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The most memorable stories of 2004
Rare is the day at MPR when we don't run into a fascinating person with a story to tell. Over the course of the year, we tell you about thousands of people and their deeds. From light-hearted to deadly serious, these stories have been submitted by our reporters and hosts as their favorite work of the year.

St. Paul, Minn. —

Go to story Document From war in Burma to peace in Minnesota
This story took a long time, many phone calls and visits. It was an introduction to a culture and people truly unknown to me. The Karen were very patient and gracious as they told their story to me and recounted horrific experiences. The adults carry many physical and psychological scars as a result of escaping their homeland. However, their children appear to be flourishing. If ever I needed a tonic to lift me above the petty cares of my daily life I was given a long draught of optimism and hope for the future based on how the Karen are adjusting to life in, "freedom country."

Go to story Document The "N word"
I picked the 'N-Word' story because it was refreshing to be able to bust out of the traditional news style for a bit. I think the informal tone and the writing allowed me to temporarily poke through that invisible wall that insulates the reporter from the public radio listener. Editors don't get bylines on stories but Mike Edgerly deserves one here. He kept prodding me to tear down that barrier and use less lofty language and be more personal. It wasn't an easy process and due to the sensitive topic, the piece was written, and rewritten, over and over again.

Go to story Document A family devastated by meth
Mainstreet Radio focused its spring/summer project on the methamphetamine scourge that is sweeping through rural Minnesota. My contribution to the meth series focused on a woman named Rubetta. Drug counselors and law enforcers typically call meth "devastating" and "unrelenting." Those descriptions ring sadly true through Rubetta's eyes. For me, it was an emotional story to cover. I found myself really wanting Rubetta to succeed. But when I walked away from her after our final interview, I really wasn't convinced that she would.

Go to story Document God's art
Working on this story gave me an opportunity to visit a variety of houses of worship around the Twin Cities. I had heard that there were some fine religious art collections around town, but I had no idea how magnificent some of them are! It was a particular treat to tour Temple Israel's Judaica collection, guided by temple member Marilyn Chiatt. She's a smart, fun woman with a real passion for ritual art, and she knows her stuff! As someone who covers the art world on a regular basis, it was enriching to see people of different religious faiths using art both to treasure their past and communicate their hopes for the future.

Go to story Document Two funerals
I told a friend I had been to Rice Lake to report on the funerals. She said it was hard to reconcile her normal picture of me as a nice, intelligent person who reports on important issues, with her picture of people who report on funerals after disasters as vultures preying on vulnerable people for a sensational story. I explained to her that it was the most difficult assignment I've had so far, on several levels. There's the physical strain of standing outside for hours in the snow and wind, waiting for people to come out of churches. You know nearly all of them will not want to talk to you, because they're hurting and they don't want to talk to strangers, let alone be mobbed by people with tape recorders and cameras. Then, when one in the crowd of reporters does persuade someone to talk, you join the degrading sprint to poke your microphone in front of them, along with the rest of the pack.

There are other challenges, like equipment that malfunctions in the wet, cold weather, and driving back home on snow-packed roads to file the story. But you do the job because your editors sent you there to do it, and because huge numbers of people are going to the web page for stories about the episode. And you realize most of the other reporters feel the same way about it. The lucky thing is, there usually seems to be at least one person who is willing to talk to reporters, and not only to say how badly they're feeling, but to speak coherently about the person they're grieving for and about how the experience is affecting others. Some of them seem to accept it as a responsibility to their community or to the larger world; others simply want to share their thoughts. The second bright spot is the church ladies who bring coffee and sandwiches out to the reporters, saying, "we know you're just doing your job."

Go to story Document The mysteries of ice fishing revealed
The story I enjoyed producing in 2004 was a very important investigative piece about the allure of ice fishing. It gave me the chance to ask some tough questions about the sport, such as "Are you REALLY REALLY sure that my car isn't going to fall through the ice when I drive out to the middle of the lake?" The piece takes a tongue in cheek look at one of Minnesota's great winter traditions.

Go to story Document Convincing Latinos their vote counts
This story was rewarding because I was mostly an observer, along for the ride as volunteers spent several hours trying to sign up new Latino voters. A white guy with a microphone pounding on doors of poor Latino residents didn't seem the best way to get an honest perspective on voting. Along the way a strong central character developed, and I learned a couple of things that surprised me. As a reporter, staying in the background sometimes (often) produces the most compelling stories.

Go to story Document Children are the unintended victims of meth
I have friends who have foster children and they talk often about the system being overloaded with babies born addicted to meth. It was a difficult story to tell because there aren't any real statistics. There's only the feeling from those in the trenches that this is a problem. I also tried to tell the story differently by trying to zoom in at the end on the baby. I'm not sure I succeeded, but I still hear from people who want to know more about the people in this story. It touched me personally, and I'm determined to do more stories on this topic.

