Tuesday, August 19
Today it is extremely rare to find a mentally retarded child in an institution. Most live at home with their families....where social workers believe they are most likely to thrive. But what happens if a parent disagrees with the experts and insists on placing their child in a treatment facility? Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson has the story of one family's struggle to find a suitable home for their mentally retarded daughter.
Local Teamsters President Harold Yates discusses the settlement of the UPS strike.
Local UPS spokesman Uri Camarena discusses the settlement of the UPS strike.
MPR's Bill Catlin describes the mood live from UPS headquarters in Minneapolis.
Lobbyist Barry Tilly previews the Special Legislative Session which starts today.
Wednesday, August 20
Giant wood and metal structures are sprouting up in a field near Taylors Falls where corn grew just two years ago. Franconia Sculpture park is primarily an artists refuge, but the sculptors who are building the huge artworks hope the public will drop by.... and get a better understanding of what they do. Minnesota Public Radio's Marcy Tveidt reports.
Lawmakers completed their work of the special session in one day, and sent three major pieces of legislation to the Governor. Minnesota Public Radio's Karen-Louise Boothe reports.
Bill Flynn, an attorney for the Minnesota Business Utility Users Council, discusses the various options for what to do when we run out of phone numbers in the 612 area code.
Thursday, August 21
The latest wave of immigrants arriving in Minnesota includes the parents or grandparents of earlier immigrants. A large number are from the former Soviet Union, and they have decided to live in the suburbs near their families. They want to learn English but the people who teach ESL or English as a second language courses are having a hard time keeping up with the demand. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson has more.
The black population of Minnesota has nearly tripled in less than two decades... growing by almost a hundred thousand since 1980. More African Americans are migrating to Minneapolis-St. Paul than to any other northern city. In the second of two reports, Minnesota Public Radio's John Biewen looks at how the growth of the black population is affecting race relations in the Twin Cities.
Joyce Swadner, director of elections for the city of Mpls, discusses what needs to happen for a petition drive to put a referendum item on the ballot.
Bob Potter chats with contestants and a judge at the State Fair about how a cookie becomes king.
Friday, August 22
Dwight and Vance Opperman are buying a 12 and a half percent share of the Internet Broadcasting System of Edina. I-B-S runs the Channel 4000 online service in Minnesota. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Collins reports this investment by the former owners of West Publishing Company fuels an increasing dominance of new forms of media by those who made their fortunes in newspapers and magazines.
Saint Paul Public Schools will have at least 227 new teachers in classrooms for the start of the school year...and the district is still filling vacancies. Some of the new teachers are recent college graduates, but the majority come to Saint Paul with experience in other districts. District officials held an orientation this week for 200 teachers. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
One hundred years ago, the "Minnesota Hospital for Indigent Crippled and Deformed Children" opened in Saint Paul. The hospital was the brainchild of Doctor Arthur Gillette, an orthopaedic surgeon who believed the state had a duty to care for children with disabilities. Today, the hospital is privately owned and has a different name....Gillette Children's Specialty Health Care...but its mission remains the same. Minnesota Public Radio's Lorna Benson spoke recently with some people who spent literally years of their lives at Gillette. Their memories of pain, pleasure and personal triumph are still vivid.
Minneapolis has asked Urban Design Associates to draft a master plan for developing the central riverfront and connecting it more closely with downtown. Don Carter is a managing principal with the firm and he discusses the plan.
Meterorologist Mark Seeley provides State Fair weather trivia.
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