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August 25 - 29, 2003
[ Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday ]
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Monday, Aug. 25, 2003 |
Minnesota tribe is first to oversee air quality
A northern Minnesota Ojibwe band is expected to be first in the upper Midwest to take over air quality responsibilities from the federal EPA. For Fond du Lac Band tribal officials, it's a step to keep the air clean on their reservation. It's also a way the band can demonstrate its rights as a sovereign nation. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Kelleher reports.
Parking in bipartisan alley
Eventually during their visit to the State Fair, more than one million Minnesotans will get tired and head for home. But for people who live near the fairgrounds, there's no going home from the fair. Some neighbors make the most of it by making a cottage industry of parking cars. Along one block, car parking brings a neighborhood together. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports.
New book on how to parent college kids
College campuses are springing back to life as the new school year begins. For many parents, it's a time of transition. Their child is an adult now, going off to make their own choices and pursue their own goals. But the parenting doesn't end with college, according to Marjorie Savage, director of the University of Minnesota's Parent Program. She's written a new book called "You're On Your Own (but I'm here if you need me): Mentoring Your Child During the College Years." Savage says the idea that parents should just "let go" when their kids go to college is bad advice.
Duluth companies fail to meet development agreements
This evening, the Duluth City Council will hold a public hearing on whether to penalize two companies that received public money but failed to meet development agreements. Sinex Aviation Technologies and UnitedHealth Group together received about $750,000 in assistance. Neither company has been able to produce as many jobs as it pledged. Ken Hogg is the vice president of the Duluth City Council and also serves on the Duluth Economic Development Authority. He joins us now.
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Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2003 |
President's seventh visit to Minnesota to raise campaign funds
President Bush visits Minnesota Tuesday to raise money for his 2004 re-election campaign. The president will appear at a $2,000 a plate lunch in downtown St. Paul that is expected to generate hundreds of thousands of dollars for his campaign. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
Lawmakers urge seniors to speak up about prescription drugs
Seniors packed a Bloomington retirement community chapel yesterday to meet with a bipartisan group of lawmakers, who urged them to lobby Congress to allow the reimportation of prescription drugs from other countries. The lawmakers told the seniors that if Congress adds a prescription drug benefit to Medicare without doing anything about rising drug costs, seniors will be no better off. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
Deregulation keeps telecom industry in the spotlight
Since 1996, the number of local telephone companies in Minnesota has gone from just a few to nearly 150. Deregulation created an industry with cutthroat competition, and also one of the most complicated business climates around. Local and long-distance companies must work together at the same time as they fight tooth-and-nail to steal customers from one another. Even seven years later, the fallout from deregulation continues to foster the image of an industry that can't seem to stay out of trouble. Minnesota Public Radio's Jeff Horwich reports.
Eden Prairie man to help rebuild Basra, Iraq
U.S. Central Command says another American soldier has been killed in a bombing northwest of Baghdad in Iraq. A total of 139 soldiers have been killed since President Bush declared major combat over, which is one more than died during the heavy fighting before that declaration. The violence in Iraq could soon be a part of life for a man who's worked at City Hall in Eden Prairie for nearly two decades. Don Uram has been serving as Eden Prairie's director of management and budget and is going to try his skills in a Basra, Iraq. He's joining a nonprofit called Research Triangle Institute International, which aims to improve local government in Iraq under a contract with the U.S. government. Mr. Uram joins us now.
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Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2003 |
Bush holds fundraiser in St. Paul
President Bush pulled in more than $1 million Tuesday at a downtown St. Paul fundraiser for his re-election. Speaking at the RiverCentre in front of several hundred people, Bush touted his accomplishments in the White House over the past two and a half years, and said his work in Washington has only begun. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik and Laura McCallum covered the president's visit.
Former Gopher coach Jim Wacker dies
Former Gopher football coach Jim Wacker has died at his home following a long battle with cancer. He was 66. Wacker came to Minnesota from Texas Christian University, where he earned National Coach of the Year honors from three news organizations. He coached the Gophers from 1992 to 1996. John Roe is a retired Star Tribune reporter who covered the Gophers while Wacker coached. Mr. Roe joins us now.
Mars at closest point to Earth in nearly 60,000 years
If you were awake and looking into the southern sky at exactly 4:51am this morning, you saw the planet Mars at its closest point to the Earth in nearly 60,000 years. The planet is about 34.6 million miles away, making it the brightest spot in the night sky right now. Many Minnesota astronomers, and some regular people, have been getting up the past few weeks to view the planet. Dr. Bill Sheehan is the author of two books and numerous papers about Mars. He joins us now.
The Enthusiasts: The treasure hunters
The sport known as geocaching combines high-tech gadgetry with the ancient lure of treasure hunting. Geocachers use hand-held global positioning satellites, or GPS units, to search for objects hidden by other geocachers, who post the GPS coordinates and other hints on the Internet. In this edition of The Enthusiasts, we go geocaching with Pam Combs, a board member of the fast-growing Minnesota Geocaching Association, and Pam's husband, Dave Combs.
Postcard collections judged at State Fair
If you're looking for a glimpse of forgotten, small-town America, head to the State Fair. Go to the Creative Arts building's main entrance, walk past the sweaters, past the baskets, when you hit the shelves of cakes, turn left. You'll spot some carousels of glass display cases. Every year, they house the winners of the State Fair postcard collection contest. Minnesota Public Radio's Stephanie Curtis reports.
