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December 6 - 10, 2004
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Monday, Dec. 6, 2004 |
Mass health screenings for Hmong refugees
About 5,000 Hmong refugees are expected to resettle in Minnesota by the end of the year. They're coming from a refugee camp in Thailand, and some health officials are concerned about whether they will get the kind of health care they need. In St. Paul, Regions Hospital and Healthpartners are trying something new. They're offering mass health screening clinics for the new refugees. The second clinic took place over the weekend. Morning Edition substitute host Perry Finelli spoke with Dr. Pat Walker, Medical Director at the Center for International Health at Regions Hospital.
Light rail expansion handles first weekday commute
Today is the first weekday that the Hiawatha Light Rail transit line offers service all the way from the Mall of the America and the airport to downtown Minneapolis. Ridership has been better than expected on the line so far and transit officials are hoping the expanded service into Bloomington will attract more commuters from the suburbs south of the Twin Cities. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes is out early this morning, to tell us what's happening. He spoke with Morning Edition substitute host Perry Finelli from the LRT station on 28th Avenue in Bloomington, between the airport and the Mall of America.
Conservatives getting unhappy with gambling plans
Some members of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's own party say he's wrong to explore using casino gambling money to help fund state government. They say the governor's approach conflicts with fundamental Republican party principles and it will cost them votes. Nevertheless Pawlenty is continuing his attempts to pressure tribes into sharing their casino profits. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
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Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2004 |
School boards want more money
School leaders throughout Minnesota say it's time for state lawmakers to end their financial pain. Members of the Minnesota School Boards Association gathered yesterday in St. Louis Park to put the finishing touches on their 2005 legislative agenda, and state funding was the prevailing concern. They are pushing for an increase in state support over the next two years. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports.
Johnson & Johnson in talks to buy Guidant
Health care industry giant Johnson and Johnson is in advanced talks to buy medical device maker Guidant which has its most profitable business based in the Twin Cities. The purchase of Guidant would introduce a big new competitor into the medical device industry. Guidant, which is based in Indiana, employs 3,000 people at its successful cardiac rhythm management division in Arden Hills. That is where the company makes its pacemakers and defibillators. Morning Edition substitute host Perry Finelli spoke with Thomas Gunderson medical device industry analyst for investment banking firm Piper Jaffray.
Ada mayor's "Real Story"
Here's a "Real Story" that demonstrates the wide range of duties that a small town mayor is often expected to perform. It is told by Jim Ellofson. He's the mayor of the northwestern Minnesota town of Ada.
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Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004 |
Will Pawlenty health alliance generate 43% savings?
Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he hopes to improve the quality and lower the cost of health care by combining the buying power of the state and Minnesota's largest employers. The alliance he announced last month will create a pool of 3.5 million employees. Health care industry observers say that is large enough to pull some weight with providers, but are skeptical of the size of the potential savings. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports.
Minnesotans reveal attitudes on obesity
A new survey from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota sheds new light on the attitude of Minnesotans toward the growing problem of obesity. MPR's Perry Finelli spoke with Dr. Mark Manley.
Twins sign Radke and on hold for Koskie
The Minnesota Twins have signed pitcher Brad Radke to a new two-year, $18 million deal. Radke has been a fixture on the team since 1995. The Twins also offered arbitration to their third baseman Corey Koskie, and to catcher Henry Blanco. MPR's Perry Finelli spoke with La Velle E. Neal III, who covers the Twins for the Minneapolis Startribune.
New Lacrosse team starts games this week
With the National Hockey League lockout continuing, the people who run St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center hope to see thousands of people at the arena this Friday to see Minnesota's newest pro sports fanchise. The Minnesota Swarm plays its first exhibition game as a member of the National Lacrosse League. The Swarm will take on the Colorado Mammoth. The National Lacrosse League started in 1986 with teams mostly on the East Coast and in Canada where lacrosse is popular. The indoor version of the game is usually played in hockey arenas, with the rink covered with artificial turf. Joining us on the line is Minnesota Swarm General Manager Marty O'Neill.
