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September 8 - 12, 2003
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Monday, Sept. 8, 2003 |
Drop in patients from Persian Gulf hurting Mayo Clinic
More international patients travel to the Mayo Clinic each year than to any other U.S. health care facility. The Rochester-based clinic is known around the world for everything from heart and cancer treatment to basic care. But since Sept. 11, Mayo has seen less and less of at least one prominent group of foreign patients -- travelers from the Persian Gulf. The situation has hurt Mayo's bottom line, and its effects have also trickled down to Rochester's local economy. Mainstreet Radio's Erin Galbally has this report.
A new plan for St. Cloud
The St. Cloud City Council is considering a document that will shape the town's future: a comprehensive city plan. Citizens and planners have been working on the issues for a couple of years, and have developed a new vision for the city. Minnesota Public Radio's Annie Baxter reports.
Minnesotan returns home to Liberia to provide aid
A Liberian woman who now makes her home in Minnesota has returned to the west African country to help provide humanitarian assistance. Nyeba Manston-Dunbar is a nurse at Fairview University Medical Center and a graduate student at the U of M. She's part of a team of people with the American Refugee Committee who have been working in Liberia since August 24th. We reached her in Monrovia, which she says is still a dangerous place.
Monday Markets
Minnesota Public Radio's Chief Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell discusses the latest economic news.
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Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2003 |
Mayo expands in the Middle East
The number of international patients traveling to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for treatment remains down two years after Sept. 11. Clinic officials decided one solution is to take care to the patients. By the end of 2004 a team of Mayo heart specialists will set up shop in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. They'll provide basic health care and will screen patients for treatment in the U.S. Mayo is not the first to bring medical services overseas. Other major healthcare centers report mixed results on their attempts to export care. Mainstreet Radio's Erin Galbally has this report.
Guthrie breaks ground for new theater complex
The Guthrie Theater Company celebrated a new beginning on Monday evening. Hundreds of people witnessed the ceremonial groundbreaking on the site of its new riverfront theater complex in downtown Minneapolis. The ceremony marks the end of a long uphill battle at the state legislature for funding, but the campaign for private donations continues. Minnesota Public Radio's Marianne Combs reports.
Air taxis: the ride of the not-so-distant future?
A group of Grand Forks entrepreneurs wants to change air travel in the midwest. They say on-demand air service is the wave of the future. NASA may fund a demonstration project of the concept next year in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Mainstreet Radio's Dan Gunderson Reports.
Analysts react to President Bush's request for more money
Many members of Congress are supporting President Bush's request for an additional $87 billion to pay for continuing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The President made the request during a speech Sunday night, calling the war against terrorism the nation's highest priority. About $20 billion of that money would be used to rebuild Iraq. Brian Atwood is the Dean of the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. He also served as administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development during the Clinton Administration. Atwood says it will cost quite a bit more than $20 billion to rebuild Iraq.
Vintage planes recreate National Air Tour
Later this week, about 30 vintage airplanes from the 1920s and 1930s will be roaring in the skies above the Twin Cities. Celebrating that time, known as the Golden Age of aviation, is the point behind the 2003 National Air Tour which comes through the Anoka County Airport on Wednesday. About 30 vintage airplanes are being flown on the tour, which begins in Detroit, Michigan. They'll make their way through Illinois, Wisconsin, and arrive at the Anoka County Airport on Wednesday. The original National Air Tours took place from 1925 to 1931, and were meant to change the image of airplanes from barnstorming and military use to a safe, reliable way for people to get around. Gregg Herrick is the organizer of the 2003 National Air Tour and owns several airplanes from that era. We met up with him in the hangar at the Anoka County Airport as he was getting ready to fly in the tour. He says that when the tours came through a town in the 1920s and 1930s, the crowds were enormous.
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Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2003 |
Minneapolis teachers say they're due a raise
Two money-saving initiatives, proposed for the Minneapolis school district, are drawing criticism. Hundreds of teachers demonstrated at last night's school board meeting and accused district officials of illegally withholding pay increases. School board members are also facing tough questions from some parents, who are upset over a plan to close or realign several schools. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
Duluth narrows mayoral candidates to two
In Duluth's primary election Tuesday, voters narrowed a wide field of candidates for mayor. City councilor Herb Bergson and businessman Charlie Bell will face each other in November. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill reports.
The Enthusiasts: The balloonist
Flying a hot air balloon can be a time-consuming and expensive hobby. The colorful balloons cost tens of thousands of dollars. You can only fly when the weather is good, and you go where the wind takes you. But for a Fargo attorney, it's an avocation that's allowed him to meet interesting people around the world. For this week's edition of our series "The Enthusiasts," Dan Gunderson climbed aboard with a man who's floated on the wind more than 900 times.
