Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• What do bridge inspectors look for?
  Two high-profile bridges span the St. Louis River and the Duluth Harbor, connecting that city with Superior, Wisc. Each year, one of those bridges gets a routine safety examination. But in the wake of the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis two weeks ago, both get a look this summer.7:20 a.m.
• Rural foreclosures hitting some areas hard
  The number of mortgage foreclosures in greater Minnesota is nearly twice as large as previously reported according to a new study from the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund. Experts say the study reveals an invisible epidemic that's affecting every corner of the state and they predict the problem will get worse.7:25 a.m.
• Songwriting in earnest
  We've heard how the musicians reacted when they first saw the lyrics to Stephen Burt's "Afternoon Song." This time we check in as they try to turn those words into music.7:50 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Running for President Through the Bookstore
  Following in the footsteps of John Kennedy and Jimmy Carter, presidential candidates have often released books in the lead-up to their campaigns. Newsweek's Jon Meacham reviews some of the current White House hopefuls' offerings.
• Concerns Linger for 2020 Nuclear Dump Opening
  The world's first permanent storage site for highly radioactive nuclear waste is set to open in Finland in 2020. Some worry that keeping dangerous waste will have an effect on the community's health and economy. Scientists are concerned with whether it can take geological changes.
• If the Tall Run Things, Why Aren't Americans Taller?
  For generations, it seemed, Americans stood tall in the world — quite literally. Measurements showed that the average American was longer than the average person in any other country. The U.S. has lost that distinction recently — a fact that commentator Frank Deford is still coming to grips with.
• Three Yazidi Villages Bombed in Iraq
  Three northern villages that were home to the Yazidi people, one of Iraq's tiniest minorities, were hit by a string of truck bombs. At least 200 are dead and hundreds wounded. The death toll could rise as bodies are recovered from clay homes that collapsed.
• Iraqi Politics in Tatters, One Month Before Report
  Sunni politicians have left the Iraqi government, calling it too sectarian. Many Shiites are gone, too. This week, the Iraqi government called a meeting to bring together various factions — with mixed success at best. Joost Hilterman of the International Crisis Group talks with John Ydstie.
• Novelists See Pakistan as Land of Contradictions
  Pakistan, celebrating its 60th anniversary this week, is a country of contradictions, two Pakistani-born novelists say. On the one hand, there are signs of optimism about the emergence of democracy. On the other, Pakistan is seen as the focus of the war on terrorism.
• Red Meat, Fatty Foods May Up Cancer Recurrence
  There is significant evidence that diets high in red meat and fatty foods increase the risk of colon cancer. New research in The Journal of the American Medical Association finds this type of diet may also increase the risk of a recurrence of colon cancer.
• Public Schools Prepare to Educate Kids with Autism
  The growing number of children diagnosed with autism is creating a new challenge for public schools. Rather than paying to send all of these children to private schools, many public schools are starting to educate some of these autistic students themselves.
• Baseball Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto Dies at 89
  Major League Baseball mourns Phil Rizzuto, who died at 89. He was the game's oldest-living Hall of Famer. The New York Yankees shortstop, known as The Scooter, won seven World Series titles and captured a Most Valuable Player award before gaining celebrity in the broadcast booth.
• Turbulent Mortgage Market Ensnares Top Retailers
  Wal-Mart Stores and Home Depot have reported disappointing sales, blaming the housing market slump and turbulence in the mortgage market that is spreading to the broader economy. Homeowners are feeling the pinch of rising mortgage rates and higher living costs.

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