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June 24 - 28, 2002
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Monday, June 24, 2002 |
Concierge care
Concierge care, or two-tier health care, has arrived in Minnesota for consumers who want to pay more for personal service and 24-hour access. Patients say they're simply choosing to pay for services the market isn't providing. But critics say concierge care is unethical and favors the elite at the expense of the less fortunate. Andrew Haeg has the story.
Another day, another flood
Heavy rain is causing more flooding in northwest Minnesota. Areas that were hit with heavy rain two weeks ago were inundated again over the weekend. Up to a foot of rain was reported in areas around Mahnomen. Many homes in and around Mahnomen were flooded, and downstream in places like Ada, crews are rebuilding their levies. Mainstreet Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.
Who'll get the youth vote?
A large number of voters who elected Jesse Ventura for governor in 1998 either voted for the first time or returned to the polls after becoming disenchanted with politics. Ventura appealed to voters to shake up government by putting a political outsider in office. People who typically scoffed at politics turned out in high numbers, electing Ventura. Ventura's decision to leave politics after his first term then begs the question, will the voters who turned out to the polls in '98 continue to vote - or will they leave politics after voting for the man they thought would shake up the political establishment? Tom Scheck reports.
Fast food and animal rights
The animal rights movement has gotten some significant help lately from an unlikely source - a global fast-food corporation. A new special report from American RadioWorks explores how McDonald's is imposing tough new rules on its suppliers to raise and slaughter animals more humanely. These actions are pressuring the rest of the food industry to make similar changes.
In this excerpt, correspondent Daniel Zwerdling tours a slaughterhouse with Temple Grandin. She's an austic woman hired by McDonald's because of her unusual ability to understand animals fears and instincts. Grandin has redesigned the slaughterhouse so animals go to a calmer death.
What will happen to Amtrak?
Amtrak's Board of Directors is meeting today with Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, who says the government wants to help keep the trains running. Last week, Amtrak President David Gunn said he would begin shutting down the railroad unless it was given financial help to close a budget gap.
Amtrak's Empire Builder runs between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest, stopping in Minnesota and several other states. Some small communitees along the line are especially worried about Amtrak closing. Dale Niewoehner is the mayor-elect in Rugby, North Dakota.
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Tuesday, June 25, 2002 |
Racing the crest
People in Ada in northwestern Minnesota are bracing for the crest of the Wild Rice River today. Officials are fairly confident they're ready this time after being swamped earlier this month with heavy rains and flooding. And Ada isn't the only community along the Wild Rice that's been battling record levels of water. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports.
Flood update
Residents in Ada are waiting to see if their dikes can hold back round two of flooding on the Wild Rice River. Rain over the last few days has pushed the river to record levels for the second time this month. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer talked with Kevin Ruud, the Emergency Management Director for Norman County.
Housing the United Way
The Twin Cities United Way announced Monday it will launch an $11 million affordable housing campaign. United Way officials say the five-year initiative seeks to create 850 affordable housing units and will rely heavily on funding from corporate donors. They say the initiative will address the housing crisis in urban, suburban and rural parts of the Twin Cities Metro Area. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.
Efforts to save bus service for the poor
The public sector didn't come through to save a Minneapolis neighborhood's bus service. Now, some of the riders are asking the private sector for help. Minnesota lawmakers this past session cut money for transit. The action means Metro Transit may eliminate a little-used bus service in one of Minneapolis' poorest neighborhoods. However many of the riders are older or disabled who say the once-a-week bus service is the easiest and cheapest way to do their shopping. They've convinced Metro Transit to postpone ending the bus route and will see if fund raising can save the line. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
The Congdon murders revisited
Twenty five years ago, two people were found dead in the Congdon mansion just outside Duluth. The murder case that followed captured the public's attention with all the twists and turns of a mystery novel. One of the victims was Elisabeth Congdon, 83, the daughter of Chester, who made his fortune in iron mining, and built the 39-room mansion. Elisabeth was found dead in her bedroom. The other victim was her housekeeper, who was bludgeoned to death in a nearby stairwell. Joining us on the line is Joe Kimball, a young reporter at the time for the Minneapolis Tribune, and who covered the Congdon murders. He's also the author of a book titled Secrets of the Congdon Mansion.
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Wednesday, June 26, 2002 |
Indian leaders pressure lawmakers to restore education cuts
The fallout continues over a recent decision to close the state Indian education offices in Bemidji and Duluth.
Minnesota Indian leaders appeared before a legislative committee in St. Paul Tuesday, demanding the offices remain open. They told lawmakers the decision could have devastating results for Indian students. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
Nurses' strike - one year later
One year ago this week, 1,300 nurses ended a 23-day strike against two metro area hospitals and returned to work. Nurses at Fairview University Medical Center in Minneapolis and Fairview Southdale in Edina struck for higher pay, improved benefits and better working conditions. One term of the settlement allows nurses to shut down a hospital unit to new patients if they believe staff is stretched too thin. Hospital administration and the union say the provision helps, but doesn't fully resolve the underlying problem: a shortage of nurses. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
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Thursday, June 27, 2002 |
25th Anniversary of Congdon Murders
Twenty-five years ago today, two people were found dead in the Congdon mansion just outside Duluth. The murder case that followed captured the public's attention with all the twists and turns of a mystery novel. One of the victims was Elizabeth Congdon, the 83-year-old daughter of Chester, who made his fortune in iron mining and built the mansion. Elizabeth was found dead in her bedroom. The other victim was her night nurse, who was bludgeoned to death in a nearby stairwell. Joe Kimball, a young reporter at the time for the Minneapolis Tribune, covered the Congdon murders. He's also the author of "Secrets of the Congdon Mansion." He says when he arrived at the scene, the police were tight lipped.
Tim Penny launches bid for governor
Former congressman Tim Penny jumped into the race for governor of Minnesota on Thursday, saying he'll run as an Independence Party candidate. Penny has been mulling a gubernatorial bid since Governor Jesse Ventura announced last week that he wouldn't seek re-election and openly encouraged Penny to step into the race. But Penny will face a challenge for the IP nomination. And if he succeeds there, he'll face a crowded field in November.
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Friday, June 28, 2002 |
Supreme Court unmuzzles judicial candidates
The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down limits on what some judicial candidates may tell voters, a landmark free speech ruling that could heat up court campaigns around the country. The Supreme Court, in throwing out strict limits in Minnesota on a 5-4 vote, said the rules, while well-intended, impose an unconstitutional gag order.
Both sides claim victory in MPAAT ruling
A Ramsey County judge has stopped an anti-tobacco group from using state tobacco settlement funds until it reforms its operation. Judge Michael Fetsch issued a ruling yesterday preventing the Minnesota Partnership for Action Against Tobacco, also known as MPAAT, from issuing grants until it submits a plan for preventing conflicts of interest. He also ordered the group to come up with a solid plan to help Minnesotans quit smoking.
Ad war in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race
An all out advertising war has broken out in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race over the estate tax issue. Republican Norm Coleman's campaign is asking a Washington D.C. area special interest group to stop running ads attacking incumbent DFL Senator Paul Wellstone on the estate tax issue. The Coleman campaign is also once again extending a proposal that both campaigns fight off outside advertising. But Wellstone's campaign says it will not ask outside groups to stay out of the Senate contest and will not ask the Minnesota DFL Party to pull an ad the Democrats say sets Wellstone's estate tax record straight.
A wet and soggy June
Meterologist Mark Seeley discusses this month's weather, and looks ahead to the Fourth of July.
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