Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Representatives reflect on long debate
  In Washington, it appears the debt ceiling debate is almost over.6:55 a.m.
• Hundreds turn out to dedication of 35W bridge memorial
  Hundreds of people turned out in downtown Minneapolis Monday for the dedication of a remembrance garden, in memorial of the 35W bridge victims and survivors.7:20 a.m.
• $3.8B in federal loans available for insurance co-op start-ups
  The federal health care law is encouraging private groups to form insurance co-operatives by making available $3.8 billion in start-up loans.7:25 a.m.
• Japanese beetles thriving in Minnesota this year
  If you live in the metro area or in parts of southern Minnesota, you may have noticed some tell tale holes in the leaves of trees, flowers and garden vegetables in your area. They're the work of the invasive Japanese beetle. The beetles first arrived in Minnesota back in the 60s, but this has been an especially bad year for people annoyed by them.7:45 a.m.
• Moody's outlook for Minnesota bodes ill for state
  Minnesota's state budget officials watch with concern the actions of a key investor ratings service. Moody's has issued a warning of sorts by lowering the state's economic outlook from stable to negative. Moody's says it was concerned by Minnesota's low reserves and the short term budget fixes.8:25 a.m.
• How to survive in the water, even if you don't know how to swim
  It's probably just a coincidence, but there have been a number of people who have died while swimming in Minnesota lakes and rivers over the last week. Six people have drowned in just the past few days, and the Dakota County Sheriff tells the Star Tribune that he can't recall a summer with so many drownings.8:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Compromise But Little Consensus As House OKs Bill
  It's all over, it seems, but the voting. At midday Tuesday the Senate is expected to do what the House did Monday — muster a large bipartisan majority and pass a compromise bill to raise the debt ceiling, narrowly averting a first-ever default.
• Obama Avoids Debt Crisis, But Other Standoffs Loom
  President Obama kept a low profile Monday, the last day before the default deadline set by his administration. The president played a role, though, as Congress struggled to accept the debt ceiling deal the White House worked out with congressional leaders.
• Worries Over Water As Natural Gas Fracking Expands
  Pennsylvania is at the center of a natural gas boom. But getting to the fuel requires a process called hydraulic fracturing that pumps water and chemicals far underground. One scientist is trying to find whether that's causing the high methane levels found in water near some gas wells.
• Young Workers' Exit Adds To Greece's Economic Pain
  Austerity measures taken to deal with Greece's national debt have worsened the country's unemployment rate; it stands at more than 16 percent. But among Greeks younger than 30, the unemployment rate is almost 40 percent. With few job prospects at home, more and more of the brightest young Greeks are looking overseas for work, fueling a "brain drain" that economists fear will cripple the country's recovery efforts.
• Syrian Opposition Echoes Cry For Liberty Or Death
  Syrian activists vow to be on the streets nightly during the holy month of Ramadan, stepping up protests of President Assad's regime. Ahead of Ramadan, the government has increased mass arrests. Despite being jailed for two weeks, one activist says, "I am not going to stop."
• Syrian In California Takes Heat For Ties To Regime
  Calls for regime change in Syria are making their way from Damascus to Southern California. Dr. Hazem Chehabi, the Syrian Consul General in California has close ties to Syrian President Bashar Assad and is a major donor to the University of California, Irvine. Syrian-American protesters are up in arms, calling on him to distance himself from the Syrian regime.
• Rhode Island's City Of Central Falls Files For Bankruptcy
  The federal government looks like it will avoid defaulting on its debt. Not so for the city of Central Falls, R.I. The government there could not work out its financial troubles, including the inability to pay pension benefits owed to its firefighters and police officers. On Monday, the city of 19,000 filed for bankruptcy — the fifth municipality to do so this year, according to Bloomberg News.
• U.S. Manufacturing Report Fuels Recovery Doubts
  An industry report issued Monday showed manufacturing is down to the weakest level since July 2009. The manufacturing employment index was far weaker than it had been in recent months, and that may suggest bad news is coming Friday, when the Labor Department releases its monthly employment report.
• Curbing Supercomputers' Growing Drain On Energy
  Supercomputers have become a critical tool for scientists. Each year, they get bigger and faster — and use a lot more power. Soon, each one will need as much energy as a small city. That has researchers looking to reinvent the supercomputer — by using the technology inside cellphones.
• Mass. Treasurer Cracks Down On Lottery Loophole
  A Massachusetts lottery game called "Cash Win-fall" was easier to win than expected. A computer scientist, among others, discovered a loophole in the game that almost guaranteed a profit. Some people were making big bucks from the loophole, but the state's treasurer put the kibosh on the scheme.

Resources

• Marketplace Tech Report®
• Marketplace Morning Report®
• Mark Seeley's WeatherTalk

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories