|
November 25 - 29, 2002
[ Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday ]
|
Monday, Nov. 25, 2002 |
School accused of breaking testing rules
State education officials say an alternative school in Minneapolis violated test security rules this year when some students received help while taking the Minnesota Basic Skills exams. The Abraham Lincoln High School, which serves recent immigrants, is also accused of wrongly excluding some students from the tests. Meanwhile, five former teachers are suing the school, claiming they lost their jobs in retaliation for reporting the testing irregularities. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
Manufacturers layoff workers since 2000
Minnesota's high-paying manufacturing sector created nearly 50,000 jobs during the 1990's, but now most of them are gone. From 1991 to 2000, the number of manufacturing jobs in Minnesota grew 12 percent, and helped fuel a big jump in the state's prosperity. Nationally, manufacturing was virtually stagnant over the same period. But the recession and its aftermath have wiped out 80 percent of the jobs Minnesota gained. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.
WNAX-AM is 80 years old
A pioneering radio station in South Dakota is 80 years old today. WNAX-AM was one of the first stations on the air in the Midwest. It covers a five state area including southern Minnesota. Its glory years were in the days before television, when it helped unite the region's farms and small towns. Although a fire destroyed most WNAX archives, a fan of old-time radio saved a portion of the station's history. For one southern Minnesota family, that history is especially sweet. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil filed this report.
Brownfield in Minneapolis to be cleaned
A new chapter is unfolding for one of Minnesota's oldest polluted sites. A five acre brownfield in a Minneapolis neighborhood is finally being cleaned, and a developer will build housing there next Spring. Neighbors started complaining about the pollution ninety years ago. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
Factory work in pictures
Local photographer David Parker has published a collection of pictures of Minnesota factory workers. Parker travelled to 20 different factories, from the Ford plant in St. Paul, to the Potlatch paper mill in Cloquet, and the Toro engine manufacturer in Windom. With black and white film, he captured the workers he met, their jobs, and their environments. The pictures are collected in a book called "By These Hands: Portraits from the Factory Floor" and displayed in a new exhibit at the James J. Hill House in St. Paul. Parker says the project is an extension of his work as an occupational health and safety physician. And, he says, it is a celebration of the genius of the American worker.
|
|
Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2002 |
Vikings reject U of M stadium site
The Minnesota Vikings are rejecting a campus site proposed for a joint football stadium with the University of Minnesota. Vikings officials say the site is too small, too isolated, and does not have the parking or traffic infrastructure to support the NFL team's needs. University officials say they are open to continuing negotiations with the Vikings and will explore the option of a Gophers-only stadium. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.
Ventura releases report card on performance
Gov. Jesse Ventura says he's pleased with a new report card that gives his administration an average score of seven out of 10 on his key initiatives. Shortly after taking office, Ventura unveiled his so-called "Big Plan." Yesterday's "Big Accounting" finds significant success on tax reform, transit, and trade promotion. But the scoresheet also shows missed opportunities. And lawmakers say the governor could have been more effective if he'd developed better relations with legislators. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo reports.
Settlement reached in test score lawsuit
The test scoring company that mishandled thousands of Minnesota high school exams has agreed to pay $7 million in damages to affected students and their families. The settlement comes more than two years after state education officials uncovered the errors and just days before a class action lawsuit was scheduled to go to trial. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
Former union manager admits guilt in Biernat case
A former manager of a Minneapolis plumbers union has admitted using union funds to buy access with a city councilman. Thomas Martin pleaded guilty a month before going on trial. Last week, a federal jury convicted Minneapolis councilman Joe Biernat on related charges. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports.
Manufacturing jobs shrink in greater Minnesota
Small towns across greater Minnesota cashed in on a boom in high-paying manufacturing jobs during the 1990's. But the manufacturing sector has been hit the hardest in Minnesota by the recession. Most of the 46 thousand manufacturing jobs the state gained between 1991 and 2000 have disappeared. For workers in out-state Minnesota and their communities the loss can be devastating. Mainstreet Radio's Erin Galbally reports.
