Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Crime lab revelations could impact thousands of cases
  Prosecutors and defense attorneys in Washington, Ramsey and Dakota counties are trying to figure out how to proceed after revelations last week that evidence in their narcotics cases may have been mishandled.7:20 a.m.
• Looming tax hikes, budget cuts expose rift for Minn. lawmakers
  Some members of Minnesota's congressional delegation are worried about a day of reckoning for the federal budget: Jan. 1, 2013.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Hospital Specialists Help Remind The Sickest Kids They're Still Kids
  Child life specialists can minimize the trauma caused by a hospital stay. They're also costly, but experts says they help doctors be more efficient and can pay dividends far into the future for a sick child.
• An Alaska Company Losing The Obesity Game Calls In Health Coaches
  Health coaches, part of the newly emerging field of wellness, provide an extra push when patients need help kicking unhealthy habits. In recent years, rising health care costs for obesity-related diseases such as Type 2 diabetes have made health coaches a popular medical resource.
• In 'Free' Syrian Village, A Plea For U.S. Help
  While the Syrian government still has the upper hand in the country's largest cities, the rebels hold large swaths of territory in rural areas. NPR's Kelly McEvers recently returned from a week with the rebels inside Syria. Her first stop: a rebel way-station not far from the border with Turkey.
• Silicon Valley Boot Camp Aims To Boost Diversity
  By a recent estimate, 1 percent of America's technology entrepreneurs are black. And only 8 percent of tech companies are founded by women. A new boot camp aims to give these entrepreneurs pointers so they can get their startups off the ground.
• A Muslim Cemetery Helps To Ease Funerals' Strain
  At the Garden of Peace cemetery in Flint, Michigan, Muslims are buried in accordance with traditional Islamic burial rites. After operating for only a couple of years, the cemetery has already welcomed a diverse group of American Muslims.
• Jo Nesbo's Fiction Explores Oslo's Jagged Edges
  The Norwegian author does his best to show NPR's Eric Westervelt that Oslo really does have a seedy side. In his fiction, at least, Nesbo's city is full of shady characters who draw the attention of the reckless, alcoholic detective Harry Hole.
• Aurora Shooting Survivor Focuses On 'Positivity'
  One of the survivors of Friday's shooting rampage in Aurora, Colo., says he doesn't want to think about the shooter — he's just happy to be alive. Meanwhile, mourners gathered for a vigil remembering the 12 people killed, and President Obama met with officials and some of the victims' families. The suspected gunman is making his first court appearance Monday.
• News In Spain, Greece Sends European Stocks Diving
  European stocks took a nosedive Monday as investors worried more than ever that Spain may need a full-fledged sovereign bailout. Two regions in Spain said they'll ask the country's central government for bailouts, and local Spanish media say several other regions could follow suit. And, of course, Greece remains in the center of the crisis in Europe.
• Rifts Emerge Amid 'Frac Sand' Rush In Wisconsin
  Western Wisconsin counties bordering the Mississippi River have a unique geography: steep bluffs with layers and layers of silica sand. The sand is extremely valuable because it's strong enough to prop open underground veins in shale fields so oil and natural gas can be released. It's called "frac sand," and Wisconsin appears to have more of it than any other state. But the hills are private property, so sand mining companies have to negotiate with local farmers — not all of whom are on board.
• Beer Trade Group Sizes Up Rival Beverages
  The Beer Institute, which includes Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors representatives, meets in New York City this week amid flagging beer shipment volumes. MillerCoors CEO Tom Long told Advertising Age that companies need to work together to beat nonbeer competitors. Wine consumption has been increasing the past couple of decades.

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