Fault line forces evacuations in Crookston
Eight families have now been forced to leave their homes in Crookston, Minnesota, where shifting land near the Red Lake River has caused a fault line that is several feet deep in some areas. City officials announced the evacuation of another home yesterday. The shifting ground has pulled down trees, structures and power lines. Joining us now for the latest on the situation is the mayor of Crookston, Don Osborne.
Sept. 11 memorial planned at International Peace Garden
Tomorrow morning, people will gather at Ground Zero in Manhatten to remember the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Although New York is too far for many Minnesotans to travel tomorrow, there's a place in our region that will hold a memorial near some remnants of the World Trade Center. The service will take place at the International Peace Garden, which straddles the U.S.-Canadian border between North Dakota and Manitoba. Dwight McAuley is the Chief of Protocol for the Government of Manitoba, and he organized the event. He's on the line now.
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Thursday, Sept. 11, 2003 |
First West Nile death reported
The Minnesota Health Department is reporting the state's first death from the West Nile virus. The department says the death occurred in northwest Minnesota. The mosquito-borne disease was first diagnosed in Minnesota in July 2002. Health officials say it's the peak period for reporting West Nile-related illnesses, so they expect more cases in the coming weeks. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
Gov. Pawlenty will mark Sept. 11 anniversary
Commemorations of the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks will be held this morning in New York, Washington and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. There will be observances in our region as well. A memorial event will be held tonight at Midway Stadium in St. Paul, and Gov. Tim Pawlenty is planning to be there.
Ride-sharing catches on in Dakota County
What would it take to get Twin Cities drivers to share a ride? That's a question transportation planners are pondering as roadway congestion grows. The vast majority of roadway trips are by single occupant vehicle drivers. A Dakota County van service is using satellite technology to try attract riders by reducing waiting time for shared rides. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
September crop report released
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has just released its September crop report. Many Minnesota farmers have been waiting for the report, which predicts the size of the corn and soybean harvest this fall. Since the last report in early August, many parts of the state have suffered from dry weather. Joining us now is Michael Hunst, Minnesota's agricultural statistician.
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Friday, Sept. 12, 2003 |
Remembering 9/11
A rainstorm didn't halt the state's largest Sept. 11 memorial ceremony last night in St. Paul. Gov. Pawlenty and other leaders told a small but dedicated crowd the fight against terrorism must continue. They said Minnesotans can channel their emotions into community service here at home. Minnesota Public Radio's Jeff Horwich reports.
Judge's ruling transfers management of Mall of America
A federal judge has awarded control of the Mall of America to the four brothers who first proposed the idea. The Ghermezian brothers of Canada said they were misled and ignored by the mall's managing partner in a battle over ownership control of the megamall. But Simon Property Group says it will challenge the ruling. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin reports.
Supreme Court orders reporter to name anonymous sources
A split Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled judges may compel reporters to divulge unnamed sources in some defamation cases. Justices ruled 5-2 that a Maplewood Review reporter must reveal his sources from an article that criticized the Tartan High School football coach. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
Mill City Museum opens in Minneapolis
Tomorrow, the Mill City Museum will open near the Stone Arch Bridge in Minneapolis, on the banks of the Mississippi. The museum will tell the story of how Minneapolis came to be the milling capital of the world in the 1880s. The museum is built in the old Washburn A mill, which was almost completely destroyed in a 1991 fire. The mill was once the most technologically advanced and the largest in the world. At peak production, it ground enough flour to make 12 million loaves of bread a day. Tom Meyer was one of the principle architects for the museum, and I met him in the museum courtyard. He says the 1991 fire first seemed like a huge setback to everyone trying to develop the old mill site.
Much of state gets some much-needed rain
Much of the state got some much-need rain last night. Usually at this time, Meteorologist Mark Seeley joins us to discuss the weather. This week, Mark's on vacation, so we've called another weather expert - Greg Spoden, a climatologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Rain likely to mean more mosquitoes
Mosquito populations are expected to go back up in parts of the state that have seen recent rains. Many areas of Minnesota haven't seen rain for weeks. Hopes that the long dry spell killed off dormant mosquito eggs aren't coming true. Joining us on the line is Jim Stark with the Mosquito Control District.
U.S. Bancorp moving employees to downtown Minneapolis
U.S. Bancorp is moving 1000 employees into the Pillsbury Center building in downtown Minneapolis, but real estate analysts say that won't do much to change the slumping market for downtown office space. Scott Smith is a reporter with The Business Journal, and he wrote about those topics in an article in this week's edition of the paper. He joins us in the studio.
Hamline gets $7 million for new athletic facility
The University of Minnesota isn't the only school getting donations these days to build a stadium. Hamline University has just announced the largest single gift in that school's 149-year history. The $7 million comes from a Twin Cities couple known for their philanthropy-- Robert and Alexandra, or Sandy, Klas. Most of the money will go toward a new facility that will be used for both athletics and academics. Bob Klas is himself a graduate of Hamline, and he joins us now.
Word of Mouth
Minnesota Public Radio's Marianne Combs gives the scoop each week on art and artists around the state.
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