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October 11 - 15, 2004
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Monday, Oct. 11, 2004 |
Financing set for St. Paul biosciences incubator
A proposal for a University of Minnesota biotech business incubator in St. Paul gets a boost later today when officials announce they have raised enough money to get the idea going. St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly threw his support behind the idea a year-and-a-half ago, and had the city pay almost $7 million for a building to house the project. But the final deal did not come together until Mayor Kelly also agreed to a $6 million loan guarantee for the project. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Mayor Randy Kelly
Bush and Edwards campaign in Minnesota
Minnesota demonstrated its battleground status over the weekend by attracting campaign visits from both Republican President George W. Bush and Democratic vice presidential hopeful John Edwards. Both candidates used the recent debates as ammunition for their positions. Bush spoke to an estimated 17,000 supporters at a park in Chanhassen Saturday, while Edwards spoke to an estimated 7,000 people at Maple Grove High School yesterday. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
KAXE thrives as independent radio station
In northern Minnesota, there are about as many deer as there are people. There's no Ikea store; the ethnic restaurants serve pizza. The town of Grand Rapids -- population 8,000 --- only recently got a gourmet coffee shop. But for nearly 30 years, there has been a hip, happening public radio station. KAXE sends the music of Greg Brown and Suzanne Vega a hundred miles across the swamps and through the trees of north central Minnesota. Mainstreet Radio's Stephanie Hemphill has the next in our occasional series, looking at "the independents."
MPR's Chris Farrell's Monday Markets comments
Minnesota Public Radio Chief Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell discusses the week in economics and the financial markets. This week, he tells us more about Edward C. Prescott, former professor at the University of Minnesota, who won the Nobel Prize for Economics this morning.
Minnesota Twins look ahead to next year
The American League playoffs continue tomorrow night in New York... but without the Minnesota Twins. For the second straight year, the Twins opened the playoffs with a win against New York and then lost three in a row, including two at the Metrodome. Now, the players head home and the front office starts planning for next year. Joining us now is La Velle Neal who covers the Twins for the Star Tribune.
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Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2004 |
New voters could be election wild card
Today is the deadline for Minnesotans to preregister to vote. Anyone not registered by 5 p.m. today will have to register at the polls on election day. Registration cards have been streaming into county election offices around the state. The Secretary of State's office says about 2.9 million Minnesotans had registered as of yesterday. That's about 77,000 more people than were registered on election day in 2000. The number of new voters could make a difference in a close presidential race. As part of an occasional series "Every Vote Counts," Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
Will newly registered voters actually vote?
The deadline to preregister to vote in Minnesota for this November's election is 5 p.m. today. People who want to register to vote after today's deadline can do do it on election day at their polling station. Getting people to pre-register in this year's tight presidential race has been a high priority for many activist groups like the liberal-leaning American Coming Together. But how many of those potential new voters will actually vote? Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Michael McDonald, political science professor at George Mason University who's studied voter behavior.
Governor explores school management option in Canada
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is planning a trip to Edmonton, Alberta, later this year to see how that Canadian city's public schools work. Edmonton has been a leader in the practice of site-based management -- a decentralized system that gives principals a greater say in spending decisions. Pawlenty wants to explore a similar approach in Minnesota schools. The governor's interest comes as a surprise to some local school leaders, who've been using parts of the Edmonton model for several years. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
Abu Ghraib interrogator tells his story
It has been six months since the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq became public, tarnishing the reputation of American troops. Six soldiers still face abuse charges. Two others have been sentenced to prison. After months of self-imposed silence on the issue, a former interrogator, who lives in Minneapolis, has decided to speak out about what he saw at Abu Ghraib.
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Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2004 |
Dayton closes Washington office over safety concerns
Minnesota Sen. Mark Dayton has closed his office in Washington, D.C., citing security concerns. Dayton said on Tuesday that a classified intelligence report made him fear for the safety of his staff. Federal law enforcement officials say there is no new intelligence that indicates the Capitol complex is a target. Sen. Dayton, D-Minn., said his staff will work out of his Minnesota office and in Senate space off Capitol Hill through the election. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Sen. Dayton.
Cheney stays on offensive in Rochester
Vice President Dick Cheney campaigned in Rochester Tuesday on the eve of the last presidential debate. He spoke to an enthusiastic crowd about national defense and why President Bush deserves another term in office. According to Cheney, the differences between the candidates are clear. Minnesota Public Radio's Erin Galbally has this report.
Slicing the Spin: The environment as an issue
Domestic policy is scheduled to take center stage tonight during the final presidential debate. One of the issues that could come up is the environment. Midmorning at 9 o'clock today will take up the environment in the next installment in a series of programs on issues in the presidential race. They're calling the series "Slicing the Spin." Joining us with a preview is Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo. He says President Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry have different views on a range of environmental issues including how to clean up pollution.
