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NPR's Richard Gonzales reports on the damage assessments from the flooding throughout California. Today, more evacuation alerts were issued in the northern part of the state. Several major levee breaks have created catastrophic flooding in Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties. One new concern is water contamination -- officials now fear that saltwater could be pushed up the San Joaquin delta into the drinking-water supply for Los Angeles.

Congressional and White House budget negotiators are close to agreement on a plan to balance the budget by 2002. However, Democratic congressional leaders have raised concerns that proposed spending cuts are too deep and that proposed tax cuts are too great. The White House says President Clinton won't sign on until a majority of Democrats are on board. Negotiations were expected to go all day long. NPR's Elizabeth Arnold reports.

Chicago's public school officials placed one-hundred and nine out of its five hundred fifty seven schools on probation because eighty-five percent or more of their students scored below the national average on standardized achievement tests. NPR's Cheryl Corley reports that this is the first time that Chicago schools have been placed on probation.

The federal government plans to change how it enforces protections on small wetlands. At present, developers get almost automatic permission to develop wetlands under 10 acres. But the Army Corps of Engineers is about to drop that exemption and require more extensive review before development is permitted. NPR's John Nielsen reports that the change is expected to run into fierce opposition from real estate developers and other business interests.

NPR's David Baron reports that a new study suggests that the Edith's Checkerspot butterfly appears to be moving northward, perhaps in response to global warming. Scientists have speculated that a gradual warming of the Earth's temperatures could cause a wide variety of ecological changes, including where different types of insects live. But there had been hard evidence that that phenomenon was actually occurring.

Dan Charles reports on efforts to make tinier and tinier computer chips. The computer industry has been successfully making its silicon chips smaller every year but now is facing a technological barrier.

From member station WHYY in Philadelphia, NPR's Eric Westervelt reports that less costly, snortable heroin has given rise to increased use and abuse in some parts of the country. That means an increase in the number of addicts heading to Dr. Guberman's 'Rapid Opiate Detox Center' in Southeast N.J...one of two clinics using a controversial new detox technique.

NPR's David Molpus reports that businesses in Atlanta are adopting a number of strategies to cope with the expected traffic problems caused by next week's Olympic Games. Companies like UPS are having planes arrive early, and have hired walkers to deliver packages in areas where streets will be closed. Other companies will have their employees telecommute, some small businesses will be forced to close down completely because of the event.

NPR's Tovia Smith reports on an unusual international incident brewing in a remote Maine village. the owner of an antique shop there wants to sell a genuine 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy which he says he bought far and square from a now-defunct museum. But the Egyptian government is demanding that the mummy be returned and is threatening to put the dreaded curse of the Pharaoes on him unless he agrees.

The name of a Dutch gypsy jazz guitar trio and the name of the tribe from which the musicians come. It's led by 16 year-old phenomenon Jimmy Rosenberg. The group is following in the footsteps of the legendary Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt... and carrying on a gypsy tradition that encourages youngsters to pick up musical instruments as soon as they can walk. Dean Olsher reports. The trio's new CD is called "Sinti." It's on Columbia Records.