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August 12 - 16, 2002
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Monday, Aug. 12, 2002 |
Hazeltine is ready to host PGA
How do you prepare to host Tiger Woods, David Toms, David Duval and some 150 of the world's best golfers? That's been the challenge for the staff at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, which hosts the PGA Championship Aug. 12-18. Putting on one of the golf world's biggest events means mobilizing a small army of staff and volunteers, but Hazeltine says it's ready.
Funding cuts hurt domestic violence shelters
The Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women is worried that its funding for shelters and outreach programs is in jeopardy. The legislature trimmed funding for such programs during the last session. The group wants legislators and candidates running for office to know domestic violence has not gone away. Mainstreet Radio's Laurel Druley has this report.
Baseball players' union could announce strike date
The Executive Board of the Major League Baseball Players' Association is meeting today in Chicago where it is expected to set a strike date. The players and owners still have not come to terms on the major financial issues for a new collective bargaining agreement. If a strike date is set and an agreement isn't reached, the baseball season could be interrupted for the third time since 1981. In each of the previous work stopages, the players have eventually come out on top. Chuck Korr is a professor of history and the author of a new book The End of Baseball As We Knew It: the Players Union 1966-81, and he joins us now.
American RadioWorks examines juries on death penalty cases
In recent years, a sizeable number of former jurors on death penalty cases have stepped forward to assert that they were confused by the instructions given to them by a judge or failed to understand basic legal concepts. In a handful of prominent cases, jurors have acknowledged sentencing defendants to death because they were unaware that life without parole was an alternative. In the latest special from American Radio Works, independent producer Alan Berlow [BUR-loh] explores problems with America's capital jury system. In this excerpt, Cornell Law Professor John Blume explains how even when jurors are given all the evidence, they frequently don't understand what the law requires them to do with it.
Monday markets
Minnesota Public Radio's Chief Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell discusses the latest economic news.
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Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2002 |
Sex and children redux
Last spring, the University of Minnesota Press was the center of a storm of protest over the publication of a book on sex education. Some representatives of the local media admit deadline pressures at the time kept them from in-depth coverage of Judith Levine's controversial book "Harmful to Minors: The Perils of Protecting Children from Sex." Levine sat down with with reporters and the public to discuss the media firestorm that erupted even before her book was published. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.
National political leaders campaign in Minnesota
This year's Minnesota political races continue to draw national attention. Connecticut Senator and former Vice Presidential candidate Joe Lieberman will be in Minneapolis today to campaign for DFL Senator Paul Wellstone. Vice President Dick Cheney visited the Twin Cities and raised more than a quarter-of-a-million dollars for Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Pawlenty. Union members and DFL party officials criticized Cheney's visit, but Pawlenty says it gives him a big boost in what is likely to be a close race. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
St. Paul may restructure school choice
St. Paul school district officials are launching a year-long debate on whether to restructure the current enrollment options available for their 45,000 students. The district's system of citywide magnet schools began in the 1970s as a way promote racial balance. But many parents now say there are too many school choices, and the selection process is too complex. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
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Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2002 |
Kelly proposes budget without tax hikes
St. Paul residents could enjoy their 10th year in a row of no property tax increases if Mayor Randy Kelly's budget is adopted. Kelly released his proposed 2003 budget last night. He says his budget will hold the line on property taxes without sacrificing essential city services such as police, fire and housing code enforcement. Kelly's $509 million budget does call for cuts to some recreational facilities and fee assessments for certain permits and licenses. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms has the details.
Minneapolis may close small elementary school
Minneapolis school district officials are moving forward with plans to close another small elementary school. Superintendent Carol Johnson made a formal recommendation Tuesday to close Morris Park Elementary after the coming school year. If approved, it would be the fourth Minneapolis school to close within two years. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
Golfers get in final practice rounds at Hazeltine
Today is the final chance for golfers to get in a practice round before the PGA Championship gets underway tomorrow at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska. The top athlete in the world right now, Tiger Woods, showed up for his practice round yesterday at 6:20am in an attempt to get a jump on the crowds who follow his every move. MPR Sports Commentator Jay Weiner is covering the tournament for the Star Tribune, and he joins us now.
