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August 5 - 9, 2002
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Monday, Aug. 5, 2002 |
Early stage of Minneapolis' Block E project opens
Block E in downtown Minneapolis is the subject of a Minneapolis Planning Commission hearing later today to discuss design issues on the development, which is funded in part by public subsidy. Last-minute haggling over where to place public bathrooms and other design details is clouding the opening of Block E. The first phase of the opening begins today with the underground parking ramp available for commuters and others. The hotel, movie theaters, and restaurants built on the once-vacant land also open soon. Plans for rehabilitating Block E began 15 years ago. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
Security experts to assess preparedness of Hennepin County
A group of security experts will be in Hennepin County this week evaluating how prepared the county is for a terrorist attack and providing security training for county officials. The experts are from Sandia National Laboratories, a Department of Energy research center based in Albuquerque, New Mexico that specializes in national security issues. The lab was a Cold War leader in nuclear research, and has since broadened its work to other security concerns. Hennepin County is paying Sandia $50,000 for its work. Gloria Chavez is with Sandia Labs, and she's on the line now.
New dance organization gets started in Minneapolis
A new dance organization has been formed in Minneapolis. Dance Today is rising up from the ashes of the old Minnesota Dance Alliance, which was once viewed as a prototypical dance service provider and presenter. However, the group suffered a financial collapse when the dance community outgrew it. Dance Today will be much more concerned with creating new audiences for dance and building cultural diversity within the dance community. The area it serves will also be much larger, including most of the country's mid-section. Executive Director June Wilson told Word of Mouth host Chris Roberts how she wants the dance community to view her new organization.
Singers in Minnesota for World Choral Symposium
Over 1,000 singers from more than 50 counties are in Minnesota this week. They're attending the triennial World Choral Symposium, and are considered some of the best singers in the world. The Twin Cities is hosting the symposium, which is being held in the U.S. for the first time. Singers are attending workshops and performing concerts throughout the week. Gary Graden is the director of the St. Jacob's Chamber Choir from Sweden, which will perform this evening.
Monday Markets
Minnesota Public Radio's Chief Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell discusses the latest economic news.
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Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2002 |
Red Lake uses settlement money to reforest reservation
Last year, the Red Lake Band of Chippewa settled a longstanding dispute with the federal government. Red Lake claimed the Bureau of Indian Affairs mismanaged the band's forests. As a result, the tribe lost millions in timber revenue. Now, the band will get more than $53 million in compensation. They'll use it to restore 50,000 acres of pine forest. Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson has the story.
Hennepin County Board to cut $5 million
The Hennepin County Board will approve $5 million in budget cuts today. Under the plan, each department will cut its budget by one percent. The Hennepin County Board itself isn't slated for any reductions. Peter McLaughlin is a Hennepin County commissioner, and he's on the line now.
Ventura going to Cuba
Governor Jesse Ventura says he's planning to visit Cuba in late September. He says he wants see the country and promote Minnesota businesses. Ventura would be the third U.S. governor to travel to the communist country since the trade embargo was imposed 40 years ago. The most recent was North Dakota Governor John Hoeven, who visited Cuba just last month. John Woodele is a spokesman for Governor Ventura, and he joins us now.
Minneapolis police officers will say goodbye to one of their own
More than 2,000 people are expected in tiny Bloomer, Wisconsin today to say goodbye to Minneapolis Police Officer Melissa Schmidt. Schmidt grew up in Bloomer. She died last week after a shootout with a suspect in a Minneapolis apartment building. The suspect, 60-year-old Martha Donald, also died. An honor guard of Minneapolis officers has been with Schmidt's body since her death and will accompany the casket during the procession to the church and cemetary. According to Deputy Police Chief Greg Hestness, the honor guard is part of police tradition.
Twins have big lead, head to Baltimore
The Minnesota Twins leave for a six-game road trip to Baltimore and Boston today. They lost to the Kansas City Royals 12-4 yesterday, ending a 5-game winning streak. The loss doesn't do much damage to the team's lead in the American League Central. They're still 16 games ahead of the Chicago White Sox. Lavelle Neal covers the Twins for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He's joins us on the line now.
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Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2002 |
Senate candidates hold first debate
The four endorsed major party candidates for U.S. Senate met on Tuesday in southwestern Minnesota for their first debate of the campaign season. DFL incumbent Sen. Paul Wellstone, Republican challenger Norm Coleman, Independence Party candidate Jim Moore and Ed McGaa from the Green Party talked primarily about farm economy issues at Farm Fest near Redwood Falls.
Congressional candidates in 1st and 7th Districts debate
The campaigns for the congressional seats in Minnesota's agricultural belt are heating up. The candidates for the state's 1st District and 7th District debated the issues at Farmfest yesterday. They talked about the federal deficit, farm policy, and other issues at the trade show near Redwood Falls. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports.
Minnesota's rich choral tradition draws world symposium
All this week thousands of people from more than 50 countries are singing in the Twin Cities. They're here for the World Choral Symposium. For the first time, the event is in the United States. One of the reasons the symposium chose Minnesota is because of the strength of the state's choral scene, a tradition which stretches back to the pioneer days. "Word of Mouth's" Marianne Combs examines why Minnesota developed into such a choral powerhouse.
