altogether.
• Teachers Wanted as New Orleans Students Return
  School officials are struggling to find teachers to serve the rapidly growing student population in New Orleans before school starts again in September.
• Nuclear Proliferation: An Optimistic View
  Matthew Bunn, an expert on nuclear proliferation at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, says it's possible that many nations that could pursue nuclear arms will choose not to do so.
• Prince Harry Won't Be Deployed to Iraq
  The British army says Prince Harry will not be sent to Iraq because of threats from insurgent groups. British officials say the threats would expose him and those around him to a high degree of risk.
• Ireland Seeks to Claim Obama, Too
  Sen. Barack Obama won wide attention when he visited his father's home country, Kenya. He could do something similar in Ireland. Researchers from Ancestry.com say Obama's American mother had ancestors there. So the man seeking to become the first black U.S. president could also pose as an Irish-American president. It brings to mind the New York mayor who had so many ethnic connections it was said that he was "a balanced ticket all by himself."
• Hundreds Help Push Stalled Vehicle: a Train
  Nothing like a helping hand when faced with a stalled vehicle — a few strangers willing to help push, or hundreds, as was the case in eastern India when a train stalled. The train stopped when its electrical connection broke. The engineer then asked passengers to pile out and put their shoulders to the cars. Hundreds pushed the train a full 60 yards to an electricity pole further down the tracks.
• Music for Pets Gone to the Web
  Americans with pet birds have long used long-playing records to help train their birds to sing and talk. But now those dated collections from albums from the 1950s and 1960s can be taken from the Web site www.petsinamerica.org.
• Private Equity Deals Gain Clout, May Hurt Workers
  The recent sale of Chrysler by Cerberus illustrates the growing clout of private equity firms in the U.S. economy. But the growth of private equity firms also raises questions about its impact on workers. Members of a House committee delved into these issues at a hearing on Capitol Hill.
• FDA Clears Fish of Melamine in Washington State
  Food and Drug administration lab tests find no detectable levels of melamine in farmed fish from Washington state. That's despite finding toxic melamine in feed used in the state's aquaculture industry.
• Singer Bo Diddley Hospitalized After Stroke
  Singer and songwriter Bo Diddley is in the hospital after suffering a stroke on Sunday. The 78-year-old performer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in 1987.
• Rebuilding Iraq: A Contract Goes Awry
  Among the thousands of projects undertaken to reconstruct Iraq, one case offers a good microcosm of the challenges and missteps that have bedeviled the multi-billion dollar rebuilding effort. Parsons, a California company, was awarded a contract in 2004 to build 151 health-care centers. No more than 20 were finished.
• Major Cities Get Green Funding
  Former President Bill Clinton and some of the world's biggest banks will help reduce climate change by renovating city owned buildings with green technology in 16 cities, including New York, Chicago, and Houston.
• Letters: Gold Farmers, Music and Babies
  Listeners respond to a range of issues from online gaming to online music, and an interview with pediatrician T. Berry Brazelton.
• Amazon.com to Sell Music Downloads for iPod
  Online retailer Amazon.com says it's joining the movement to sell songs that can be copied for free to computers, cell phones or music players, including the iPod. Until now, iPod users were mostly restricted to music available in Apple's iTunes store.
• World Bank Deliberates Wolfowitz Tenure
  The board of the World Bank is to convene discussions on the tenure of its president, Paul Wolfowitz, who has been battling calls for his ouster after a finding that he broke the rules by arranging a promotion and raise for his girlfriend.

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