Immigrants want better access to college
As President Bush and John Kerry battle for the White House, they are discussing foreign policy, the war in Iraq and a variety of domestic concerns. But one issue they have been relatively silent on is immigration. Immigration advocates want the candidates to throw support behind several bills, including one that would help undocumented immigrant high school students go to college. Minnesota Public Radio's Toni Randolph reports.
Sviggum and Entenza debate higher education funding
On college campuses across Minnesota, much of the political focus has been on the presidential election. That race may be overshadowing student awareness of another big contest this year: every seat in the state House of Representatives is up for grabs. During a student sponsored debate last night at the University of Minnesota, House leaders Steve Sviggum, a Republican, and Matt Entenza, a DFLer, gave about 70 students a taste of the priorities for their parties this election season. Minnesota Public Radio's Marisa Helms reports.
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Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 |
Getting out the Native American vote
Politics is a business of winners and losers. It is also about ideology and influence. Minnesota's minority communities are finding their political voice. MInnesota Public Radio's Mainstreet Radio is looking at get-out-the-vote efforts targeting the state's minority communities, in our ongoing series "Every vote Counts." There is a new push to get American Indians to the polls in November. Native Vote 2004 is targeting some two million eligible voters in a dozen states. American Indians are a small percentage of the total population, but in a tight race, all votes are important - and could determine who sits in the White House. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Kelleher reports.
Somalis react to third presidential debate
Many of the 60,000 Somali immigrants living in Minnesota also paid close attention to the debate. Only about 20 percent of them are citizens and can vote. But whether they are first time voters or future voters, many take are taking this presidential election very seriously. Mainstreet Radio's Annie Baxter spoke with several Somalis in St. Cloud after the debate and she has this report.
Old and young watch debate
An intergenerational group of Minnesota seniors and students gathered last night to watch the final presidential debate. They wanted to hear from Democrat John Kerry and Republican George W. Bush on issues ranging from Social Security to the draft. Many said they were not satisfied with the answers. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.
Undecided voter scrutinizes presidential candidates
The third and final presidential debate between President George W. Bush and Democratic nominee John Kerry is over and voters are now left to mull over the candidates' performances and how that will affect their vote. That process is especially important for undecided voters. Polls suggest they make up about ten percent of the voting public, and could swing the election in many battleground states like Minnesota. Last month Morning Edition aired a story about Joe Raasch an undecided voter from Shakopee. In the story, he said he was looking forward to the debates to help him make up his mind. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Raasch about whether he has made up his mind.
Local author nominated for National Book Award
The waiting begins for Pete Hautman, a local author of a book that has been nominated for a National Book Award. It is called "Godless" and was nominated in the category for young adult literature. The nominees were announced yesterday at the Fitzgerald theater in St. Paul, and the winners will be announced in November in New York. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer spoke with author Pete Hautman.
Excerpt from new "Wellstone" documentary
The documentary "Wellstone" will premiere Thursday at 7 p.m. at The Heights theater in Columbia Heights as part of the Central Standard Film Festival. Through archival footage and interviews with friends and family, the film looks at Paul Wellstone's upbringing as the son of a Russian immigrant and his evolution from college professor to U.S. Senator. Wellstone grew up in northern Virginia and met his wife Shelia in high school. They got married while he was a student at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. In this excerpt from the documentary, Jim Stimson, a longtime friend of the Wellstones, talks about how Paul's graduate school research changed the course of his life.
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Friday, Oct. 15, 2004 |
Northwest Airlines and pilots reach deal
Negotiators for Eagan-based Northwest Airlines and its pilots have reached a tentative deal to save the airline $300 million in annual labor costs. Industry watchers had come to see a deal with the pilots as critical to Northwest's financial health. Still, the potential savings are only the first step down the path to long-term profitability for the carrier. Minnesota Public Radio's Jeff Horwich reports.
Kerry, Bush court business community
Both major presidential candidates claim to be friends of business-people. Health care, tax cuts, and the state of the economy were the centerpieces of this week's domestic debate. On the question of Bush versus Kerry, there are signs the business community in Minnesota is likely leaning toward the president. But as Minnesota Public Radio's Jeff Horwich found, neither man has the business vote locked up.
New play looks at Jewish immigrant experience
Jews in Minnesota are celebrating a double anniversary. It's the 350th anniversary of the arrival of the first Jews in America and the 150th anniversary of the first to arrive in Minnesota. Minnesota playwright Joe Vass' latest work chronicles the experience of the immigrants in his latest work. The musical uses the Yiddish word for craziness "Mishegass" as it's title. The show is currenlty running in St. Cloud before opening in Minneapolis later this month. Mainstreet Radio's Tim Post has more.
Weather comments from Mark Seeley
University of Minnesota Climatologist Mark Seeley discusses the worst blizzards on record in October in Minnesota. He also talks about what a winter storm must be like to be classified a blizzard.
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