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October 4 - 8, 2004
[ Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday ]
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Monday, Oct. 4, 2004 |
First Kennedy vs. Wetterling debate
Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy and DFL challenger Patty Wetterling met in their first head-to-head debate yesterday in Minneapolis. The two candidates are running in Minnesota's 6th Congressional District, which takes up St. Cloud, the northern Twin Cities suburbs and eastern suburbs like Woodbury and Stillwater. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
Independent groups scaling back political TV ads
With the election just a month away, many voters may feel like they are being bombarded with campaign ads. Yet one Twin Cities television executive says political ad buys are down from both the 2002 and 2000 elections. And some interest groups say they are not spending as much money on television ads this year. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
Twins to go to New York for playoffs
The Minnesota Twins will begin the first round of baseball's playoffs tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium in New York. The Twins' hopes for starting the playoffs at home slipped away when they lost yesterday's final regular season game 5-2 to the Cleveland Indians. Nonetheless, the Twins say they are ready for the playoffs and are looking forward to a rematch of last year's series with the Yankees. Minnesota Public Radio's William Wilcoxen has this report.
Chris Farrell's Monday Markets comments
Minnesota Public Radio Chief Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell discusses the coming week in the economy and financial markets. Farrell says the markets will be watching the next presidential debates on domestic policy and any comments President Bush and Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry make aobut the economy. Farrell also says the most important economic number to come out this week is the unemployment rate release on Friday.
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Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2004 |
Bees and pesticides the issue at state Supreme Court
The Minnesota Supreme Court hears arguments today in a case about bees and pesticide. Beekeepers say bees were killed when a pesticide was improperly applied to tree plantations managed by the state Department of Natural Resources. A district court judge and the Minnesota Appeals Court ruled against the beekeepers, but the state Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports.
Duluth to try new economic development tool
Communities across Minnesota are always looking for ways to attract new businesses and new jobs. One of the challenges, though, is determining just which industry will work in which town. Now, for the first time, a new tool will help Greater Minnesota communities identify exactly what industry could succeed. They will also be able to weed out the ones that just would not work. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Kelleher reports.
Views of the U.S. in other country's history books
School children across the United States are learning the story of our country: from the explorers and the pilgrims to the Revolutionary War, the idea of Manifest Destiny and our emergence as a world power. But students in other countries get a much different perspective when they learn about the same events. A new book called "History Lessons" looks at how high school textbooks in other countries describe our history when it intersects with theirs. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with author Dana Lindaman, who says he and co-author Kyle Ward got the idea for the book when they were both teaching at the International School of Minnesota in Eden Prairie.
Twins open playoffs against hostile crowd in NY
The Minnesota Twins begin their best-of-five playoff series against the Yankees tonight in New York. Johan Santana will pitch for the Twins against Mike Mussina. Minnesota, which was hoping for home field advantage, will instead play the first two games in front of a hostile crowd. Joining us now to help explain just how hostile that crowd is likely to be is Alan Frechtman, a local humorist and the former public address announcer for the St. Paul Saints. Alan grew up in Brooklyn as a New York baseball fan, but now calls himself a born again Twins fan.
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Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2004 |
Springsteen and other acts hold concert for ACT
The vice presidential debate last night in Cleveland was not the only arena where politics was center stage. The "Vote for Change" tour, featuring Bruce Springsteen, John Fogerty and R.E.M., among other big name acts, stopped at St. Paul's Excel Energy Center last night. The tour is expected to raise millions of dollars for America Coming Together, a political "527" group supporting Democratic candidates including John Kerry. To no one's surprise, the concert turned out to be an unabashedly partisan affair. Minnesota Public Radio's Chris Roberts reports.
Campaign issue: Education
As part of continuing series of in-depth reports on the major issues of the president race, today we look at what the two campaigns are proposing in education. Later this morning on "MidMorning," host Kerri Miller will lead an hour long discussion about the issue and how Bush and Kerry campaigns education plans differ. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik is here to give us a bit of preview of the debate.
Minnesota public colleges scale back money requests
Minnesota's public colleges and universities are preparing to do battle on their next budget requests. Both the the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities systems say they are going to ask for less money than in years past. But there's still no guarantee they will get everything they want. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.
Crop harvest saved by warmer weather
Minnesota farmers faced a weather rollercoaster all year. It was so cold in August it looked like corn and soybean fields would produce poor crops. Then came a late season heat wave in September. With harvest underway, most farmers are finding better than expected yields at the end of their rows. Mainstreet Radio's Mark Steil reports.
Twins' Santana beats Yankees
Outstanding defense, clutch pitching and timely hitting carried the Minnesota Twins to a two to nothing victory over the Yankees in New York last night. Twins starter Johan Santana pitched seven scoreless innings to get the win. Santana was helped by five double plays and some spectacular defense by centerfielder Torri Hunter. Joining us now from New York with more on the game is LaVelle Neal who covers the Twins for the Star Tribune.
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Thursday, Oct. 7, 2004 |
Twins lose game 2 to Yankees
The Twins best-of-five playoff series with the Yankees is now tied at one game apiece after last night's crushing loss to New York in 12 innings. Minnesota took a 6-5 lead in the top of the 12th inning on a home run by Torii Hunter. But Twins closer Joe Nathan, pitching more than two innings for the first time all season, could not hold the lead in the bottom of the 12th. He walked two batters and then gave up a game-tying double to Alex Rodriguez. Derek Jeter scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Hideki Matsui. The Twins and Yankees are headed to the Metrodome for games three and four of the series, and so is LaVelle Neal, who covers the Twins for the Star Tribune. He spoke with Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer from New York.
