Monday, August 4

For the third summer in a row, researchers in Minnesota are finding frogs with serious deformities. As reports of abnormal frogs continue to come in here and from other states, scientists are widening their investigation to find both the cause, and the geographical extent of the deformities. Minnesota Public Radio's Mary Losure reports. Online Feature

Today, East Grand Forks will begin handing out the first buyout checks to city residents who lost their homes in last spring's flooding. Susan and Charles Akerlind were among the first families in town to sign a buyout agreement. Now, they're preparing to move back to their old neighborhood... into a house that's only a few blocks from where they used to live. Susan Akerlind says her family has been on the move since they evacuated their old home last April 18th.

Naturalist Kathy Heidel and Bob Potter take a walk at the Lowry Nature Center near Victoria, Minnesota and come upon a wild rose garden in the middle of the woods.

Amy Kitchener of Fingerhut discusses the impact the UPS strike will have on Fingerhut.

Stillwater Prison Warden David Crist discusses how the prisoners are doing after three days without cigarettes.

Tuesday, August 5

Tonight more than nine-thousand communities across the United States will participate in the fourteenth annual National Night Out. The crime prevention effort has always attracted good participation in the metro area. Minnesota Public Radio's Hope Deutscher reports the crime prevention event is growing in other parts of the region.

U of M doctor Scott Nicholas discusses the impending hay fever season plus prescription and over the counter drugs.

North Minneapolis block club leader Alma Curry discusses National Night Out plans and how her troubled block is trying to fight crime.

Wednesday, August 6

In the last two years, the residents of the southwest Minnesota town of Olivia have seen TWO major fish kills in Beaver Creek. The small stream meanders through corn fields and pastures and eventually flows into the Minnesota River. There has been no official cause given for either fish kill...but state pollution control and natural resources officials say the incidents have directed their attention to contamination of the state's minor waterways. Minnesota Public Radio's Gretchen Lehmann reports. Online Feature

As UPS managers drive trucks and the delivery company's striking workers walk picket lines, businesses ACROSS THE COUNTRY are making do under the circumstances. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik visited a local company weathering the strike.

Tom Rothman of the Minnesota Farm Network reports from Farm Fest where livestock odor is the hot topic.

Thursday, August 7

State officials say a chemical spill that wiped out a two-mile stretch of a popular trout stream south of Red Wing was not an accident. But without an eye-witness they hold little hope of tracing the source of the spill. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports. Online Report

Minnesota lawmakers are considering whether the Internet should be taxed. Proponents of the idea think taxing internet service providers is no different than the tax on telephone service. Legislators in Iowa thought the same thing and enacted a 5-percent tax. Now they're having second thoughts as Mark Moran reports from Des Moines.

Robert Lavenda, a professor of anthropology at St. Cloud State University, discusses his book "Corn Fests and Water Carnivals: Celebrating Community in Minnesota."

U of M Extension Horticulturalist Deb Brown discusses the impact of the heavy rain on gardens, also crab grass.

Friday, August 8

The Blandings Turtle is never going to attract attention like an eagle can, or a timberwolf, or a peregrine falcon. Turtles personify the low profile; but Blandings turtles are nevertheless a threatened species here. Now, researchers at Camp Ripley are tracking the reptiles' movements -- and taking their temperatures -- in a two-year study they hope will improve the turtles' modest hold in Minnesota. Leif Enger of Mainstreet Radio reports.

On this date in 1987 the Twins defeated the Oakland A's for the third game in a row, widening their lead in the American League West. It was just the beginning of a remarkable run by the '87 Twins which culminated in a World Series victory. This weekend the Twins will host a team reunion. We take a look back at some of MPR's coverage from that championship season.

The Minneapolis City Council today is expected to put off a decision on whether to ban bicycles from Nicollet Mall during the week. Bicyclists are holding a rally later this afternoon to protest the possible ban. The measure has already been approved by two city council committees, but bike riders say they haven't had a chance to raise their concerns before the council. We hear from Gary Sjoquist, executive director of the Minnesota Coalition of Bicyclists. He also sits on the Minneapolis Bicycle Advisory Board - which actually voted to SUPPORT the ban.

Minnesota Twins owner Carl Pohlad says he'd be willing to sell and trade shares in the team on the stock market to raise some much-needed revenue. Pohlad says he thinks team owners could approve the idea at their next meeting. Pohlad discussed the idea of public ownership with other team owners and Major League officials yesterday. We talk to Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College and co-author of the book "Sports, Jobs and Taxes" due out next month.

University of Minnesota Meteorologist and Climatologist Mark Seeley says so far this summer, the dryest day of the week has been Monday.

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