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December 29, 2003 - January 2, 2004
[ Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday ]
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Monday, Dec. 29, 2003 |
Vikings lose, miss playoffs
The Minnesota Vikings have made history. They're the first NFL team in 25 years to start a season 6-0 and not make the playoffs. The Vikings season ended yesterday when the Arizona Cardinals scored a touchdown as time expired and beat Minnesota 18-17. That loss, coupled with Green Bay's 31-3 victory over the Denver put the Packers into the playoffs. Joining us this morning to sort through the ashes is Sean Jensen who covers the team for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Sen. Coleman's first year
Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman is approaching the one year anniversary of his arrival in Washington. Coleman says he is living up to his campaign promise to "get the job done." He says his first year has been a success, particularly for a freshman. Minnesota DFL party leaders say there's no question Coleman's been busy, but they say he has focused on building up his own public profile-- not on helping Minnesotans. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
Using ballet to help juvenile delinquents
There are all kinds of programs that try to help kids untangle themselves from drugs and crime. Some kids end up in boot camp. Some of them go to treatment programs, and some of them do ballet. Chris Julin has this Mainstreet Radio report from Duluth.
MPR's Chris Farrell on Monday Markets
Minnesota Public Radio's Chief Economic Correspondent Chris Farrell discusses the shortened week on Wall Street, including retail sales numbers for Christmas, and wraps up the year in the economy.
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Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003 |
Bus drivers reject latest contract offer
Metro area bus drivers have moved a step closer to a strike. The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005 overwhelmingly rejected what the Metropolitan Council labeled its final contract offer last night. Union officials say their members can't afford the healthcare cost increases in the proposed contract. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.
Public defenders must go to legislature for relief
The Minnesota Supreme Court has denied public defenders' request for emergency relief from soaring caseloads and budget shortfalls. The Court said while it acknowledged the office is in a fiscal crisis, it is the legislature that should grant relief in the form of more funding. Minnesota Public Radio's Elizabeth Stawicki reports.
Reviewing Gov. Pawlenty's first year
Next week marks the end of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's first year in office. Pawlenty says he accomplished nearly everything he set out to do. The governor kept his campaign pledge to balance the budget without raising state taxes, and pushed through the bulk of his legislative agenda. But during the last half of the year, he took some heat for the effects of his budget, for income he earned from a political ally when he was a candidate, and for the release of a level 3 sex offender since he took office. Pawlenty says he does not think the public is paying attention to the criticism. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
Mad cow may spur organic beef industry
U.S. Agriculture officials say a holstein infected with mad cow disease was born four months before the U.S. and Canada began banning certain animal parts from cattle feed. Records from the Washington dairy farm where the cow last lived confirm that the animal was born in Canada before the restrictions took effect. Since the news of the infected cow was released last week, federal officials have recalled 10,000 pounds of beef. While it is still not clear how consumers will react to the situation, some promoters of organic foods say there's a good alternative. Organic Valley is a Wisconsin-based, farmer-owned cooperative that produces a variety of organic products, including organic meat. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Michael Levine, the president of the Organic Meat Company of Organic Valley.
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Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003 |
American Refugee Committee may help Iran
Aid agencies estimate that approximately 100,000 people were left homeless by an earthquake last week which was centered near the ancient Iranian city of Bam. The Minneapolis-based American Refugee Committee is gearing up to help. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with ARC's Vice President Joe Bock who is making final preparations to go to Iran, where he will assess the situation and decide whether a team should follow. He says he will be looking for ways the organization can help displaced people.
Light rail to be opened in 2004
The new year is scheduled to bring completion of Minnesota's largest public works project. The $750 million Hiawatha rail line from Minneapolis to Bloomington opens for full service next December. Partial service begins in April. A range of issues remain to be resolved before riders get on board. One is educating drivers and pedestrians how to co-exist safely with light rail. Another is finding money for a downtown Minneapolis shuttle bus to move rail passengers around. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Olson reports.
Look back at town getting 16 new millionaires
With 2003 coming to an end, we asked the reporters here at Minnesota Public Radio to pick some of the favorite stories they have covered this year and we will be replaying a few of them over the next couple days. Reporter Tim Post picked a story that he says came along at just the right time for him and the people of central Minnesota where he is based. After a month of covering the shooting at Ricori High School and its aftermath, Tim says it was a relief to tell the story of a group of lunch ladies in the little town of Holdingford who had just struck it rich with a Powerball ticket worth $95 million. Here is his story which originally aired on October 28, 2003.
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Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004 |
U of M defeats Oregon in Sun Bowl
A last-minute field goal and interception allowed the University of Minnesota football team to pull out a 31-30 victory over Oregon in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas yesterday. The Gophers now have back-to-back bowl wins, having claimed the 2002 Music City Bowl in Nashville. Today, college football serves up its main course of bowls with five games on the schedule. The college bowl season will finally wrap up on Sunday night with the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. For some die-hard football fans, it's the best week of the year. But for others, the abundance of bowl games has just made the college game more confusing. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports.
Gophers kick off Big Ten season Thursday
The University of Minnesota women's basketball team kicks off its Big Ten season tonight, taking on Michigan at home in Williams Arena. The undefeated Gophers have just won their third regular-season tournament of the year, a new school record. This week, they were ranked number six in the AP poll, their highest ranking in school history. The Gophers are led by guard Lindsay Whalen, a two-time All-American, who is a senior this year. Pam Borton is in her second year as coach of the Gophers, and she joins us now.
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Friday, Jan. 2, 2004 |
Departing Minneapolis police chief pleased at crime stats
Minneapolis police chief Robert Olson's contract expires Saturday. Olson has been chief for nine years. When he took over the police department, crime was high, and some people had started calling the city "Murderapolis." But Olson brought a new approach to crime fighting, including an initiative called CODEFOR, which uses computers to track problems around the city in "real time," and crime went down under his watch. Mayor R.T. Rybak has recently named Bill McManus, police chief in Dayton, Ohio, to take over for Olson later this month if McManus gets the necessary votes on the city council. As his time as Minneapolis police chief ends, Olson says it's still a tough job.
Business Journal honors Ecolab's Al Schuman
In today's edition of the Minneapolis-based publication The Business Journal, Al Schuman will be named Executive of the Year. Schuman is the CEO of Ecolab, a St. Paul manufacturer and the world's largest seller of cleaning and environmental products and services. Schuman was chosen because he has driven results at a time when most manufacturers have struggled, and because he's been committed to reinventing St. Paul. Since he took over as CEO in January of 1996, Schuman has increased Ecolab's market worth from $1.9 billion to more than $7 billion. Sam Black wrote the article about Schuman for The Business Journal. He joins us now.
Weather with Mark Seeley
University of Minnesota Meteorologist Mark Seeley discusses the weather and looks ahead to the weekend forecast.
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