Attorney Clarence Darrow's letters to stay in Minnesota
University of Minnesota Law librarians can expect a busy few months analyzing the biggest collection of letters to and from the famous lawyer Clarence Darrow. Darrow was involved in important cases like the Scopes trial back in 1925. That is when Darrow defended John Scopes, a teacher accused of breaking state law in Tennessee by teaching evolution to his students. For decades, the letters were tucked away with other Darrow family possessions. Minneapolis attorney Randy Tietjen discovered the letters more than ten years ago. He spoke with Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer.
Old sewers holding back growth in rural areas
Many rural Minnesota communities are stuck with an expensive problem. Their sewer systems are worn out. It will cost millions of dollars to replace the systems, money most towns do not have. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports, if the sewers aren't fixed the communities economic future is in jeopardy.
Minority power: Registering Latinos in Moorhead
Politics is a business of winners and losers. It is also about ideology and influence. Minnesota's minority communities are finding their political voice. This morning MInnesota Public Radio's Mainstreet Radio launches a new occasional series looking at minority political power. Census Bureau surveys show only 30 percent of Latino residents in Minnesota are registered to vote. By comparison, 80 percent of white residents are registered. A Moorhead group is trying to get Latino residents involved in the political process. Some are eager to participate, but others have very practical reasons for avoiding the voting booth. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports.
A look at former Northwest CEO's decision to leave
The departure of Northwest Airlines CEO Richard Anderson caught many by surprise. He is taking a top job at UnitedHealth Group after three tough years in the airline industry -- a period that has seen the departures of most major airline CEOs. Minnesota Public Radio's Bill Catlin has this look at the choice Anderson faced.
Dylan on Dylan
Bob Dylan's autobiography "Chronicles" was released this week. Since Dylan rarely gives interviews and has never written about his life before, the book is a unique opportunity to learn more about the life of an American icon. Filmmaker Mary Feidt is putting together a documentary about Dylan's childhood in Minnesota. He was born Robert Zimmerman in Duluth and grew up in Hibbing. Feidt says she was eager to read "Chronicles" and find out Dylan's impressions of Minnesota.
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Friday, Oct. 8, 2004 |
Survey: Most nursing homes have no flu vaccine
Early results of a survey of nursing homes around the state shows most do not have any flu vaccines. The Minnesota Department of Health is conducting the survey in response to the shutdown of a flu shot manufacturing plant that wiped out half the U.S. supply. Most Minnesota nursing homes were expecting their vaccines to come from that manufacturer. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Kristen Ehresmann, manager of the immunization program at the Minnesota Department of Health.
Minneapolis neighbors hope to be players in campaign
A group of south Minneapolis neighbors that wanted to get involved in the presidential race has produced its own campaign commercial. The ad makes the case that President George W. Bush's approach to the war on terrorism is strengthening Al Qaeda. It shows Osama Bin Laden endorsing the Bush-Cheney re-election effort. Campaign finance observers say, while independent expenditures are certainly nothing new in presidential politics, they have yet to hear about a few neighbors actually producing an ad. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
Kidnapping of relatives of Twins a worry
Twins righthander Carlos Silva will make the first post season start of his major league career tonight when New York plays Minnesota at the Metrodome. The playoff series is tied at one game apiece. Silva will have to contend with a formidable Yankee lineup on the field, while off the field there is troubling news from his homeland. Silva is one of five Twins players from Venezuela where the economic conditions continue to deteriorate. Ransom kidnappings are on the rise and for the last month kidnappers have held the mother of Detroit Tigers pitcher Ugueth Urbina. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Brian Ellsworth, a free-lance reporter based in Caracas, Venezuela.
West African woman singer coming to Minneapolis
West African Rokia Traore' created quite a stir in her homeland of Mali. She shaved her head and sang in public about the plight of women. Traore's behavior was a huge break with tradition. In Mali only select vocalists, mostly men, are allowed to perform. These days, Traore' tours the world and performs her blend of traditional and contemporary music to a growing audience of admirers. She performs Sunday night in Minneapolis. Dan Olson reports.
General Mills quietly lets go of some Twin Cities workers
In other news, The Business Journal reports that General Mills has quietly cut its Twin Cities-based workforce by two to three percent in recent months. Most of the cuts came in the company's Bakeries and Food Service division which is based in the Twin Cities. General Mills reported a $44 million reduction in net earnings for the quarter that just ended. Nicole Garrison-Sprenger reported the story and she joins us now.
Climatologist Mark Seeley's weather comments
University of Minnesota Climatologist Mark Seeley discusses the weather in New York when the Minnesota Twins played the Yankees in the American League Division Series earlier this week. The temperatures were in the 50s and cool weather like that can affect a baseball game. Seeley says it probably kept some balls headed over the fences inside the ballpark for outfielders to track down. And he says that it can affect the grip pitchers have on the ball. Seeley also discusses the weather readings taken by Lewis and Clark during their famous expedition.
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