Swine flu in Minn.; No deal on flood bill; Drought on the Mississippi River

Will new flu strain close the Swine Barn at Minnesota State Fair?

"With one case confirmed in Minnesota, disease expert Michael Osterholm says the State Fair staple should be closed to the public this year," reports the Star Tribune.* MPR News: "Illnesses in two Twin Cities children from one family were reported to the agency late last week. A younger child tested positive for swine flu. An older child did not test positive for the illness, although the agency considers it to be a likely case. Both children are recovering."

CDC: Don't pet the pigs

Flood relief bill: Still no deal

AP: "Details of a negotiated flood relief package for northern Minnesota remain elusive for legislative leaders and Gov. Mark Dayton."

A trip down the drought-ridden Mississippi River

"The Mississippi River has had a wild 12 months. This time last year, the river was at flood level. These days, it's near historic lows. From Illinois southward, the low water levels are affecting commerce, tourism, and just everyday life," Here and Now.

In midst of a drought, trying to keep cargo moving on the Mississippi

New York Times: "The dredge Potter is scooping this stretch of the Mississippi River's navigation channel just south of St. Louis, the ship's 32-foot-wide head sucking up about 60,000 cubic yards of sediment each day and depositing it via a long discharge pipe a thousand feet to the side in a violent, muddy plume that smells like muck and summer."

"Atchafalaya," a low water tour of the Mississippi River -- (The New Yorker, 1987)

Red Bull Crashed Ice returning to St. Paul (Pioneer Press)

Regional water project begins limited operation

"A much delayed project is now providing water in neighboring states, but it's still unclear whether Minnesota will benefit," MPR News. Worthington Daily Globe: "Accelerating construction of the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System is a goal shared by many throughout the region, and it brought both Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Tim Walz to Worthington on Monday."

Quist and Walz to face-off in Rochester debate Sept. 27

"Republican Allen Quist, of St. Peter, and DFL incumbent Tim Walz, of Mankato, have accepted an invitation to the debate at Somerby Golf Community in Byron on Thursday, Sept. 27," Rochester Post Bulletin. Note: MPR is a sponsor of the debate

Itasca County sees rise in percentage of college graduates

"Itasca County has experienced a brain gain in the last 40 years. ... In 1970, 7.2 percent of those over 25 years of age had college degrees in Itasca County. By 2010, 20.8 percent of adults here had completed college," (Grand Rapids Herald-Review).

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