Biden stumps in Minneapolis

Vice President Joe Biden brings the presidential race to Minneapolis. The head football coach at Minnesota State University-Mankato was arrested and is facing possible child pornography charges. A Minneapolis park police officer is recovering from a stab wound after a confrontation with a robbery suspect. Pigs will be welcome at the state fair, despite concerns about influenza. And Minnesota high school students continue to perform above average on the ACT college entrance exam.

Biden stumps in Minneapolis
"What's gutsy about giving millionaires another tax break?" vice president Joe Biden said yesterday in Minneapolis while criticizing Republican Mitt Romney and defending President Barack Obama's quest for reelection. "What's bold about gutting Medicare and education and research and development in order to pay for that tax cut?"

Minneapolis Park Police officer officer shot
No officer with the Minneapolis Parks Police has ever drawn a firearm and shot someone - until now. Late Tuesday night, two officers were called to the Minnehaha Parkway at Bryant Avenue on the report of a stabbing. One of the officers was stabbed in the torso by the suspect. Her partner then shot and wounded the assailant. The stabbed officer and the shot suspect are both recovering at HCMC.

Coach arrested
University of Minnesota-Mankato football players witnessed their head coach being escorted off the field on Tuesday. The reason: He's been arrested on charges related to child pornography. Todd Hoffner, 46, was booked Tuesday into the Blue Earth County Jail. He has not been formally charged, but he has been placed on leave, the university says.

State Fair rebuffs swine flu advice
A prominent public health expert said yesterday that he'd like to see pigs banned from the State Fair and other public gatherings over concerns about swine flu, but fair and health officials have discounted his remarks, saying that say the swine barn will be open when the fair opens Thursday. Deputy state epidemiologist Richard Danila says veterinarians will keep a watchful eye out for sick pigs.

A top ACT
Minnesota's high school graduates scored an average of 22.8 points out of a possible 36 on the ACT this year. That's a tenth of a point lower than last year, but still more than a point and a half higher than the nation's average. And because so many students take the ACT in Minnesota, test officials say the state is considered to be the ACT leader nationally.

The troubled St. Paul crime lab saga
A Dakota County prosecutor has asked a judge to block testimony about alleged problems at the troubled St. Paul Police Department crime lab. The request comes as public defenders representing Matthew Jensen, a man charged with fifth-degree drug possession, prepare to question top police officials and crime lab employees about the lab's operations.

Living with ALS
This time last year, Bruce Kramer and his wife had just returned from a trip to Thailand. When Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer checked in with Bruce for her ongoing series, he said he wouldn't have been able to make that trip now because his incurable disease is leaving him more tired and reliant on others for help.

Telemedicine's virtual assets
In the small town of Baudette, up on the Canadian border, the emergency room staffers now have immediate access to a roster of medical specialists who can help from hundreds of miles away. With the touch of a button, a two-way television monitor can be brought to life and specialists in Sioux Falls can consult with the ER's staffers.

Food stamps at farmers markets
This summer, the USDA awarded Minnesota more than $85,000 to expand the number of farmers markets in the state that accept food stamps. More than 30 markets are now part of the program, and they're meeting growing demand: Nationally, food stamp expenditures at farmers markets have jumped 400 percent since 2008.

The BWCA cell tower can move ahead
The long fight over whether a 450-foot cellphone tower with flashing lights can or should be built within eyesight of the Boundary Waters appears to be over after the state Supreme Court denied a request to hear the case.

Best Buy guarded
The company's net income has plunged 91 percent to $12 million. Expenses related to store closures and other one-time charges figured in the loss. Setting those aside, profit was still down by about half. Sales fell about 3 percent at stores open at least 14 months -- a key performance measure. The retailer suspended its earnings forecast and will halt a stock buyback program aimed at benefitting shareholders. Amid all that bad news, the company keeping investors guessing about plans for a turnaround.

Duluth's loss, Wisconsin's gain
Georgia-Pacific says it will close its hardboard plant in Duluth at the end of the month, putting 141 employees out of work and likely transfer production to other facilities, including a plant in Phillips, Wis. "We're looking at the long-term vision for the Georgia-Pacific wood products division as a whole," spokesman Eric Abercrombie said.

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