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June 21 - 25, 2004
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Monday, June 21, 2004 |
Medical community is ready for Hmong arrival
The first group of Hmong from a refugee camp in Thailand are scheduled to arrive in Minnesota Monday evening. They are among a group of 15,000 Hmong refugees expected to arrive in the U.S. by the end of the year. One-third of them are expected to settle in St. Paul. Resettlement officials say they face logistical problems handling a large number of refugees in such a short period of time, primarily in providing medical care. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
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Tuesday, June 22, 2004 |
First Hmong refugees arrive in latest wave
After months of preparation, they're here! The first of what could be 5,000 Hmong refugees arrived at Twin Cities International Airport last night. They were greeted by dozens of relatives in a tearful, but joyous, reunion. Minnesota Public Radio's Toni Randolph reports.
Pawlenty in Poland to promote trade
Gov. Tim Pawlenty will participate today in a memorial ceremony for the crew of a U.S. B-17 that was shot down over Poland during World War II. Along with 20 business leaders, Pawlenty is spending the week in Poland and the Czech Republic. It is the first overseas trade mission of his administration. The reason for the destination is not obvious at first glance -- the two countries are far down on our list of trading partners. But officials say the trip gets Minnesota in on the ground floor of the next big thing. Minnesota Public Radio's Jeff Horwich reports.
MPR breaks ground on new headquarters
Today is an historic day for Minnesota Public Radio. There is a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction on a new headquarters in downtown St. Paul. The $41 million expansion will more than double MPR's existing space. The project is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2006. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Bill Kling, the president of MPR.
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Wednesday, June 23, 2004 |
Reconciliation sought in Winona
This weekend, the city of Winona is hosting a reconciliation ceremony between city officials, and Dakota Indian people. They are calling it "The Great Dakota Gathering and Homecoming," and it is expected to draw Dakota people from across the Midwest. It is meant to help reconcile bad feelings that still exist over white settlement of the area. Organizers intentionally tied the event to Winona's celebration of the 1854 Grand Excursion, which was done to promote investment and settlement of the Upper Mississippi area. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Lyle Rustad, executive director of the Diversity Foundation, one of the organizations involved in the event.
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Thursday, June 24, 2004 |
Kelly promises to veto smoking ban
The Saint Paul City Council has approved a ban on smoking in the city's bars and restaurants, but the measure will probably not take effect. Mayor Randy Kelly says he will veto the city ordinance and pursue a regional no-smoking policy at the county level. Backers of Saint Paul's ordinance could muster only four votes on the seven-member council, which is not enough to override a veto. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen reports.
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Friday, June 25, 2004 |
Light rail transit opens this weekend
Metro Transit officials expect a large turnout for Saturday's launch of the Hiawatha Light Rail line in Minneapolis. Interest is high for the state's first commuter rail in 50 years. After the initial buzz dies down, the train will have to go about the unglamorous work of moving people from one place to another and trying to live up to its promise as a viable alternative to more blacktop and cars. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes takes a behind-the-scenes look at the Hiawatha Rail Line and finds out what you need to take a ride.
Courting undecided voters
A new nationwide survey by the Pew Research Center finds about a fifth of registered voters have not decided who they will vote for in this year's presidential race. That is down from the percentage of swing voters at this point in the last three presidential campaigns. The number is still a significant segment of the electorate, and one that could determine the election in battleground states like Minnesota. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum looks at the undecided voters.
Mayor Kelly vetos St. Paul smoking ban
St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly is poised to veto the city council's newly passed ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. Supporters, who do not have enough votes to override a veto, are not giving up. They dispute the mayor's contention that a ban limited to St. Paul would put the city's hospitality industry at a disadvantage. And they argue that St. Paul could lead the way toward a metro-wide ban by moving ahead with its own ordinance. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
Collectors preparing for Antiques Roadshow
Is it a valuable antique or a worthless piece of junk? That's the question that hundreds of Minnesota collectors will hope to get answered when they bring cherished items to a taping of the Antiques Roadshow. Tickets for the popular public television program, which will be in St. Paul tomorrow, have been hard to come by. Sue Winking and her husband, who live in St. Paul, have two tickets for the event. Sue says that entitles them to bring four items, but she is still not sure what they will bring.
Handbell conference in Duluth
More than a thousand handbell ringers are in Duluth for a conference. Some of the bells weigh 12 or 13 pounds. The conference will come to a crescendo on Sunday when hundreds of them perform at one time. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Julin has more.
Climatologist Mark Seeley on traffic accidents on wet roads
A recent study from the University of California, Berkeley suggests that the risk for auto accidents due to wet roads is greater following a prolonged dry spell. Examination of accident records and weather data showed that there were relatively more accidents on wet roads following dry spells of several days or longer than during periods of several days when the weather was continuously wet. Interpretations varied as to cause and effect. Speculation was that the build up of dry deposition of debris on roads during dry spells makes them more slippery when it does rain. Another speculation was that drivers become less accustomed to the hazards of wet pavement when they drive in dry conditions for several days or weeks.
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