Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Why did the bridge collapse?
  Minnesota officials were warned as early as 1990 that the bridge that collapsed into the Mississippi River was "structurally deficient," yet they relied on patchwork repairs and stepped-up inspections that unraveled amid a thunderous plunge of concrete and automobiles.6:40 a.m.
• Traffic problems expected to increase in wake of collapse
  Commuters are heading into their second day re-routed onto an emergency detour around the I-35W bridge that collapsed over the Mississippi River Wednesday.6:50 a.m.
• Weather with Mark Seeley
  Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer talks with University of Minnesota Climatologist Mark Seeley about this week's weather and the weekend forecast.6:55 a.m.
• Fifth victim identified while searchers struggle with poor conditions
  Hennepin County officials have identified the fifth victim of the I-35W bridge collapse. He is Paul Eicksadt of Mounds View, whose semi trailer truck was crushed by the falling bridge. Searchers continue to look for other victims in the murky river.7:20 a.m.
• Bridge collapse renews focus on transportation funding debate
  Members of Congress are promising millions of dollars in assistance to rebuild the I-35W bridge. Two key Minnesota lawmakers are angry that it has taken a tragedy to free up money for such an essential piece of the state's transportation infrastructure.7:50 a.m.
• Recovery effort cautious, deliberate
  Late Wednesday night emergency response officials switched their approach to the bridge collapse from rescuing survivors to recovering the dead. But Thursday's experience suggests the recovery will be extremely slow.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Deadline Looms for Gonzales to Clarify Testimony
  Attorney General Alberto Gonzales faces a deadline to revise testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee about domestic spying and other issues. If the chairman of the committee isn't satisfied, he may launch an investigation into whether Gonzales intentionally misled the committee.
• Bridge Fatigue Factor Not Estimated
  Modern bridges are engineered to withstand metal fatigue. But in the 1960s, when the collapsed Interstate-35 bridge in Minneapolis was built, engineers didn't realize how much traffic bridges would eventually carry, causing fatigue.
• Senate OKs Children's Health Insurance
  The Senate passes a bill to renew and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program. It received 68 votes — enough to override a threatened veto. Still, hurdles to overcome include merging S-CHIP with the House version before expiration at the end of September.
• Old Soldiers Not Fans of New Cemetery Plans
  The graveyards in long-established U.S. Army installations like Fort Riley, Kan., are completely full, or soon will be. The Veterans Administration and states have gone on a building spree. But some old soldiers aren't thrilled with the new options.
• Gorbachev Becomes New Face of Louis Vuitton
  French luxury label Louis Vuitton unveils the new face of its advertisements: former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. But in the ads, Gorbachev is not sprawled out on velvet like some pouty vamp. He just sits in the back of a car, looking out the window, like a man without a country.
• 'Phoenix' Lander Set for Red Planet Exploration
  NASA's latest mission to Mars will send the Phoenix Lander to the Red Planet's northern poles, trenching deep into the icy water layers in search of mineral deposits and proof that life could have once existed.
• Alaskans Split Over Sen. Stevens' Jam
  Constituents of longtime Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens often refer to him as "Uncle Ted." But when federal agents swooped in and searched his home outside Anchorage — possibly looking for evidence that could tie Stevens to a corrupt oil company executive — some took pleasure in his pain.
• Giuliani Hones Abortion Stance for GOP Primary
  Pro-abortion GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani says that as president, he would appoint strict constructionist Supreme Court judges who believe the constitution does not guarantee the right to abortion. That's also the belief of Republican primary voters who Giuliani needs to win the nomination.
• Lobbying, Ethics Overhaul Endorsed by Senate
  The Senate approves tighter ethics rules. The ethics reform bill makes it illegal for legislators to accept gifts, meals, and even travel from lobbyists. And it requires them to make public 48 hours in advance any plans for spending on pet projects. It goes now to President Bush.
• House Debates Controversial Energy Bill
  The House of Representatives takes up the first Energy bill written by Democrats in more than a decade. It does not include mileage standards, and is bound to spark a fight between environmentalists and traditional power companies.
• Katrina Victims Lose Insurance Court Battle
  Insurance companies don't have to pay damages to New Orleans homeowners whose properties were destroyed by the floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina, according to a federal appeals court ruling. The court says the companies' policies clearly weren't intended to cover flood damage.
• NStar Energy Monitors May Lower Consumption
  Massachusetts energy provider NStar is the first utility to offer low-cost energy monitors to encourage its customers to use less energy. The company says its counterintuitive move is not motivated by state policy changes that would protect its profits as energy use declines.
• Camp Teaches Newly Rich to Manage Wealth
  Many millionaires will leave their wealth to kids who are not equipped to handle it. Robert Frank, author of Richistan: A Journey Through the American Wealth Boom and the Lives of the New Rich," describes a camp that teaches life skills to millionaire kids. Frank spoke with Renee Montagne.
• 'Iron Man' Hits the Silver Screen
  Hollywood has brought to the big screen some of the best-known characters: Superman, Batman and Spiderman. An exception has been Iron Man, the billionaire arms dealer and alcoholic Tony Stark. But fans had a peek at the first Iron Man movie at Comic-Con.
• Examiners Unsure of Cause of I-35 Bridge Collapse
  Minnesota officials acknowledged they were warned as early as 1990, that the eight-lane bridge had been labeled "structurally deficient." Inspectors designated the bridge as such because of significant corrosion in its bearings. And in the 1990s, additional inspections found fatigue cracks.

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