Go to story Document Bringing the trail through Duluth
I was lucky enough to find Judy Gibbs in charge. I wanted to let the trail volunteers tell the story, with as little of my voice as possible. Judy Gibbs was just the person to do that. With the sound of hard work in the background, Gibbs talks about the Superior Hiking Trail and why it's being expanded across Duluth. But more, she shares the pleasure of doing hard work in a wonderful place on a nice autumn day. I'd like to be there now.

Go to story Document Soaring Solos
This is a piece I did on air guitarist in Jonathan Maki, as he prepared for the U.S. Air Guitar Regional Championships in Minneapolis. It's my overwelming favorite of 2004. How many opportunities does a reporter have to mix in music by Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Rush, INXS, and Chicago, all in the same story? Mr. Maki is an intense, irreverent fellow who looks great in a headband. He also gave an insightful, revealing interview on what it means to be an air guitar master. His supernatural talent is evident in every picture I took. He's an inspiration for all dudes who play imaginary Fender Strats.

Go to story Document Some Republicans see Pawlenty on a national stage
I chose this story on Governor Pawlenty's Club for Growth debut in New York for a couple of reasons. First, it's a good example of stumbling onto a story you didn't anticipate. I went to New York to cover the Republican National Convention, and planned to spend some time following Norm Coleman, who had a plum role as a convention co-chair. But after covering Pawlenty's appearance before the Club for Growth, it was clear that Pawlenty has gained quite a bit of national exposure because of the way he's handled Minnesota's budget crisis. And it will be interesting to see whether Pawlenty's appearance signals a national political future. Plus, the press corps' Club for Growth experience was hilarious in hindsight (see blog).

Go to story Document At party conventions, the party is where it's at
This story was not an easy one to report. It required some legwork before leaving St. Paul for Boston; some wheedling to learn about possible parties and their locations; and a bit of luck to actually score an invitation to one. It also meant leaving the beaten path (i.e., the Fleet Center and the official proceedings) for an evening and then working through the night to write and produce for next morning's air. But the result is a much clearer appreciation for the networking, fund-raising, and general cozying that goes on at the conventions and that, in some ways, are the main order of business during the week (for both parties).

Go to story Document Nearly 20 years later, the Hormel strike lives on
It was the winter of 1986 when more than 1,000 Hormel meatpackers walked out of the company's flagship plant in Austin. Those months on the picket line would change the town forever. Nearly twenty years later and its like pulling teeth to get people to talk about what happened. But two men, Charlie Valdahl and Allan Wesely, were generous (and brave) enough to share their stories in photographic detail. They took a chance by talking with me so frankly, reopening old wounds in the process. Thanks to them the radio story that followed was a privilege to put together.

Go to story Document Horses part of student life at U of M Morris
Whenever I traveled to campus to cover other news stories, I was always curious about the horse stables situated on campus. Finally, I asked around and found out students can board their horses on campus, if they pay a fee, and help take care of all the horses. It made for an interesting story. The only problem was -- and I know a lot of people will think this is a terrible thing to say -- I don't like horses. They make me nervous. While interviewing people in the stables I always kept one eye on their horse. I figured they'd rear up and stomp me into the ground at any moment. Or maybe I'd spook one of them with a microphone, and they'd plant a deadly kick to my stomach. Hey I've got my reasons for this phobia. When I was 12, I rode a horse at summer camp, it got spooked and reared back. I slid off the saddle, hit my chin on his back, and bit through my tongue. Anyway I made it through the interviews just fine, and I'm hoping now I'll be a little less skittish around horses.

Go to story Document Closing the gap: one school's approach
We were in the early stages of reporting for our project on the racial achievement gap. I needed a school scene, and a source recommended a visit to Dayton's Bluff elementary in St. Paul. What I found there was a remarkable story of how one school had turned around its performance and narrowed the gap. It's a rare opportunity to get this much time on the radio for one story, but there was so much to tell. I was truly inspired by the people I met at this school.

Go to story Document Missed opportunity
This is a RealMedia slideshow of the World Trade Center site visit of the Minnesota delegates to the Republican National Convention. They came, they saw, some cried, and they went back to the convention. I, on the other hand, arrived early and met family members who were protesting the fact they have to get permission to visit a dump to visit the final resting place of their loved ones. I tried to tell the delegates that the family members wanted to see them. But many chose not to, and others never knew they were there, partly because their tour guide was an employee of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who had rejected the family's pleas.

Go to story Document Managing the illness
I could say that the Bad State of Mind series is my favorite stories but one story stands out for me. It was a profile of Gary Johnson, who is doing an good job of managing his illness. We in the media too often report on the failures of the mental health care field. There's not enough beds. There's not enough treatment. Treatment isn't as effective as we would want. The police are the ones who are on the first lines of the defense, etc. This story focused on someone who struggles to manage his illness and works to help others who have mental health problems.

Go to story Document Whose recovery is it?
This story broke with our usual format to get personal with an issue of economic significance to Minnesotans. It takes a concept that is otherwise abstract and technical -- the economic recovery -- and translates it into the voices of ordinary people from all walks of life. It also took advantage of a relatively new newsroom program to reach out to our audience to help shape the story with their ideas and contributions.