Mentoring organizations need more volunteers
Some mentoring organizations in Minnesota are facing a shortage of volunteers -- especially male volunteers. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities, one of the largest mentoring groups in state, has over 100 boys on its waiting list right now, all hoping to get an adult male mentor. The Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota has put out a call for more help. That organization recruits mentors and refers them to a number of different mentoring groups, including Big Brothers Big Sisters. Kari Davis is the Executive Director of the Mentoring Partnership, and she's on the line now.
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Thursday, Aug. 8, 2002 |
Deaths of elderly people could be avoided with the flu shot
Researchers say they have found a way to prevent tens of thousands of premature deaths of elderly people. The secret lies in a common vaccination that is free for seniors on Medicare. Despite its widespread availability, though, medical experts report many physicians across the country are neglecting to administer this lifesaver: the simple flu shot. Minnesota Public Radio's Rob Schmitz has this report.
Capitol day care funding cut
State officials have decided to stop subsidizing the rent for a day care center located near the state Capitol. The decision means Capitol Child Care - which has been a model for other centers - will likely be run by a new provider. State employees whose children are enrolled in Capitol Child Care are outraged. Some say they may take a leave of absence from the state to stay home with their children if the center changes hands. Child care experts say the situation points to a problem many working parents face in trying to find good child care. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
75th Anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's return to Little Falls
Little Falls, Minnesota is kicking off a weekend-long celebration today to mark the 75th anniversary of Charles Lindbergh's return to his hometown after his famous flight. Lindbergh was the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic ocean in 1927. Little Falls will celebrate with air shows, a parade, remarks by Lindbergh's granddaughter, and the grand reopening of the Lindbergh Visitor's Center. Brian Horrigan, from the Minnesota Historical Society, is the curator of the exhibit. He joins us now, from Little Falls.
Mosquito control officials busier after West Nile virus
Officials at the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District are having a busy summer, after the discovery of West Nile virus in the state. According to the state Health Department, tests have confirmed seventeen birds and ten horses in Minnesota have been infected. Mosquitoes transmit the West Nile virus. Jim Stark, with the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District, is on the line now.
Four major party gubernatorial candidates debate farm issues
The four major party endorsed candidates for governor were back at the debate table. This time the focus was on agriculture and rural issues. The debate took place at Farm Fest near Redwood Falls in southwestern Minnesota yesterday. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
State lawmakers question criminal laws on sex abuse
The sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church has some state lawmakers taking a closer look at Minnesota's criminal laws. They held a hearing yesterday on whether the laws are strong enough to prosecute people in positions of power who molest children, especially priests who are accused of molesting parishioners. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
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Friday, Aug. 9, 2002 |
Moussaoui sent email to Crookston asking about crop-dusters
The only person charged with plotting the September 11th terrorist attacks sent an email to the University of Minnesota at Crookston to ask about the school's crop dusting program. Zacarias Moussaoui sent the email just 6 weeks before the attacks. Concerns that terrorist might use crop dusters for chemical attacks prompted officials to ground all crop dusters in the country twice, shortly after September 11th. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer talked with Andrew Svec, spokesperson with the University of Minnesota at Crookston.
Top Dock-Jumping dog
Minnesota has a lot of lakes with boat docks in them. And a many people in Minnesota own dogs. Those elements will come together at a competition this weekend. Some of the nation's best dock-jumping dogs will be showing their stuff at an outdoors show in Anoka called Game Fair. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Julin met with one of the country's best dock-jumpers in Duluth. He has this Mainstreet Radio report.
Mall of America changes retail, and state's image
The Mall of America turns 10 on Sunday. Despite waves of initial skepticism the largest mall in America has drawn nearly 390 million visitors through its doors. As Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports, the behemoth once dubbed a "mega-mistake" has a history of defying expectations.
Bad economy hits Pemstar hard
Technology companies in Rochester have hit hard times. Big local employers like IBM and Celestica have laid off workers and announced worldwide restructuring plans. Until recently, homegrown technology manufacturer Pemstar seemed to be holding its own. But that's no longer the case. Over the past three months Pemstar's stock price has plummeted. Mainstreet Radio's Erin Galbally reports.
New way to market drugs causes controversy
A drug manufacturer is trying a new approach to marketing in the Twin Cities-- and it's raising some controversy. Last month, Berlex Laboratories out of New Jersey opened an education and assistance center on the Fairview Southdale Hospital campus in Edina. The center is there to help people with Multiple Sclerosis-- primarily those who take the drug Betaseron, which the company manufactures. Scott Smith covered the story for this week's edition of The Business Journal. He says the center is free and does provide people with M.S. a lot of information.
Weather will be a factor at the PGA Championship
The best golfers in the world will be at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska next week for the PGA Championship. It'll be the first major pro golf tournament to take place in Minnesota since the 1991 U.S. Open, also at Hazeltine. During that tournament, a bolt of lightening killed a spectator. Even in less tragic situations, weather is always a factor on the golf course. Last month, wind and rain played into Tiger Wood's defeat at the British Open, thwarting his attempt to complete the Grand Slam at Hazeltine. University of Minnesota Meteorologist Mark Seeley says there may be other weather challenges to worry about in Minnesota.
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