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Thursday, Aug. 28, 2003 |
Wellstone crash settlement reached
Lawyers for the passengers of the flight that killed Sen. Paul Wellstone and several others last fall tell the Star Tribune newspaper they've reached a $25 million settlement with Eden Prairie-based Aviation Charter. The plane crashed last fall in northeastern Minnesota, two weeks before the election, killing Wellstone, his wife and daughter, three campaign staffers and two pilots. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik is in the studio with a report.
Disclosure Board dismisses Pawlenty complaints
The state campaign finance board has dismissed complaints against Gov. Tim Pawlenty over the consulting income he received while running for governor. Pawlenty was paid $60,000 by political ally Elam Baer's pay-phone company. The state DFL party and two Green Party locals questioned whether Pawlenty's consulting company - Bamco - was an attempt to circumvent political contribution limits. They also allege the payments may have been illegal corporate contributions - a question the board referred to a county attorney. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
Rybak says what he wants in new police chief
Mayor R.T. Rybak says he wants a police chief who keeps city streets safe, but also holds officers accountable and can be creative with the department's complex budget. Rybak makes his comments as the search for a replacement for Police Chief Robert Olson gets started in earnest. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
Minneapolis police chief job is tough to do
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak outlined the process the city will undertake to hire a new police chief. The mayor said a national search will take place to find a successor for outgoing Chief Robert Olson. Rybak has said he will not rehire Olson when his term is over at the beginning of next year. Whoever lands the position can expect a complicated job. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with John Laux, former Minneapolis Police Chief in the late 80s and early 90s, and current chief of the Bloomington police department, about the challenges and life-changes that come with the job.
Accessibility at the Fair getting better
The crowds can sometimes make getting around the State Fair difficult. Now think about getting around the Fair, if you have a disability. Since the early 1990s, the Minnesota State Fair has been actively working to improve accessibility for those with disabilities. That has meant updating some old buildings, and providing many new services. Mike Chevrette is the executive director of the group "Access for All." He himself is in a wheelchair, and he joined me out at the fair. He says that, overall, the accessibility at the fair is really good.
Personal Rapid Transit could start in Duluth
A Twin Cities inventor's vision to replace the automobile could get its first real test in Duluth. Ed Anderson's company has developed a system of rails, computers, and small electric cars to move people quickly and efficiently through congested areas. It just needs a home and a pile of money. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Kelleher reports.
Minnesota Lynx first playoff game tonight
The Minnesota Lynx venture into uncharted territory later today. The team enters the WNBA playoffs for the first time in franchise history with a game against the 2-time defending champion Los Angeles Sparks. The Lynx are just 1-16 against L.A. all time, and 0-4 this year. But they have played the Sparks close recently, and are coming off their best season ever. Tip-off is 6:30 tonight at Target Center, and then the best-of-3 series moves to L.A. this weekend. Joining us on the line is Minnesota Lynx All-Star Katie Smith.
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Friday, Aug. 29, 2003 |
West Nile could get worse in South Dakota
South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds wants everyone in his state to prepare for battle. The enemy is mosquitoes. Four people have died from the West Nile virus in the last week. More than 250 human cases have been reported in South Dakota this summer. Rounds says the next three weeks is the peak season for mosquitoes and West Nile. Mainstreet Radio's Cara Hetland reports.
Corporations may see U.N. norms on human rights
A University of Minnesota law professor has just returned from a trip to Geneva, Switzerland, where he helped draft what could become the United Nation's first comprehensive set of international human rights standards specifically applying to global corporations. Professor David Weissbrodt was one of 26 people, from 26 different countries, who worked on the standards. They were adopted earlier this month by the U.N. Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. Professor Weissbrodt says the set of standards addresses a wide range of issues.
Kids selling beverages near State Fair shut down
Authorities have shut down a refreshment stand operated by two young girls because they were peddling soft drinks without the proper license. The seven and four-year-old Ziegler sisters were selling beverages Wednesday afternoon near the State Fairgrounds until an inspector from the city's Office of License Inspections and Environmental Protection shut them down. When their father called City Hall for an explanation, he was told that St. Paul is cracking down on unauthorized merchants. Jay Benanav is a St. Paul city council member. He says the incident is absurd.
Franciscan Sisters praying since 1878
Since 1878, an order of nuns in La Crosse, Wisconsin have prayed around the clock, without pause. The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration have at least two sisters on duty in rotating shifts to answer the hundreds of prayer requests they receive a week. As Minnesota Public Radio's Rob Schmitz reports, business has picked up recently.
Minnesota paying for North Dakota arts
A published report is putting the Minnesota State Arts Board on the defensive. According to the report, the Arts Board gives tens of thousands of dollars in arts grants every year to North Dakota arts organizations. This at a time when Minnesota's arts funding has been cut by 30 percent. Arts Board officials say the funding benefits Minnesota arts goers. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts has the story.
Best Buy may move into digital games and movies
Electronics retailer Best Buy is shifting some of its emphasis from traditional retail stores, to internet based entertainment. The company recently announced an initiative to sell downloadable music, and now may be looking at other areas like games, and movies. Joining us in the studio is Mark Reilly, who wrote about this in this week's edition of The Business Journal.
Mark Seeley's weather commentary
Mark Seeley's weather commentary. This week, Mark talks about the hot weather at the State Fair where it reached 97 degrees over the weekend, and takes a look back at weather in August 2003.
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