Go to story Document A different approach
For the meth series I spoke with two recovering addicts, one who became an addiction counselor and one who wants to become a counselor. The story also debunks the myth that meth addicts can't beat the drug.

Go to story Document Hmong migrate to little houses on the prairie
The idea for this story came from an MPR listening session in Marshall. At the listening session MPR staff met with community members to find out what sorts of things they thought would make good radio stories. We knew there was a large population of Hmong in Walnut Grove. One person added the tantalizing twist which turned the whole thing into a story. The person claimed the Hmong came to Walnut Grove because they fell in love with the fictional Walnut Grove in the TV show "Little House on the Prairie." When I went to Walnut Grove I found out there was truth in the claim, and it made a nice story.

Go to story Document Alcoholic central
This was only partly my story. It belongs equally to Paul Ojanen. He is the voice of the story; my voice never appears. We worked together on the writing and the structure of the piece. I've been trying to take myself out of many of my pieces, and trying to put the subjects of the stories at the center of the pieces. "Alcoholic Central" is one of the best examples of those efforts.

Go to story Document Stepping in the same river twice
It's a story about a documentary telling the stories of a group of friends who once lived a wild life together as river guides out West. Robb Moss made a film about them when they were in their twenties, then returned 25 years later to see what had become of them. It just struck a chord with me, probably because I am at that time in my life where I can see where my wild friends of 25 years ago have now found themselves.

Go to story Document The making of Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks"
According to Morning Edition producer Jim Bickal, "one of my favorite pieces of 2004 was an interview that Cathy Wurzer conducted and I produced with Kevin Odegard, author of  "A Simple Twist of Fate: Bob Dylan and the Making of Blood on the Tracks."  Dylan is a very important cultural figure whose roots are in Minnesota, but much of his life story is a mystery.  In this book, Odegard offers insight into Dylan's personality, his unusual creative process, and how he works with other musicians.   What made the story stand out was the opportunity to show how the songs were transformed from the first takes recorded in New York to the final sessions in Minneapolis."

Go to story Document Mosley examines 1960s race relations in sleuth novel 'Little Scarlet'
I enjoyed interviewing Walter Mosley because I'm a big fan of his work. I've read all of the books in the Easy Rawlins series and was waiting with great anticipation for the next installment. I spoke with Mosley when he was in town promoting "Little Scarlet" -- the latest Easy Rawlins mystery. We also talked that series as well as his other work. Mosley is probably known most for his mysteries, but he writes science fiction and non-fiction as well.

Go to story Document Abu Ghraib interrogator tells his story
This story was my favorite because it took a lot of courage for Roger Brokaw to speak out critically against the U.S. military's handling of prisoners in Iraq. He saw haunting situations and he reported them to his superiors. Brokaw could have left it at that. But he felt he had an obligation to share what he saw in Iraq with the American public. To do that, he had to overcome the considerable shyness and anxiety that he's endured for years. Brokaw says he might not have been able to muster the strength to speak out, but his wife's sudden death last year changed him. Now he doesn't obsess about what people think of him. He just wants to do what's right - even at the risk of angering the U.S. military. I felt inspired by Roger Brokaw and I've wondered many times if I possess his kind of strength.

Go to story Document Minnesota lags in new business formation
This story was full of interesting contradictions. Minnesota is home to some phenomenal entrepreneurial success stories, including 3M, Control Data, Medtronic, the Carlson Companies, and Best Buy. Yet, Minnesota ranks low among the states in new business formation. Despite our prominent successes, we don't have as much entrepreneurship as most other states. Despite this, Entrepreneur magazine ranked the Twin Cities as the best city in the country for entrepreneurs. Why? Largely because the companies that do start here have a better rate of survival. The statistics posed some interesting questions and it was a fun challenge to find the reasons that lay behind them.

Go to story Document Art imitates life for Somali teens
It captured voices of the children of some of Minnesota's newest immigrants which is rare to hear in itself. Also, the play and the very frank disucussion with the Somali students highlighted an important and somewhat surprising division in our community between the latest immigrants from Africa and African-Americans who've been here for generations. Also, its always good to see ourselves in the reflection of newcomers to the region.

Go to story Document Witness to Terror
The voices from this piece still haunt me. We wanted to give listeners a chance to hear some of the testimony and recorded evidence presented to the 9-11 commissioners. Much of this material had not been aired before, and I discovered to my surprise that some of the most fascinating information was barely covered in news accounts, perhaps because other portions of the testimony took priority. For example, there's the story of a Florida customs inspector who probably prevented the 20th hijacker from entering the country. There's the voice of flight attendant Betty Ong, calling in to calmly report that her plane has been hijacked. And there's the hoarse voice of Harry Waizer, whose throat and lungs were burned by a fireball of jet fuel at the World Trade Center. I thought I was tired of hearing about 9-11. But these voices moved me profoundly, and I can't forget them.


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