Investigators consider whether pilot fatigue played role in Wellstone crash
As the investigation continues into what caused the plane carrying Sen. Paul Wellstone to crash on October 25th, one of the factors being examined is possible pilot fatigue. On the day before the crash, pilot Richard Conry flew to North Dakota and back and then worked a shift at his second job as a nurse. Conry did follow federal regulations that require a ten-hour interval between the flights. Doctor Warren Jensen is the aeromedical director, and a professor, at the University of North Dakota's aviation school. He has has studied the role of fatigue in transportation accidents and says it's a difficult factor to gauge.
|
|
Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2002 |
Minneapolis police make arrests in shooting of 11-year-old
Minneapolis Police have arrested an unknown number of people in connection with the murder of 11-year-old Tyesha Edwards. Details remain sketchy, but police say those arrested include the perpetrator and the intended target of the shooting. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak talks about shooting
Joining us now for more on the Tyesha Edwards shooting is Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.
Minneapolis couple collects bread for needy
For 20 years, a Minneapolis couple has collected day-old baked goods and given them to the needy. Every weekday, Shirley and Harry Kaiser make their rounds delivering the food to homeless shelters, the elderly and others in need. At 83 and 74 years of age, the Kaisers say they have no plans to retire. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
Minnesota's fall harvest nearly finished
The fall harvest in Minnesota is nearly complete. Farmers have struggled this harvest season with mostly uncooperative wet weather, but the final weekly crop report of the season says they are wrapping up the corn harvest and tillage work. A few farmers with wet fields in the central part of the state are waiting for the ground to freeze to finish their harvest. Tom Rothman is the Farm Director for the Minnesota Farm Network.
|
|
Thursday, Nov. 28, 2002 |
Listings not yet available.
|
|
Friday, Nov. 29, 2002 |
Retailers hopefull for good holiday season
Today is the traditional start to the holiday shopping season. Retailers are bracing themselves for a tough year. The list of reasons includes layoffs, sluggish economic growth, and the prospect of war in Iraq. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.
Difficulties for Vikings and Gophers on joint stadium
Plans for a football stadium to be shared by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Vikings hit a snag last week when Vikings officials rejected a proposed on-campus site. The setback comes just as a design study is due to the state Legislature and has put on hold the partnership between the university and the Vikings. The plan for a joint facility would have been unique in the NFL -- and some say for a good reason: professional and collegiate sports don't necessarily mix. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
Spike Lee film on Jim Brown at the Walker
Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown is the subject of a new Spike Lee film that's getting a screening at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis this Sunday. During his nine-year NFL career, Brown rushed for over 12,000 yards and was an All-Pro every year. But the film doesn't just dwell on Brown's playing days. Spike Lee says he wanted to present a complete picture of Brown's experience as a black man in America. He interviews dozens of Brown's friends, relatives, teammates and coaches. Lee tells the story of Brown's childhood in an all-black community, his efforts to overcome stereotypes at Syracuse University, and his sometimes-controversial relationships with women. Both Spike Lee and Jim Brown will be in Minneapolis for this weekend's screening. We talked with Brown on the phone from Los Angeles. He says his life has been about much more than football.
Pro sports market in Twin Cities is saturated
The local professional sports calendar is crowded with games this long holiday weekend, and an article from this week's edition of "The Business Journal" says that the Twin Cities as a sports market is crowded too. The Minnesota Timberwolves, the Wild, and the Vikings all have games this weekend. Of course, the Twins are between seasons, and so are the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx. Andrew Tellijohn is the reporter who wrote the story in "The Business Journal." He says they found that the Twin Cities's sports market is slightly oversaturated.
U of M volleyball team sees success this year
The University of Minnesota's Big Ten Championship volleyball team wraps up its conference schedule tonight, and then waits until this weekend to see where they will play in the NCAA tournament. The ninth ranked Gophers face Penn State on the road this evening, and coach Mike Hebert joins us on the phone from State College, Pennsylvania.
|
| Morning Edition Archive |
|
|
|
© 2024 | Home : Terms of Use : Your Privacy Rights