The new face of farming
It's tough to break into farming nowadays, and even tougher if you're an immigrant. A small portion of federal money goes toward helping minority groups become farmers, but the new federal farm bill reduces those funds to an even smaller amount. Still, ag officials in Minnesota point to many examples of immigrants who are developing specialized, and successful, farming operations.
CEOs must sign off on financial statements
The CEOs of the state's biggest companies will have to personally sign off on the accuracy of their company's financial statements starting today. The Securities and Exchange Commission created the new requirement to shore up investor confidence in corporate financial statements in the wake of business scandals at Enron and Worldcom. The new rule will affect top executives at 30 Minnesota companies. Joining us on the line is Jay Swanson, head of Dorsey and Whitney's public companies group.
Minnesota implements system to alert public when child abducted
Starting today, an adult stranger who abducts a child in Minnesota stands a greater chance of getting caught. That's because the state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is implementing the Amber Alert System. It's similar to the Emergency Broadcast
System, but is activated when someone reports the abduction of a child. Joining us on the line is Janell Rasmussen, coordinator of Minnesota's Amber Alert System.
Minnesota works to improve jury instructions
Earlier this week on Morning Edition, we broadcast an excerpt from an hour-long American RadioWorks documentary called "Deadly Decisions." It looked at how juries often misunderstand their instructions from the judge when deciding capital cases. The Minnesota judicial system was not included in that report because this state does not allow capital punishment. However, Minnesota is trying to make jury instructions more understandable in all cases. Marilyn Justman Kamen is a judge on the Hennepin County District Court. She worked on a committee created to improve jury instruction.
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Thursday, Aug. 15, 2002 |
Fans are excited about PGA Championship
The first golfers are on the course this morning at the 84th PGA Championship being held at the Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska. Fans throughout the upper Midwest have been flocking to Chaska to see the best players in the world. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
Racetrack's neighbors tired of race-day
Today is race-day in Willmar. The city features stock car races every Thursday at the Kandiyohi Racing Association Speedway, just blocks from downtown. But the thrill of one of the Minnesota's hottest summer sports is wearing thin for some who live close to the track. Mainstreet Public Radio's Jeff Horwich reports.
U.S.D.A employee tries new approach
In Fairbault, a U.S. Department of Agriculture employee is making a special effort to reach out to Minnesota's growing immigrant population. In the second part our series on immigrant farmers, Minnesota Public Radio's Rob Schmitz reports that Gregg Bongard thinks he has discovered a new approach to farming that could change the face of agriculture in the U.S.
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Friday, Aug. 16, 2002 |
Roseau asks state lawmakers for flood relief
City leaders and residents of Roseau say they need help now if their town is going to recover from this spring's devastating floods. They made their case last night before a hearing of the House Flood Relief Task Force. About 90 percent of the Roseau's homes and businesses were damaged two months ago, when torrential rains flowed over the dikes by two or three feet. Governor Ventura has said he won't call a special session to deal with the flooding disaster. Jeff Pelowski is the mayor of Roseau, and he's on the line now.
Farmers helping farmers
For 11 years Partners in Progress has helped farmers in the Dakotas and northwest Minnesota stay on the land. Farmers, bankers, and retirees all chip in cash and expertise to help farmers climb out of debt. Their motivation isn't money. It's their way of being a good neighbor. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports.
State questions Qwest's finances
The chair of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission says he's less concerned after a hearing yesterday on the effect of Qwest Communications huge debt load on its Minnesota customers. Qwest is the largest provider of local phone service in Minnesota. Still, some state officials say they're concerned about Qwest's quality of service. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.
Debate over safety zone at airport could cost the MAC
If one businessman is right, the Metropolitan Airports Commission could have to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to acquire additional land near the Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport. The MAC is building a new north-south runway, expected to open in 2004. As with all runways, there is a designated safety zone at the end of the runway where there can be no buildings. The owner of Bloomington-based Interstate Companies says his business is located in what should be the safety zone of the new runway. He wants the MAC to compensate him for his land so he can move to a new location. Scott Smith reports that story in today's edition of "The Business Journal." He says the debate is over how big the safety zone should be.
Weather with Mark Seeley
Meteorologist Mark Seeley discusses Minnesota weather history, and looks ahead to the weekend's weather.
Word of Mouth
Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts looks at art and artists around the state this week.
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