Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• 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.7:20 a.m.
• Gas prices hit truckers hard
  Gas prices have been getting a good deal of attention in the U.S. Congress, where House Democrats Tuesday failed to resurrect a bill to punish price gouging at the gas pump. Meanwhile, they maneuvered to block Republican attempts to expand offshore drilling. The high prices are particularly hard on truck drivers. John Hausladen is the president of the Minnesota Trucking Association.7:25 a.m.
• Native Americans confront problem of poor water quality
  Native Americans have had to alter traditional ceremonies that involve the drinking of lake and river water.7:50 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Is There a Summer Camp Just for Fun?
  Long ago, people who were either Depression Babies or War Babies just went out and played stuff, without any supervision. It was the Baby Boomers who started getting into all kinds of organized sports in the summer. Now the trend has grown to new extremes.
• Marines Try to Improve Image in Taliban Stronghold
  Marines in Garmsir, a district in Helmand province, Afghanistan, are paying for home repairs in an effort to curry favor with locals. They're also on the lookout for suicide bombers and deadly roadside bombs.
• Global Millionaires Club Is Growing
  A study by the investment bank Merrill Lynch and the consulting firm Capgemini shows that in 2007, for the first time, there were more than 10 million people in the world with at least $1 million in assets. Most live in the U.S., but the millionaires club is growing fastest in the fast-growing economies of India, Brazil and China.
• States Sue Countrywide for Deceptive Loans
  Struggling mortgage lender Countrywide is facing two new lawsuits — one from Illinois and the other from its home state of California. The suits were filed Wednesday, just as Countrywide shareholders prepared to vote on whether to approve the sale of their company to Bank of America.
• Key Rulings on Death Penalty, Damages, Witnesses
  The Supreme Court is pushing toward the end of its term, and on Wednesday morning the justices issued a raft of important decisions dealing with the death penalty, punitive damages and confronting witnesses.
• RV Drivers Hit the Road Despite High Gas Prices
  Soaring gasoline prices are painful for commuters, but imagine how the guy behind the wheel of a bus-sized motor home feels. The average big motor-home gets somewhere between 7 and 9 mpg, but RV drivers are staying on the road despite high gas prices.
• Supreme Court Rules on Exxon Oil Spill, Child Rape
  The Supreme Court is wrapping up its term, which means blockbuster decisions coming down all at the same time. The justices issued two major rulings early Wednesday. They ruled against the death penalty for people convicted of child rape. And they reduced punitive damages against Exxon for the Valdez oil spill.
• Biggest U.S. Sugar Cane Grower to Close
  Domestic sugar producers are reeling from the news that the largest sugar cane grower, U.S. Sugar, is closing. The company is selling its land to Florida to help preserve the Everglades. Domestic producers worry that losing the major ally in their lobbying efforts will sour their ability to shape national sugar policy and set prices.
• Governors Resist as Guard Readies to Leave Border
  Two years ago, thousands of National Guard troops went to the southwest U.S. border with Mexico to secure it from illegal entry. That temporary assignment ends in July. It's been hailed as a success. The Border Patrol says it now has the numbers to take over, but border state governors say they want the troops to remain.
• Midwest Levees Reportedly Working as Planned
  The city of New Orleans flooded after Hurricane Katrina, in part because some of the levees protecting the city failed. In recent weeks, there have been reports about levees breaking in Iowa and Missouri. But initial reports are that most of those levees performed as they were supposed to.
• Amtrak Ridership Swells in Rural and Urban Areas
  As gas prices soar, so does ridership on Amtrak. The long-struggling passenger railroad had its biggest May ever, with a 12 percent spike in travelers. While the railroad is seeing heavy jumps in populated areas, travelers in rural parts of the country are also getting on board.
• A Nod to Arranged Marriage This Wedding Season
  Wedding season is in full swing, and while some soon-to-be spouses are choosing caterers, some families are choosing their children's spouses. Commentator Sandip Roy is the product of an arranged marriage. His parents saw each other for the first time at their wedding — and were happily married for 40 years.
• Foreclosure Rescue Bill Passes Key Senate Test
  Congress is close to sending the president a sweeping measure to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Under the bill, the Federal Housing Administration would provide loan guarantees for people seeking to refinance their mortgages. The Senate may pass the bill as early as Wednesday. President Bush has threatened a veto.
• N.C. Offers New Tags to Drivers Offended by 'WTF'
  Last year, North Carolina's vehicle licensing department started offering a free replacement to the thousands of drivers whose plates have the letters WTF. It's an abbreviation of the phrase, "What the ..." — well, you get the idea.
• Film Crew Busted for Acting Like Drug Smugglers
  It was straight out of Miami Vice: A plane zooms over the bay. Bags plunge into the water. Speedboats make the pickup. Locals call in a drug drop. Police arrive and handcuff three men who were ... shooting a commercial.

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