NPR 2011-07-03

President Obama today again urged Congress to consider eliminating some tax breaks as part of an effort to reduce federal debt. Republicans are demanding spending cuts in exchange for agreeing to raise the debt ceiling, but they say they won't consider any tax increase. In the Republican address, Senator Dan Coats said the government must stop spending money it doesn't have.

A budget crisis continues in Minnesota. The state government shut down yesterday. NPR's Kimberly Adams reports it's Minnesota's second government shutdown in six years.

Minnesota lawmakers are spending a long holiday weekend facing angry constituents 1 at 4th of July parades and other meetings. State parks and rest stops are closed, and many services halted after state leaders failed to reach a budget deal. About 22000 state employees were furloughed on Friday, putting economic pressure on some already suffering in the weak economy. The impasse 2 in Minnesota parallels the national debate over the best way to balance the books. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton wants to raise taxes on the wealthy to close the budget gap, but state Republicans want to get their due spending cuts. Kimberly Adams, NPR News.

Exxon Mobile says one of its pipelines 4 sprung a leak and sent crude oil into the Yellowstone River in Montana. A statement said the spill was discovered this morning, and the pipeline 3 has been shut down. It's not clear how much oil was involved. The company said it regrets the release and is working with local emergency authorities to mitigate 5 any harm.

This holiday weekend is a big one for Gulf 6 Coast communities trying to rebound 7 from last year's BP oil spill. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports the tourism business is back.

Beach towns from Mississippi to the Florida Panhandle report big crowds this 4th of July weekend. Hotels and condos on the Alabama Gulf Coast are nearly full, topping 2009 occupancy rates. Orange Beach, Alabama Mayor Tony Kennon says the busy holiday is a boost for businesses still trying to recover from last year's losses.

"Anytime you pull maybe as much as three quarters of a billion dollars or more out of an economy — don't bounce back in [the] next year — I don't know that all that will ever be put back."

There are lingering frustrations 8 with the claims process to reimburse 9 oil spill victims, and BP still has crews in the region to clean up tar 10 balls that continue to wash ashore 11 from the Gulf of Mexico. Debbie Elliot, NPR News, Orange Beach, Alabama.

If you're taking a road trip this 4th of July weekend, you might notice you're paying a bit less for gasoline. Patrick DeHann is a gas analyst 12 with GasBuddy.com. He says it's cheaper to fill up now than it was during the last major holiday.

"Memorial Day weekend, prices were much higher, closer to the $3.80 a gallon mark. Today, we extend to about $3.57 a gallon. So prices have come down a little over 20 cents a gallon."

You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

Thousands of people who live in Los Alamos, New Mexico are waiting for the all clear to return home. They were forced to flee Monday because of the largest wildfire in state history. Denise Lane owns the Hill Top Diner. She stayed in town to help feed the firefighters. She says she's anxious for everyone to return.

"You know, we're all up here. We think we're sort of about 30 of us that are kind of representing the 12000 people that had to leave and evacuate 13, and, you know, we miss them. We want a count back."

The fire burned more than 162 square miles.

Britain's Prince William and Princess Catherine head to Montreal after joining in Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa yesterday. Dan Karpenchuk reports anti-royalists are preparing a frosty reception.

As many as 300000 people flocked to Ottawa for the holiday festivities, many of them coming to catch a glimpse of the royal couple, but when William and Kate traveled to Quebec, a hard-line anti-monarchist group says it will protest. As many as 300 members of the Québécois Network of Resistance say they will gather at Quebec City Hall to show their opposition 14 to Canada's ties with the British Crown. The group adds that the peaceful protest will not be a personal attack against the royal newlyweds. In 2009, members of the group delayed a military ceremony in Montreal attended by Prince Charles and his wife Camilla. The two were forced to duck into a military barracks for safety. For NPR News, I'm Dan Karpenchuk in Toronto.

In tennis, Petra Kvitova won the women's final at Wimbledon today. She upset Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-4. In women's soccer, the United States beat Colombia 3-0 in the World Cup action in Germany. The win today qualifies the United States for the quarterfinals.

I'm Nora Raum, NPR News in Washington.