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NPR's Joanne Silberner looks at the closure of New York's Central Park, after a report that West Nile virus was isolated from mosquitoes there. Public health officials said they closed the park and initiated spraying for mosquitoes even though the risk of getting the virus was small. People who have immune system disorders or who are elderly may get a brain infection from West Nile virus. Last year, seven elderly New Yorkers died as a result of the infection.

NPR's Jon Hamilton reports on public health efforts to combat sexually transmitted diseases using the internet. The focus is on people who make connections through chat rooms and other meeting places on the web - studies show that these people have a higher risk of having syphilis, gonorrhea and HIV.

The 1957 musical "The Music Man" by Meredith Wilson is currently being revived on Broadway. A talk with two of the stars: CRAIG BIERKO (Be-AIR-co) who plays the lead role of traveling salesman and conman Harold Hill originated by Robert Preston. This is BIERKO's first Broadway show. Also co-star REBECCA LUKER who plays Marian the Librarian, the role originated by Barbara Cook. This is LUKER's fourth Broadway role. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW)12:28:30 FORWARD PROMO (:29)12:29:00 I.D. BREAK (:59)12:

Commentator Kelly Roberty is a professional musician -- he plays the bass. Recently he sat down with his bass and told us his story of getting addicted to gambling. He lost everything -- more than 70-thousand dollars, his friends and family, his wife left him, and he pawned his bass as part of it all. At rock bottom, he had a breakdown, and an epiphany, an understanding of hope and redemption and courage to turn things around. He explains how he turned it all around. Roberty now is living in Bozeman Montana, is teaching music and will be touring Europe with a jazz sextet later this fall.

Texas Governor George W. Bush made it official today: former Defense Secretary Richard Cheney is his choice for vice president. Cheney joined the Texas governor for a press conference today in Austin. NPR's Steve Inskeep was there.

Linda interviews Julie Bell, lead archaeologist for Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado about new sites discovered after a fire last week. Mesa Verde is the nation's largest archaeological preserve, with more than 4000 identified sites.

President Clinton returns to Camp David tonight, to continue peace negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Talks have stalled over the fate of Jerusalem. Barak aides have said they expect to come to an agreement or end the talks in the next 24 hours. NPR's Tom Gjelten speaks with David from Camp David.

Host David Wright speaks with political analyst Stuart Rothenberg about what a Republican vice presidential nominee must bring to a Bush ticket. Governor Bush is expected to name his running mate in the next few days.

Host David Wright talks with ethnobotanist Mark J. Plotkin, Ph.D, about his new book Medicine Quest. Plotkin has done extensive research throughout the rainforests of South America to explore the healing secrets of the natural world. Plotkin says we have a lot to learn from the biodiversity of the rainforest, especially from unlikely sources such as spiders, snakes and tree bark.

WGCU Reporter Amy Tardif takes listeners on a tour of North America's only public tree canopy walkway, located in Myakka River State Part in Sarasota, Florida.