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Thursday, Dec. 9, 2004 |
NHL and players talk to try to end lockout
Negotiators for the National Hockey League and its players union meet today for the first time since September. The two sides will try to draw up a new collective bargaining agreement and end the lockout. Recent labor troubles in other sports have grabbed daily, front-page headlines, but the hockey lockout hasn't garnered that much attention. As Minnesota Public Radio's Phil Picardi reports, even die-hard hockey fans don't seem to miss the NHL all that much.
State commission to hold hearing on sex offender sentences
The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission holds a hearing later today on changing the sentencing of sex offenders. The commission approved a preliminary plan last month that would triple prison terms for the most serious repeat sex offenders. Any changes adopted by the commission would go into effect unless the state legislature disapproves of them in the next session. The legislature will also be considering the advice of another group, the Governor's Commission on Sex Offender Policy. That group wants open-ended sentences for sex offenders. Joining us on the line is Barbara Tombs, director of the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission.
Pollster says Generation Jones tipped election for Bush
Since the election in November, there's been a lot of debate over whether or not "moral values" voters were the key to President Bush's victory. Pollster Brad Coker has identified another group that he says was an important demographic for Bush: Generation Jones. Coker is with Mason-Dixon Polling. He says Americans 39 to 50 years old are a key group in today's political world, and they played a decisive role in this fall's election. Mr. Coker joins us now.
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Friday, Dec. 10, 2004 |
Public vents frustration at FCC hearing
Twin Cities residents had a chance last night to vent to one of the nation's top broadcast regulators. Federal Communications Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein held a public forum at St. Paul's Hamline University. Minnesota Public Radio's Jeff Horwich reports.
Minneapolis and St. Paul hold joint meeting
Elected officials from the state's two largest cities combined forces Thursday in a rare joint meeting. The leaders from Minneapolis and St. Paul say it is a show of unity on issues such as state aid cuts and transit funding before the start of the legislative session next month. Minnesota Public Radio's Art Hughes reports.
First African World AIDS Day in Minnesota
This Saturday, hundreds of African immigrants will converge on a Minneapolis community center for the state's first ever African World AIDS Day. It's part of an ongoing effort to educate the African born community about HIV and AIDS. It's a population that's been especially hard hit by the disease. Minnesota Public Radio's Erin Galbally has this report.
Questioning the need for niche theater
A Twin Cities theater is questioning its own existence. Outward Spiral is the only Twin Cities theater dedicated to producing shows by and about Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered people. After a couple of poorly attended seasons, the theater is wondering whether the GLBT community needs it anymore. Minnesota Public Radio's Marianne Combs reports.
Gerrymandering's influence on election 2004
The news this election year was filled with reports about problems at the polls, but little attention was paid to one very influential issue: gerrymandering. The practice of redrawing district lines for political advantage is not new. But this election year it was so effective that many congressional incumbents ran virtually unopposed. A new documentary from American RadioWorks, called "Carving Up the Vote" looks at how gerrymandered districts influenced this fall's elections. The program looks at Texas, where a 1991 gerrymander by the Democrats gave that party the edge in the state's congressional elections. In 2003, Republicans re-drew district maps in their favor. In this excerpt, Democratic staffer Tamara Bell takes the BBC's James Silver to a section of Austin which illustrates the impact of gerrymandering.
Green roofs new trend in construction
A hot trend in environmentally-friendly construction is catching on in the Twin Cities -- green roofs. The growing movement to put grass or other plants on top of structures has reached a condominium development in Woodbury, and may find its way to a new Minneapolis development as well. MPR's Perry Finelli spoke with Sam Black who covered the story for this week's edition of The Business Journal.
Climatologist Mark Seeley's weekly weather comments
University of Minnesota climatologist Mark Seeley discusses the warm temperatures that continue to dominate the weather. He also explains the recent episode of freezing fog seen in Duluth.
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